After acquiring the poor condition Bol D’Or in January of 2015 the brothers spent 2 months planning the build of the Tomahawk. “Because of the poor condition of the bikes suspension, wheels and steering box we decided that this project would only retain the frame, tank and motor of the original machine” Manolo explains. “The challenge we set ourselves was to retrofit the front and rear suspension from a Suzuki RGSX 1100 into the original framework of the Bol D`Or.”
To achieve their goal the brothers enlisted the expertise of a local engineer to inspect their bespoke monoshock brace and subframe modifications. Once they had his approval they continued adapting the upside down RGSX forks to the front end, retaining the Suzuki’s hand controls, clip on bars, braking system and wheels. The rear end followed suit with the RGSX swingarm slotting into the frame along with it’s matching wheel and brake set up for a comprehensive handling upgrade.
With the bike rolling again work began on fine tuning its proportions and aesthetics. A custom seat and cafe racer style rear cowl was shaped and scaled to fit the custom subframe. A single Motogadget digital dial sits in the center of the rider’s line of sight above a blacked out Bates style headlamp. Biltwell grips and discreet bar end mirrors finish off the handlebars and a custom Tomahawk emblem sits atop the billet triple clamp. The original Bol D’Or foot controls have been relocated to suit the new riding position and an well concealed LED tail light functions as both the brake and indicators.
To extract a few more horses from the 900cc Honda four the original carbs were rebuilt to work with K&N filters and a 4-into-1, blacked out Yoshimura exhaust system has been installed. Then to finish the bike off the Sameiros brothers replaced the stock side panels with a pair of custom made 76 number plates (the year the bike’s owner was born) and a silver and red paint scheme.
With a lineage of auto enthusiasts that includes one of Portugal’s first F1 drivers, brothers Manolo and João Sameiro were predestined to become engine lovers. In 2013 they opened the doors to their ‘Sameiro’s Motors’ workshop in Viana do Castelo, determined to influence the cafe racer and tracker scene with their own approach to motorcycle customization. Three years on the brothers have amassed an impressive portfolio of custom motorcycles and have begun to develop a distinct style of their own. Their latest creation, which started out as a decrepit ’79 <a href=”https://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/category/honda-cafe-racer/”>Honda</a> Bol D’Or, is the perfect representation of their highly functional approach to bike building. Blending modern tech with old school grunt and finished with minimal fuss this is their S3 Tomahawk.
