There are only a handful of automotive films that I regard as truly great. Sitting at the top of the list is George Miller’s 1979 production of Mad Max. In the role that defined his career, Mel Gibson played Max Rockatansky, a police officer fighting to keep the peace in an unhinged post-apocalyptic future. While the movie tells a great story filled with bizarre characters, fast-paced action and a good dose of gore, the real stars of the film are the vehicles. 2019 is the 40th anniversary of the original film’s release so what better way to mark the occasion than with this Mad Max inspired Honda CB750 by Spanish workshop Señor Motorcycles.
Coined ‘La Interceptor’, this isn’t the most elaborate Mad Max inspired build I’ve ever seen, but it’s enough to make me want to watch the film all over again. Rather than going for a replica of Goose MFP bike or a Toecutter Kawasaki Señor found inspiration in the real star of the film, Max’s V8 Interceptor.
The Interceptor project began when the bike’s owner Elena brought her ’82 CB750 to the Señor workshop. Her brief for the build was to create a practical everyday ride with geometry that suited her small stature and, most importantly, paid homage to her favourite film, Mad Max.
Things kicked off with a comprehensive revision of the bike’s proportions. In the rear Señor installed a pair of shorter gas shocks and cut the subframe down to receive a new saddle. Up front, they slid the fork tubes higher in the triple clamps to level things out. A new seat was then built from scratch using a lower profile to help Elena plant her feet firmly on the ground. And Ace style handlebars add a touch of aggression to the riding position without sacrificing comfort.
Aside from an external refresh, the CB750 inline four remains essentially stock. Behind the new side panels is the factory air box and the large 4-into-2 exhaust meant no drastic changes to the fuelling. Señor also left the electrics and battery in their original position, but the bulky eighties indicators and tail light were ditched in favour of LED items. The rest of the build was influenced entirely by Max Rockatansky’s V8 Interceptor pursuit car.
A black, silver and yellow paint scheme identical to Max’s Interceptor was the obvious choice. Black has been applied liberally and covers the wheels, frame and a select few parts of the engine. The use of silver was limited to the engine cases and a pair of stripes that wrap around the sides of the stock fuel tank. To close in the front end Señor installed a small half fairing and added a yellow striped grille like those on the Interceptors headlights. And finally, the cherry on this post-apocalyptic cake is a set of replica Main Force Patrol decals applied to the bikes custom side panels.
