Source: Bike Bound
From Motohead Custom: Machismo 500 Desert Bobber…
In 1901, the first Royal Enfield motorcycle rolled out of The Enfield Cycle Company in Redditch, England. For the next 99 years, Royal Enfields would have cast-iron head-blocks, including the Bullet — the longest continuously produced motorcycle model in history.
1932 Royal Enfield Bullet 350
Today, it’s well-known that Royal Enfield has transitioned to a modernized, unit-construction engine (UCE), where the gearbox, clutch compartment, and cylinder are integrated into a single unit. This new engine is much more reliable than the old cast-iron (CI) model, though some Enfield aficionados still prefer the heavy-thumping character of the old pre-unit machines, which have been likened to riding a baby elephant.
However, many folks don’t realize that there was an interim engine between the CI and UCE known as the AVL. Produced from 2000 to 2009, the AVL stood for Anstalt für Verbrennungskraftmaschinen (“Institute for Combustion Engines”), an Austrian firm that built these lean-burn, semi-unit engines.
The AVL had an aluminum head-block, separate gearbox, and came in 350cc and 500cc variants. Four-speed AVL engines with right-side gear shifters were produced from 2000-2002, while 5-speed versions with left-side shifters were available in the Royal Enfield Electra, Thunderbird, and Machismo until 2009.
The bike you see here began life as an early 2000s Machismo 500, but it’s come a long way since then. It’s the work of Antony (@godwinmotohead) of Dubai’s Motohead Custom, a mechanical engineer who began racing motocross as a teenager and built bikes professionally for a Dubai-based custom motorcycle company from 2017-2020 before opening his own private workshop.
“Now I’m working as an engineer again, but I never stopped pursuing my passion. I have my own private custom shop called Motohead Custom, where I create unique and awesome bikes and cars.”
The bike you see here takes inspiration from the 1949 Royal Enfield Bullet and the various military motorcycles that Royal Enfield produced for the British armed forces during World War I and II.
1949 Royal Enfield. Photo: Yesterday’s Antique Motorcycles
In those days, there were no true off-road bikes, and such hard-tailed machines — and the hard men who rode them — had to fare as best they could on all kinds of terrain, from the muddy fields of France to the desert of North Africa and beyond.
Antony hard-tailed the original Machismo frame and outfitted it with a custom springer fork in keeping with the style of the WWII-era machines. The front brake is a disc for better stopping power while the rear is a vintage-style drum, and the wheels are 19-inchers with trials tires. Like an Enfield rider of bygone days, the pilot is suspended over the rigid frame on a double-sprung tractor seat.
The bike is running a set of Norton handlebars and controls, outfitted with minimalist two-button switchgear and mini LED indicators — modern niceties that don’t mar the retro look of the machine. A custom high-mount exhaust with integrated heat shield channels the thump of the 500cc single, and the paint is British royal green — a color that lends this bobber its nickname of “Royal Rover.”
This is one lovely Enfield that looks straight out of the post-war era…but with a newer, more reliable engine and modern amenities. Well done, Antony!
Below, Antony gives us more details on the build inspiration and specs, and thanks goes out to Akshay M Photography for the shots.
Machismo 500 Bobber: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’ve been fascinated by custom bikes and cars since I was a kid, and I started motocrossing when I was 16. I wasn’t satisfied with the old 2-stroke bikes, so I learned how to modify them for better performance and handling. That’s how I became a mechanical engineer.
I’ve also been restoring vintage and classic cars and bikes for a long time. I love bringing them back to life and giving them a new look. In 2017, I got the chance to work with a custom motorcycle building company in Dubai, where I built amazing bikes for clients until 2020.
Now I’m working as an engineer again, but I never stopped pursuing my passion. I have my own private custom shop called Motohead Custom, where I create unique and awesome bikes and cars. I’m always looking for new challenges and opportunities to improve my skills and express my creativity. I hope you enjoyed reading about me and my work.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
Inspired by the 1949 Royal Enfield and military motorcycles made for the British Army in both world wars.
Retro-looking bobber — bullet with chrome finish. Machismo and Thunderbird were the first models fitted with lean-burn aluminium engine designed by AVL, Austria. Unlike the cast iron engines, Machismo was one of the first models to sport left side 5 speed gear box and right side brake. The model had chrome plating all over the body with excellent finish.
Build Sheet
Nickname: Royal Rover
Color: British royal green
Engine: AVL
Displacement: 497cm3
Fuel system: carburetors, UNI filter
Gearbox: 5 speed
Custom exhaust pipe
Customized rigid frame
Custom springer suspension
Sahara seat
Front disc brakes
Rear drum brakes
Norton handlebar and controls
Moto two-button switches and retro headlight
Mini LED turn signals
19” front and rear trials tyres
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @godwinmotohead | @motoheadcustom
Photos: Akshay M Photography (@_ak_sh_ay_m)”}]]
