- Ten custom builds representing ten countries celebrate individualisation and customisation
- 750cc pairing of Hornet and Transalp introduces ‘On Road vs Off Road’ element to the seventh annual European competition
- Commentary on each build provided by their original styling designers
- All custom bikes will be on display at the Wheels & Waves festival in Biarritz from 10th to the 14th June
- Online poll at hondacustoms.com will crown Europe’s favourite custom
- Winner to be announced at the end of the summer
Honda is set to introduce a new element to its long-running hondacustoms.com customization competition in 2026 at Wheels and Waves, Biarritz. This year will be the seventh running of the Hondacustoms.com competition and will see ten custom builds of the 750cc parallel twin pairing of Hornet and Transalp go head-to-head in a ‘On Road Vs. Off Road’ contest.
Building on the successes of previous competitions, this year’s edition features another new element, as the builds will each be reviewed by the designers of the original bikes – Valerio Aieillo (Transalp) and Giovanni Dovis (Hornet) from Honda’s R&D centre in Rome.
The ‘On Vs. Off’ competition follows an eclectic mix of other Honda’s that have received the attention of some of Europe’s most creative minds: in 2020, the CB1000R was the first bike offered up for voting, followed in 2021 by the CB650R and the CMX500 Rebel in 2022. For 2023 the Dax, Grom and Monkey minibikes took centre stage, 2024 saw the CL500 (and one CL250) transformed into a wide range of spectacular creations, whilst last year the all-new GB350S took centre stage.
The Hondacustoms.com contest has become an annual event – working simultaneously in reality and online – that’s grown in popularity as imaginations run riot, with the platform receiving over 30,000 voting visitors throughout summer of 2025, marking a 19% year on year increase, with over 7,300 people downloading the custom wallpaper of their chosen bike.
All ten bikes – five Transalps and five Hornets – can be seen in person at the annual Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz from Wednesday 10th to Sunday 14th June 2026, with the on-line voting open throughout the summer at hondacustoms.com. Website visitors can vote for their favourite custom build and download a bespoke wallpaper of that bike for their device.
The 2026 line-up:
On Road:
White Venom – Honda Germany x Motocrew
‘White Venom’ is a modern urban street tracker from German builder Motocrew, which features a multitude of changes to ramp up the modern, sporty personality of the CB750. The white paintwork manages to shift between understated and striking depending on viewpoint, and is offset by the matt black frame and Rotobox Bullet carbon rims, which are wrapped in slick Dunlop tyres. Custom Wilbers suspension transforms the Hornet’s stance, whilst the one-off X-shaped, heat-wrapped exhaust delivers an aggressive sound from the parallel twin. Visually, White Venom packs a multitude of bespoke parts to complete the build, such as the aggressively chopped down tail, custom swingarm, metal crafted fairing, blade-shaped brake discs, 3D printed rear lighting, as well as CNC-machined triple clamp and handlebars.
Sting Honey – Honda Poland x Honda Sokół x Steel Choppers
Taking inspiration from the Hornet name, ‘Sting Honey’ from Polish dealer Honda Sokół, in partnership with builder Steel Choppers, radically changes the look and feel of the Hornet. Its paintwork, based around a honeycomb structure, has a deep lustre and shine for a premium finish, whilst the rear of the bike has been redesigned to exaggerate the Hornet’s sting with a sharper, more aggressive and dynamic rear tail. These pair with handcrafted fairings, fuel tank, seat and handlebar mounts, alongside items from the wider Honda range – including the headlight from a CB125R wrapped in a café-racer-esque front fairing and spoked wheels from the X-ADV scooter for a familiar yet all-new take on the CB750.
Last Lap – Honda Spain x Stilmoto
Looking ready to take to the grid of a 1980’s World Championship race, ‘Last Lap’ is an homage to the halcyon days of motorcycle racing. Built in-house by Spanish dealer Stilmoto, virtually every aspect of the Hornet has been revised to deliver an imposing track orientated build. The full, frontal, race fairing is freshly pressed from a NOS 40-year-old mould Stilmoto had in the workshop, whilst the flat-top tank and boxy rear section exude 80’s chic, all wrapped in a unique riff on the iconic HRC Tricolour. A single sided swingarm and full custom exhaust remove mass from the lower and rear sections of the bike, emphasising its sporty intent.
Mugen – Honda Portugal x Mototrofa
‘Form should follow function, not the other way round’ was the guiding build principle of ‘Mugen’ from Honda Portugal’s build dealership Mototrofa. The eye-catching streetfighter packs a visual punch thanks to a bespoke forest green paint job that has been laid down over all the bodywork sections and complements the gold detailing found on the rear wheel, custom stubby exhaust and front forks. Elevating the base character of the CB750 Hornet are subtle yet impactful additions such as the custom swingarm, bespoke carbon MotoGP-inspired front winglets, the custom underpan, and the aggressively chopped down tail section. Clip-ons handlebars, a custom seat, extensive carbon detailing and lowered front suspension give Mugen an unmistakable stance.
Concept 2077 – Honda Switzerland x Stark Industries
The ‘Concept 2077’ is a futuristic statement of style. It showcases a bold and forward-looking design thanks to bespoke 3D printed bodywork, comprising a new lower fairing and underpan as well as a new front end and partially faired wheels to transform the visuals of the CB750 Hornet. Paired with a striking paintwork combination of deep candy red enhanced by subtle gold accents, the result is a truly distinctive character. At the front, the striking design and signature lighting create an unmistakable identity, making the Concept 2077 an instantly recognizable uncompromising fusion of technology, creativity, and forward-thinking design.
Off Road:
Ruth – Honda Austria x Reier Motors
Channelling the world-famous Baja off-road race, ‘Ruth’ is a joint love letter to competition machines from Honda Austria and build partner Reier Motors. Built to a clear brief that required high performance, long range and distinctive style, the resulting bike is a unique take on an enduro adventure bike. Rebuilt from the ground up, the bike carries a very different appearance to a Transalp thanks to all-new fairings finished in a violet and opaque neon-red hue, complemented by custom headlights and additional lighting. Liberating the parallel twin’s voice is a full custom high-exit exhaust that hints at the sporty performance characteristics within.
Ocean Nomad – Honda France x CB77 by Gauvin
A vision of costal living, ‘Ocean Nomad’ mixes together the adventurous spirit with old-school surf culture in a nostalgic, patinaed aesthetic. A simplified silhouette comes courtesy of the removal of frontal fairings, an old-school round headlight which houses modern-day LED internals, and an all-new brown leather seat. This is matched to an aged ocean blue, ivory and burnt orange paint finish over the tank and remaining Transalp panels. Ocean Nomad is finished off with a stubby exhaust, custom US-style licence plates, side surfboard rack complete with matching skate and surfboards, giving the impression the bike has lived a life with many stories to tell.
Honda ATC750 – Honda Benelux x Dealer Anquety Motor Sport
Taking inspiration from the wilder corner of Honda’s comprehensive off-road back catalogue is the ‘ATC750’ – Honda Benelux and Dealer Anquety Motor Sport’s vision of a modern-day off-road trike. Amplifying the go anywhere intent of the Transalp, the main focal point of the ATC750’s build is the all-new custom swingarm, rear-axle, and axle retention system, all to accommodate the heavily revised bespoke drivetrain. Custom bodywork keeps those huge rear tyres in check, and reprofiles the front end to house a custom stubby windscreen and revised auxiliary lighting system. The ATC750 packs an imposing stance and is a truly unique take on the Transalp.
Saharja – Honda Italy x DRS Custom
The rally concept ‘Saharja’ is ‘inspired by the desert, built for the journey’ and blends a deeper Dakarian soul into the Transalp base. Boasting a handcrafted navigation tower (DRS) with digital road book and TFT speedometer, the bike also sports the iconic HRC Tricolour livery over a redesigned front end with integrated high-output LED lights. Gold wheels and handlebars provide exquisite detailing. A raised, long one-piece (monoblock-style) seat is paired with CNC-machined aluminium race footpegs for improved grip, whilst handguards, steel side protection bars (with 8‑litre dry bags) and an aluminium skid plate provide added protection. Extra handcrafted aluminium side fuel tanks, knobby tires and a high-mounted exhaust complete the transformation.
40th Anniversary ’86 Dakar Tribute – Honda UK x CJ Ball
Paying homage to Cyril Neveu’s win aboard the iconic 1986 NXR750, CJ Ball’s interpretation of the XL750 Transalp channels pure Dakar vibes through a highly-detailed desert paint scheme that puts the race’s brutal backdrop front and centre, a high-exit blacked out twin exhaust system and upgraded long-travel suspension. The front fender has been raised to amplify the off-road intentions, whilst upgraded off-road tyres and race number boards complete the racing look. Also integrated into the new livery is a tribute to Dakar founder, Thierry Sabine, with his famous quote “A challenge for those who go, a dream for those who stay behind” added to the bike.
On site attraction…
Building on the success of last year’s live sand sculpture GB350S, this year graffiti artist Moka 187 will be creating one-off artworks of the bikes on display at Wheels and Waves, using the surfboards always used by Honda as stands for the custom builds.
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Hondacustoms.com will again be available in English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese, with the winners being announced at the end of the summer.
Let the voting commence. And may the best bike win…
-ENDS-
For more information on the Honda CB750 Hornet, click here.
For more information on the Honda XL750 Transalp, click here.
