Over the last two decades, the contemporary custom motorcycle scene has grown significantly. There's nothing wrong with the thousands of brand-new bikes that roll out of manufacturing facilities every day. Still, a growing number of motorcycle enthusiasts dream of building a custom bike that suits their unique needs perfectly and reflects their personality.

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However, not every bike is ideal for customization. Specific motorcycle models possess some unique traits that allow them to be a lot more conducive to customization than others. The following list looks at ten motorcycles that we can easily modify and transform into the bike of our dreams.

10 Yamaha Virago

Yamaha Virago parked outside
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The Virago is one of the most popular and most powerful used cruiser bikes in the entry-level market that you can buy for peanuts. Despite its age, the Virago is a pretty advanced machine built around a sporty frame that can comfortably support various modifications.

Yamaha Virago parked outside
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The main reason why custom shops have always loved the Virago is that, since it's made in Japan, it's usually cheaper than similar American bikes - a good-condition Virago can cost less than $2,000. There's also a wide range of subframes, custom-fabricated exhausts, and plug-and-play conversion kits offered for the Virago.

9 Royal Enfield Himalayan

Royal Enfield Himalayan parked outside
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Introduced in 2016, the Royal Enfield Himalayan is a modern-day adventure bike that lends itself incredibly well to any off-road-oriented custom-builds, such as scramblers, enduros, and rally raiders. The great thing about the Himalayan is that it is one of those motorcycles that anybody can afford – a brand-new one costs only $5,000.

Royal Enfield Himalayan parked outside
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Despite being a relatively new bike, the Himalayan has a fuel-injected SOHC mill that's uncomplicated and relatively easy to wrench on. Popular modifications for the Himalayan include installing a new saddle, subframe, and off-road tires.

8 BMW R nineT

BMW R nineT parked outside
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First released in 2014, the BMW R nineT is quickly becoming one of the most customized motorcycles still in production. The R nineT was designed by Ola Stenegard and was BMW's first Heritage model.

BMW R nineT parked outside
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The R nineT comes with a 110-horsepower retro Boxer engine with a modular design that was thoroughly thought through to make modifications easier. For example, its wiring harness is simplified and divided to allow owners to modify their bikes without professional help. Its subframe is also easily removable, and once removed, it reveals several mounting points that are ideal for a bespoke framework.

7 BMW R80

BMW R80 at a parking
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The BMW R80 is one of the most common choices for custom shops, and it's easy to see why. For one, the R80 is one of the cheapest bikes in BMW's lineup and can easily cost under $5,000 in the used bike market, leaving the buyer with a reasonable budget for modifications.

BMW R80 at a parking
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It is also backed by the engineering and reliability that BMW is known for, which means that it can easily handle 100,000 miles with just regular maintenance. Some of the common modifications for the R80 include adding a new saddle, installing a custom exhaust, and replacing the original subframe with a better-looking one.

6 Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883

Harley Iron 883 parked on the road
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The Iron 883 is one of Harley-Davidson's smallest bikes, which not only makes it an affordable American V-Twin engine donor bike but also an ideal candidate for modifications. The sheer abundance of the 883 in America also means that there's a vast aftermarket sector for it.

Harley Iron 883 outside a motorcycle showroom
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One thing that people like to modify in the 883 is its tank, as it completely changes the bike's appearance and feel. The 883's subframe already looks excellent, which is why owners prefer leaving it untouched and working on the other bits. A saddle swap is also ideal, particularly for long-distance riders.

5 Triumph Bonneville

Triumph Bonneville parked outside
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The Triumph Bonneville has been racers' top choice since its release in 1959. It is still in production today and is considered by many to be the perfect donor for scrambler and café racer builds.

Triumph Bonneville parked outside
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The Bonneville already has the retro café aesthetic, but one can easily change it according to their needs. Triumph offers many accessories for the Bonneville to ensure that even newbies can quickly get their hands on them and get to work. With 46 model years of the Bonneville to choose from, buyers can find both vintage and modern options that look great and run perfectly.

4 Honda CB

Honda CB parked outside
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First hitting American roads in the 60s, the Honda CB was a real game-changer and has become one of the most popular platforms for motorcycle customization today. Almost every part of this machine lends itself to customization, which is why there's a wealth of aftermarket plug-and-play parts and accessories.

Honda CB parked outside
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The great thing about the CB line is that it has a wide range of bikes to choose from at different price points. However, the best for custom work are the CB500, CB550, and CB750. Anything bigger than 750cc would be too heavy, while anything less than 500cc wouldn't be powerful enough.

3 Royal Enfield INT650

Royal Enfield INT650 parked outside
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In 2018, Royal Enfield wanted to build a bike that borrows heavily from its motorcycles of the 60s to 70s, both in terms of looks and performance. The result was the INT650, a fantastic machine that offers reliable performance and the retro appearance of classic British parallel-twin bikes of the 60s.

Royal Enfield INT650 parked outside
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What makes the INT650 a great entry-level build is the fact that its design is already heavily influenced by the modern customs scene. Even a few minor changes - such as installing a new exhaust - can result in a thoroughly-custom-looking machine. Its price is also lower than its Hinckley-built competition.

2 Yamaha XS650

Yamaha XS650 parked outside
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The XS650 is a mid-size vintage classic loved by custom shops for its simple but elegant design. While it has more than enough power for freeway riding, the XS650 is still lightweight enough to be ideal for most custom build genres.

Yamaha XS650 at a parking
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Its unique design provides a vintage foundation with side-covers, exhausts, and an attractive tank in its stock form. The pared-down nature of the XS650's cradle chassis and the simplicity of the air-cooled single-cylinder engine it houses makes it a perfect blank canvas for a lightweight build.

1 Ducati Monster

Ducati Monster parked outside
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The Monster is a muscle bike produced by Ducati since 1993. Interestingly, the Monster started as a mild custom bike, with Ducati hiring Miguel Galluzzi to design its tank, tail, and headlight around an existing surplus of frames and engines. He ended up making it a naked bike with its engine and frame exposed.

Ducati Monster parked outside
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Like the Ducati 900SS, the Monster comes with all of Ducati's modern signature elements, making it ideal for a modern custom. This bike lends itself to various modifications, including a custom exhaust system, a custom saddle, and even new wheels. Having been in production for almost three decades, the Monster is available in various engine sizes and model years to fit any aspiring builder's budget.

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