Launched last year, the bandit9 ‘EVE’ motorcycle is a custom made model, based on the 1967 Honda SS, boasting either a 90cc or 125cc engine. It features a chrome-finished steel unibody with bronze accents, stripping the bike back to its essential mechanical parts such as the exposed suspension. These images by Wing Chan showcase the EVE in a collaborative project with Ukranian fashion designer Konstantin Kofta, resulting in a scene that seems taken from a sci-fi film, reminding us of the 1970s design language of Space Age. The integration of Konstantin Kofta’s geometric bag design from his 2015 ‘Inertia’ collection and bandit9’s EVE reflects their shared individuality while referencing the Bejing-based customisation company’s ventures outside of the motorcycle industry. 

The EVE marks the beginning of bandit9’s new operation in Saigon and anyone who’s ever been to Vietnam or basically anywhere else in South East Asia will understand the importance of these small motorcycles to the local residents. In this region of Asia, motorcycles aren’t weekend toys designed for fun, but essentially used as the main tool to keep entire families mobile. This cultural difference has inspired a few custom motorcycle garages to pop up in the region and to take the tiny engined bikes of the Asian urban areas and transform them into world class customs that defy genres and selling them at affordable rates. Each model of the EVE is rebuilt by hand and only 9 will be built in total. Pre-orders start at $4,600 with the first deliveries set for April.