Classified Moto, the custom shop owned by John Ryland is certainly making a name for itself. The design shop based in Richmond, VA delivers plenty of adventurous custom jobs from those wanting a little individuality from their motorbikes.
Classified Moto is even attracting the view of Hollywood, where celebrities have seen what can be done and are ordering their own custom rides. Battlestar Galactica actress Katee Sackhoff donated a 1987 Honda XL600R endure and commissioned the “KT600” which we think looks pretty fantastic. Classic Moto does not just change a few odds and ends, the company likes to make wholesale changes instead, and so it proves with the KT600.
The original Honda front end has been replaced with one from a Kawasaki ZX6-R while a swingarm was added from a Triumph Sprint from 2006. The rear end overhaul proved a trickier proposition as Ryland and his team through Chase Metal created an aluminum lower mount for the shock and a Progressive 465 unit, with a remote preload adjuster mounted below the tank.
To finish the look the team placed a custom stainless steel exhaust that was again fabricated by Chase Metal. The result is effortlessly timeless, interestingly the design manages to look modern while also offering a glimpse to a more traditional ride, and the bike’s new owner Katee Sackhoff was ecstatic with the finished product.
