Heiwa Motorcycle is the famed Hiroshima workshop started by Kengo Kimura. Since his early twenties, Kimura has been passionate about motocross, and originally funded his passion by working as a mechanic at a motorcycle dealer—while making his own custom parts and bikes on the side. Then in 2005 he opened Heiwa (‘Peace’) Motorcycle, and focused on customizing and servicing British and Japanese-made bikes.
Kimura is also devoted to the American lifestyle and products from the 1950s and 1960s, the kind stocked by the Poppo general store adjacent to his Heiwa workshop. Once a year, Kimura goes to the USA to buy used bikes and parts, and meet with custom builders in the States.
The vintage BMW R-series boxer remains a perennial favorite among custom motorcycle builders. But there’s a downside to its popularity; with so many custom boxers on the road, it’s hard to build one that truly stands out. This lovely 1978 BMW R100/7 from Japan’s Heiwa MC doesn’t rely on wild engineering or crazy fabrication to…
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Many custom bike builders develop a signature style over time—but that style is often attached to one particular make, model, or era of motorcycling. Then there are craftsmen who can apply their distinct art to any canvas, without compromise. Kengo Kimura of Heiwa MC is one such artisan. Based in Hiroshima, Kimura-san is one of…
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The name of Kengo Kimura’s workshop, Heiwa, means ‘peace’ in Japanese, and his logo depicts a flying pigeon. Those sound like random facts, until you look at the custom motorcycles that Kimura-san builds and see these themes repeated in every single one. This custom BMW R100 is a prime example. Like everything else from Heiwa…
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Our first Speed Read of the year has something for everyone. We kick off with news of the new Triumph Daytona 660, then profile a sharp Honda CB450 café racer from the US. A vintage Triumph from Heiwa MC and a cheeky Yamaha TW200 from Deus take us home.
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You don’t collect trophies from the illustrious Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show without being a master of your craft. But the full…
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Two thumpers lead the charge this week; a KTM 640 Duke from Spain and a Suzuki DR650 from Australia. We also take…
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High-end custom motorcycles are often criticized for favoring form over function, but Kengo Kimura rides that line masterfully. As Heiwa Motorcycle, he’s…
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The famous Triumph Trident name is back in the news these days, with the launch of the excellent 660 roadster. The original…
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This Valentine’s Day, we’re kicking things off with something red: a burly Honda Grom kit from K-Speed. Plus we look at Indian’s…
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We’re always curious to see what bikes the world’s top custom builders choose to ride themselves. Because more often than not, they’re…
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Kengo Kimura is one of the world’s most versatile bike builders. He can create high-end customs that win ‘Best In Show’ prizes…
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The best thing about the Japanese custom scene is that it defies all conventions. Stroll around the annual Mooneyes show for example,…
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