Tan DS's 250 Tracker
By Gareth Roberts - 28 Jan 14
Conceived in early 2013, this stunning Honda LA250 from Ho Chi Minh City is the love-child of TanDS Le. As this was his first build, he heavily researched the online custom community for inspiration. A three month local search located a 1984 donor, and the project began with a partial engine rebuild and frame modification.
Drawing on his resources as a photographer and designer he worked with digital programs to hone the colour palette and form contouring to perfect a look that reflected his very specific vision. The tank was replaced with one from a Yamaha SR250 and the spoke wheels were swapped out for re-powdercoated mags from a CB400.
The exhaust is hand fabricated, the battery and wiring relocated and concealed, and the shortie aluminium mudguards are custom made.
Getting motorcycle parts and accessories in Vietnam isn't easy, so custom parts, such as the Daytona speedo, Kijima grips, CGC signal lights, CNC bar-end mirrors, KY handle bars and the K&N air filter, were all imported from Japan.
The bike was finished in black, silver and grey, with a highlighted decal along the gas tank to emphasize the dark-brown seat and grips. The project was finished in six months with many changes and U turns along the way.
The quality of this shed built bike would be the envy of many a pro builder, and the care and detail is evident from every angle. It's a great piece of work and we're very grateful with TanDS for sharing with us here at the Bike Shed.
We'll leave TanDS with the last word. "To me, it is more than just a vehicle as it is my loyal company in any adventure, and it is so much more than just a mean of transportation as it has made all the experiences and memories I’ve had on the road truly priceless."