Ben Davis' Honda CB750 Custom Conquers the Field at the DC International Motorcycle Show

Jan 19, 2017

Legion Cycle Works CB750 custom side view

Ben Davis has created a CB750 custom like no other

In the ranking of iconic Japanese motorcycles, the '70s era Honda CB750 has to be near the top. The classic inline-four has served as the basis for choppers, café racers, and even stylized baggers. However, Ben Davis of Legion Cycle Works has created a custom CB750 unlike any other. His build earned Davis an impressive win in the J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show. He walked away with the trophy in the K&N-sponsored Modified Retro category at the Washington, D.C. stop of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show (IMS).

His “Xerxes” is a 1979 CB750 that Davis has morphed into an amalgamated custom that somehow works perfectly. The bike is the namesake of the powerful and vengeful Persian king of the late BC era who is central to much of that period’s world history (although now probably better known to most as a major character in the movie 300). Like the historical figure, Davis’ Xerxes looks ready to invade and conquer distant lands.

Legion Cycle Works CB750 custom triple-clamp

The artwork on the triple-clamp was done by Davis' friend at DC comics

When discussing his inspiration for the project, Davis may have uttered the greatest bike-builder quote ever. “My goal was to build something that looked like Mad Max and a Spartan had a baby, but the baby listens to heavy metal and eats caviar with its pinkie out,” he said. We have to say that Xerxes is a wonderfully outrageous love child!

Up front is probably the build’s most unique and polarizing feature. The hand-made fairing is reminiscent of an ancient warrior’s helmet and face shield. While completely unconventional, the fairing starts the aggressive, warlike motif in no uncertain terms.

Legion Cycle Works CB750 custom front view

The hand-made fairing is a focal point of Xerxes

That fairing is mounted to a Suzuki GSX-R1000 front end. The upper triple clamp secures those forks in true warrior style. Davis had a battlefield scene sketched on the aluminum part. With the low-set clip-on handlebars, the rider’s face is up close and personal with that hand-to-hand combat scene.

The suspension trickery doesn’t stop with the modern sport-bike forks. Davis crafted a very clean and sano mono-shock rear setup that is fabricated in a style much like the early Yamaha YZ rear end that really started the single shock era. The wonderfully minimalist framework accentuates the raw nature of the Xerxes build.

The aesthetic armor on this motorized warrior is the gloss black and deep candy red paintjob. That candy red finish took eight coats to get the depth that Davis wanted.

There is serious firepower in that inline-four

Of course, the heart of this build is the CB750 engine. Well, at least it was a 750 when it rolled off the Japanese assembly line. Davis has gone deep in his performance enhancement, boring the inline-four out to 836. It runs CB900 cams and breathes through Keihin CR29 race carbs. Every bit of that stunning engine is visible due to the under-frame headers feeding into a low-set, stubby conical exhaust can.

K&N is honored to be able to sponsor a custom builders’ competition that recognizes innovative projects like Ben Davis’ Xerxes. To protect your ride in the real world, find the perfect K&N filter in our online application search tool.