Sean Zeigler of Other Life Cycles Drops the F-Bomb at the Dallas IMS

Sean Zeigler's F-Bomb J&P Custom winner in the K&N Performer category side view

Zeigler's F-Bomb is a clean and pure cafe build

Before you think that Sean Zeigler is a potty-mouth, we should clarify. The F-Bomb is a clean and sanitary custom café racer that Zeigler created from a 1975 Honda CB550F Supersport. It doesn’t take a lot of detective work to identify where the name of the snow-white custom build came from. In Honda’s corporate vocabulary, the F indicated the CB was a sport version of the breed. For Zeigler it certainly means... fantastic... yeah, that must be it!

Zeigler’s rolling double entendre rode away with the K&N Performer Award at the Dallas edition of the Progressive International Motorcycle Show. The J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show has focused the spotlight onto several new talents in the bike-building world of which Zeigler is one.

When we asked him about his history in the craft, Zeigler revealed just how brief his tenure in the field has been. “In short, this is the first build out of my little home garage shop, with the exception of a few vintage Vespa projects,” Zeigler said. Clearly he has a unique talent for his new-found form of creative expression.

Sean Zeigler's F-Bomb J&P Custom winner in the K&N Performer category rear view

The smooth body work and paint combine perfectly with touches like the recessed taillights

Zeigler revealed that the motivation for the fantastic build was more therapeutic than anything else. That little gem of a custom helped him get through a rough spell in his life.

“My work life was kinda stale, my mom was sick, and I really just wanted to build a motorcycle, plain and simple,” Zeigler noted. “I had been working on vintage Vespa builds for several years, and when a friend of mine bought a motorcycle, I thought ‘well I could build that’ and so I did.”

The end result of that inspiration is pure, elegant simplicity. Clean lines define Zeigler’s build. The F-Bomb is an uncluttered, even skeletal, work of café art. Zeigler’s personal favorite elements of the build are the subtle details that create the whole.

“There are so many little details,” said Ziegler. “But my favorites are the custom hand-made alternator cover, the RFID on/off, the modified forks, and the recessed brake lights and tail.”

Sean Zeigler's F-Bomb J&P Custom at the Dallas International Motorcycle Show

F-Bomb made a serious bang at the Dallas IMS

The bodywork on the F-Bomb is crafted to café perfection. The hand-made custom seat-pan and smooth-sculpted tail section work perfectly with the CB tank. The entire motif is completed with the white paintjob capped off with a retro-cool blue racing stripe.

The 4 into 1 exhaust is minimalist and all-business. That header is finished in matte black, as are the spoked rims. The engine, which Zeigler rebuilt with new seals and rings, is left relatively original. Of course, the F-Bomb wears the requisite café rear-set foot controls and low clip-on handlebars.

While F-Bomb is Zeigler’s first custom motorcycle build, it is certainly not going to be his last. It is also clear that he will not be boxed into a certain genre of custom.

Sean Zeigler's F-Bomb J&P Custom engine

The custom engine cover, clean headers, and nice rear-sets add to the cafe build

“I hope to debut my next completed build in February. I have been posting updates on Instagram of it under the hashtag #supermotoscramblerstein. As you can imagine from that hashtag, it is not a café,” said Zeigler. “The base is a 1981 GL500 but I am mixing in a little 2001 Suzuki DRZ 400. So far it is looking pretty nifty to me, and I hope when I get to show it off as a complete build it will turn a few heads.”

This new passion clearly has Zeigler thirsty for more, and he wouldn’t mind at all sharing it with new friends. “If you are looking for someone who will build a bike with you, that is the whole goal of this adventure for me. I have a few donor bikes available and welcome anyone interested in a build from me.”

K&N gives Sean Zeigler a big ‘thumbs up’ on his success with F-Bomb. We are proud to help new builders get the recognition they deserve!

clear

K&N PRODUCT SEARCH     WHERE TO BUY K&N