Delta Purpose Built Moto S Custom Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650

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As a bustling custom motorcycle business, Purpose Built Moto isn’t above taking on jobs that require minimal fettling. But it’s when the brief calls for something more unique that shop boss Tom Gilroy truly comes alive, relishing the opportunity to push himself, and his crew, to new heights.
“We have held fast to the idea that if we stop moving forward, we will cease to exist,” he states. And if you need any proof that this philosophy is core to what the Australian shop does, this staggeringly elegant Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 has it in spades.

The commission for the build came directly from Royal Enfield, leaving Tom with something of a conundrum. “Our build ideas come from our relationship with the client,” he explains, “their personal tastes, the riding style they like, and the energy they put out in our meetings and consult on their bike. Building for a manufacturer was a little different, as there was no one person we needed to get to know.”
“I took a look at Royal Enfield as a company, pored over their history, and took their current messaging and community into account. The question became, ‘What is Royal Enfield trying to build?’ My answer was that they have cultivated a die-hard community of riders based on their unwavering commitment to heritage throwback motorcycles.”

“Taking the lead from Royal Enfield’s history we would craft a motorcycle that was inspired by a very simple time in motorcycling—the 1940s and 1950s. Looking at models like the original Super Meteor 700, and, one of my personal favorites, the Flying Flea. Delivering a classically styled motorcycle and a more visceral raw ride feel, just like you got on the Super Meteor in 1952.”
With that concept in mind, PBM began refining their goals with little regard for the Super Meteor 650’s accouterments. The plan was to trim down the overhaul silhouette, shave weight, and create a more vintage-style riding position, all while showcasing the Royal Enfield’s gorgeous parallel twin motor. “Our hit list of modifications included custom front suspension, heavily modifying the frame and rebuilding the entire rear section, handmade bodywork, a hand shifter and clutch, and a floating bobber-style seat,” Tom adds.

PBM started by tearing the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 down to just its frame and chassis, with a view to fabricating everything else from scratch. Tom put an order in for a pair of clincher rims, measuring 23” at the front and 19” at the back. They’re laced to a Continental rear hub and a universal single-disc front hub, and are wrapped in classic Firestone rubber.
The rims had to be made by hand and chromed, so PBM started transforming the frame while they waited. The Super Meteor 650’s oil cooler, however discreet, clashed hard with their vision of a mid-century bike. So they fabricated new front frame rails that would carry the oil, and then used a lathe to add fins to them.

Next, the crew hacked off the rear section of the frame, leaving only the engine mounts and swingarm pivot. They fabricated a bespoke swingarm using chromoly tubing and custom-machined axle plates, converting the tail end of the bike from a twin- to a mono-shock setup. With the custom-built Nitron shock tucked neatly under the seat, sans linkages, the chassis could almost pass for a hardtail.
Look closer, and you’ll spot a stainless steel swingarm brace that sports the same design as the oil-in-frame tubes further forward. Other key changes to the frame occurred around the neck, where PBM removed the heavy cast bracing and replaced it with neat custom gussets.

One major highlight of the build is the one-off girder fork. “It’s something I’ve wanted to build for a long time, and a perfect fit for this project,” says Tom. “The principle of a girder really lets the builder get creative with the lines of the bike.”
“This sort of work is also my favorite to do—designing a functional and pivotal style piece on the bike. Making something that elevates the style, but having to make it work well too. I took inspiration from the girder design on the Flying Flea, added my own style choices and tweaked it to fit perfectly with the design elements of our build.”

PBM designed the entire front end digitally first, before 3D-printing a 1:1 scale model. From there, the various bits and pieces were machined, sand-bent, and welded to construct the final unit. The fork is linked to the yokes via stainless steel dog-bone linkages with needle roller bearings, with an adjustable air shock from a downhill mountain bike adding damping.
The yokes are one-offs too, as is the direct-mount handlebar. “The bar design was taken directly from a 1951 Royal Enfield Bullet 350 we recently restored,” says Tom. “The flat profile sits the rider upright and the reverse curve creates a beautiful outlook over the cockpit as you ride.”

With the chassis done, it was time to produce the Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650’s slim new bodywork. Tom was adamant about getting the proportions of the fuel tank just right, so he tasked relatively new staffer Cody with making a new aluminum tank by hand, taking cues from the 1950s Super Meteor. Despite its petite appearance, the new reservoir also manages to house the OEM fuel pump.
At the opposite end of the bike, PBM covered the rear wheel with a tasteful rear fender. From the subtle lip at the back of it to the slightly curved stainless steel fender stays, the whole arrangement is incredibly well-judged. The taillight—modeled after 1930s art deco guide lights—is a new PBM catalog part.

Sitting between the tank and fender is a slim bobbed saddle, upholstered in a luxurious vintage cherry red leather. Jamason from Timeless Auto Trim handled the seat, which also features laser-etched Royal Enfield logos.
We love geeking out over a well-designed cockpit, and PBM has delivered one of the best here. The bars sport leather grips to match the seat, PBM switches, and a reverse front brake lever (with a hidden master cylinder) from Kustom Tech in Italy. The bike’s speedo is tucked away just below the bars, complete with an integrated row of warning lights.

And then there’s the Super Meteor 650’s new hand-shifter system. Trimmed with the same leather and Kustom Tech lever as the handlebars, it uses a custom-made shaft that’s connected where you’d normally find the stator cover’s inspection cap. The shaft is kinked to tuck the shifter in close to the engine; a thoughtful detail that adds to the machine’s svelteness.
Another subtle, yet stunning, detail, is the pair of brass velocity stacks. “On a recent trip to Greece I walked past a very interesting workshop in Athens,” Tom says. “After a few minutes looking in the window, I was invited inside by Michael and his father, who has been metal spinning for 50-plus years.”

“We spoke about their craft and the history in this small workshop, filled to the brim with hand-spun ornate shapes. I asked if they could teach me some things and they kindly obliged, and entertained me for a few hours shadowing them in the shop the next day. They created the spun brass velocity stacks on this bike while teaching me and letting me have a go with some of their special tooling.”
While the brass intakes feed the motor air, gasses are expelled via a pair of hand-built stainless steel exhausts. They’re loosely modeled after classic fishtail cans, with internal mufflers that complement the growl of the Enfield’s 270-degree firing order.

Regular PBM collaborator, Justin at Popbang Classics, was roped in to paint the Royal Enfield. But subtlety was key, given the amount of fabrication and design work that had gone into the build. So Justin kept it simple; gloss black, with gold leaf and cherry red striping, and a handful of filigree details.
Final details include a Royal Enfield heritage logo atop the tank, and PBM’s signature ‘Delta’ motif, after which the bike is named.

Purpose Built Moto’s custom Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is not only one of the best custom motorcycles we’ve seen the shop produce, but it also sets the bar high for anyone else brave enough to try. And it’s spurred the shop on to push their boundaries even further in the future, which can only be a good thing.
As stunning as it is though, Tom believes that a Purpose Built Moto machine isn’t complete until it has been ridden. So how does Delta perform?

“With the work we’ve done, the Super Meteor is drastically different from the bike we started with to ride. Lengthening the wheelbase, building the front and rear suspension, and using the 23” wheel creates a stable ride at speed.”
“The comfort and ease of the factory Super Meteor is replaced with a complex and novel ride as you shift through the gears with your left hand. The ergonomics and cornering are indicative of a true vintage machine. And through the solid mount bars and girder fork you feel the road beneath you, while receiving constant feedback from the rumbling engine, the floating seat, and tall wall rear tire.”
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