Deepfakes, AI, hackers, trolls, and all the madness of social media, sometimes it’s nice to get away from the internet and technology, and just step back into the simple life. Yet one workshop seems to have found the ultimate balance. They live in a tropical paradise, much of their work is done by hand with nothing more than sweat and elbow grease, and yet they utilise the latest software to create incredible digital renderings and make the most of amazing materials to craft a handful of their parts. They are Bali, Indonesia’s Treasure Garage, and they’ve built their name by doing absolutely everything under one roof. Their latest build is no exception, with this mini hot-rod Honda Monkey 125, drawn and designed, panel beaten and built right among the palm trees of their island home.

Back in 2023, their Ducati Monster build was our Editor’s Choice in the Bike of the Year Awards, and the incredible team hasn’t slowed down since. Led by head honcho Imanuel ‘Nuel’ Prakoso, they are part of a wave of Bali builders, throwing off the image of tourists on scooters and giving their piece of paradise a thriving custom motorcycle culture to be proud of. One thing that Nuel takes incredibly seriously is keeping his customers satisfied and making sure they feel part of the broader Treasure Garage family.

There are many ways to achieve this, but crucial to all of their bikes are the incredibly realistic digital renderings created prior to the commencement of each build. This leaves the client with absolutely no doubt as to what they are getting for their money and allows for all kinds of design input, as well as multiple changes before anything is done to the bike itself. So whether you’re starting with a big Harley or the smallest of Hondas, everybody is on the same page, and all of the company’s staff know exactly what they need to do to deliver an outstanding final product.

This little Monkey’s rendering was created by Radite, and the colour scheme he used in his design is very similar to what we saw on their breathtaking Ducati. Printed up and postered around the workshop, the build team goes to work pulling all of the parts and panels off the Honda, creating the bare canvas they need. Looking to build a very different rear end from the stock product, the rear frame was removed, and a café racer-esque up-kicked and hooped tail is neatly integrated into the chassis. The underside has been covered with sheet metal, and a lick of black paint is added to the finish.

The stock tank remains in place, but every single other panel has been carefully hand-shaped and formed from sheets of aluminium. Despite the high-tech nature of the rendering, the guys in the metal shop do it all with a smile, with barely any safety equipment and a cool-as-can-be attitude.

Starting at the front of the bike, the fender is modelled on an example from a large sport bike, with extra material used to help shield the stanchions. Speaking of protection, the skid plate is stunning, with the twin vents at the opening feeding plenty of cool air around the engine, while giving the bike a bulkier appearance.

But if there is a part of this build that really shows off the full skills of the Treasure Garage team, it’s the forward set of side panels. Mounted beneath the tank, these serve in place of the original plastic airbox covers and make one hell of a statement. To achieve the lines alone by hand-shaping aluminium is brilliant, but the fact that they have been able to neatly integrate their own acrylic LED indicators into them, takes things to a whole new level. The rear side covers are pretty damn impressive too, while the back fender combines all of the tricks: nice lines, handmade indicators, and beautiful struts.

To finish out the lighting, more acrylic is cut to shape for the tail light, and the combination of a coloured material with a bright LED bulb makes for one hell of an effect. Keeping the theme flowing, the headlight didn’t need to be changed, as it’s a nice bit of kit from the factory. But a handmade metal grille gives it a touch of toughness, and a pair of mini indicators keeps things legal. The final piece of the bodywork puzzle is the handmade wheel covers, and you really have to look closely to see exactly how they’re bolted on.

Then, with all of that work complete, all the panels and pieces can be taken to the paint shop, where the tropical green colour scheme can be laid down. The matte finish works brilliantly with the gold highlights. More gold is added to the instrument surround and parts of the engine, and the graphic work is first-class too. The leather seat has been generously padded to make long days in traffic a comfy affair, and the black leather is just the right match for the paint, adding an understated element to the build.

To finish things off, the boys have reworked the exhaust system, which now gives the 125cc engine a mean bark from its new twin slash-cut tips. It’s another first class creation from the whole team at Treasure Garage, and you cannot underestimate the skill required to make the real thing match the rendering so damn closely.

[ Treasure Garage ]