There’s a growing class of builders who aren’t content with using the classic donors for their custom builds and have turned their attention to some true ’90s icons, to truly transform their character. In France, Jérémie Duchampt has quickly positioned himself in that space. Through Jerem Motorcycles, he’s built a reputation on machines that go far beyond surface-level styling, combining high-end fabrication with a designer’s eye for proportion. And this build, dubbed SHINOBY, makes that philosophy impossible to ignore. It’s based on a Kawasaki ZX-7R, a bona fide superbike icon, but you’d be hard pressed to recognise much of it now.
The race-bred Kawasaki has one of the most distinctive looks of its era, but here the original silhouette has been completely reworked, wrapped in a tight, flowing fairing that trades ‘90s aggression for something far more sculptural. The deep satin green, offset with gloss black, gives it a liquid quality under light, while that yellow-tinted headlight punches through like a deliberate nod to endurance racing heritage.
But this isn’t just about aesthetics. As with most Jerem Motorcycles builds, the transformation goes right down to the bones. Up front, a set of BMW S1000RR forks modernises the handling instantly, paired with 320 mm discs and Brembo calipers for braking that’s leagues ahead of the donor’s original setup. A Brembo master cylinder and custom brake lines keep the feel sharp and consistent, while the rear Ohlins shock has been fully reworked to match the front-end upgrade.
The chassis itself hasn’t been left alone either. The swingarm has been refinished in black, the frame treated to an epoxy coat, and the wheels painted black with custom inner discs to sharpen the overall finish. Visually, the bodywork is where SHINOBY really separates itself. Built around a modified Hedgehog Motorcycle fairing base, the front end flows seamlessly into a custom rear section, with a one-off tail unit that integrates lighting cleanly into the form. There’s no clutter, no unnecessary breaks, just a continuous surface that looks like it was poured over the bike rather than bolted on. Even the radiator had to be rethought, with a custom unit fabricated purely to make that tight fairing package possible.
The cockpit keeps things purposeful. Clip-ons with adjustable positioning sit behind the fairing, paired with a KOSO sport display to bring the instrumentation into the modern era. Lighting is fully LED throughout, from the integrated rear signals to the minimalist front indicators and plate illumination, while a lithium battery trims weight and simplifies the electrical system.
Then there’s the engine. Rather than chasing outright performance gains, Duchampt has focused on refinement, cleaning, restoring, and visually tightening the inline-four while ensuring everything runs exactly as it should. A custom 4-into-1 stainless exhaust system, finished with an IXRACE silencer, adds just enough aggression to the bike’s otherwise composed presence, both visually and acoustically. The drama of it all is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Jerem!
Finishing touches are where the build really earns its keep. The leather saddle, stitched by Yaya Brush Saddlery, adds warmth against the cool metallic tones, while CNC-machined aluminium mirrors and Daytona grips bring in just enough contrast. Even the small details, the side plate holder, the rearset integration, the clean routing of hoses and wiring, have been considered, refined, and executed flawlessly.
SHINOBY isn’t trying to be nostalgic, and it’s not chasing trends either. Instead, it sits as a reinterpretation of a classic superbike through a modern lens; exotic to look at, analogue and brutal to ride, and a design-led approach that’s becoming the signature of Jerem Motorcycles. The result is a machine that feels less like a modified ZX-7R, and more like a concept that could easily have landed on Kawasaki’s own booth at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show.
