If you’re not familiar with the term, ‘GTB’, in Malaysia, stands for “Geng Tayar Besar” or Big Wheel Gang. An offshoot of the custom motorcycle scene, GTB customs take a small displacement motorcycle, usually a kapchai, and then slam on all sorts of goodies taken from a motorcycle 10 times the displacement.
This gives the GTB a rather unique look for custom motorcycles, which doesn’t doesn’t quite fall into the mainstream definition of “custom”. Typically, for the Malaysian custom bike scene, the accepted build is supposed to be a V-twin of some sort, coupled with either baroque styling in the American cruiser image, or cobbled together rat rods with exposed welding looking like it was built in a junkyard.
Rudy Norman of GTB prefers to take a somewhat different path, with his particular penchant of taking a small motorcycle and making it look “big”, almost to the point of being a caricature of itself. The nearest we could come to this, in our experience, would be the “egg plane” model kits which are, well, egg shaped renditions of the real thing, looking all kawaii (cute).
A good example is this 2021 GTB Honda RCV replica, based on the Honda RS150R supercub. Taking the RS150R as a starting point, the GTB boys put on replica bodywork and graphics in the style of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) racing motorcycles that compete in MotoGP.
It doesn’t stop, because Rudy and his crew do a whole lot of additional work to fit superbike-sized tyres and wheels, along with a single-sided swingarm taken from a Honda VFR800. Custom seat, superbike level brakes, suspension taken from the Malaysian Cub Prix race machines, the list is long and the amount of work required to integrate everything even longer.
“It is not so easy,” says Rudy, “We keep the frame untouched to avoid issues with the authorities, but just about everything else is modified, replaced and otherwise custom built to suit what a GTB bike is.” For the GTB RCV Replica, the most eye-catching piece is the single-sided swingarm, giving this particular custom a look unlike any other.
“Yeah, that one caused me many sleepless nights, trying to figure how to fit the swingarm in the frame, keep the geometry and still look good,” says Rudy. “Somehow, we did it,” he says with a grin.
Upgrade parts for GTB bikes are either bought off the shelf, or sourced second hand either locally or overseas. Rudy acknowledges this can be the most time consuming part of the build, especially when the part the customer desires doesn’t quite fit.
“We build the bike to order, depending on what the customer wants and what the budget is. A build can typically range from RM10,000 to RM50,000, the sky is the limit,” Rudy laughs.
In this particular case, the GTB RCV Replica is fitted not only with a single-sided swing, but actual race bike level rubber, along with fully adjustable suspension. We were invited to take the replica around the Aylezo track nd see what it felt like.
“Yeah, sure, take it out on the track. Azlan Shah (Kamaruzaman, Malaysian racer and Asian Road Racing Champion 2019) took it out on the weekend for fun,” said Rudy. We did so, and after a couple of laps, became very aware riding the GTB RCV replica was almost unlike anything we had ridden before.
The physical size of a RS150R, steering effort was at supertanker levels, the amount of rubber on the road making a very firm hand at the handlebars very necessary. Couple with the fact that this was a customer bike and due to be delivered soon, we hesitated to find the limits of the replica’s handling, coming in after a couple of laps and telling Rudy this one would take some time to get used to.
In all, the GTB RCV Replica is perhaps a very good example of Malaysian ingenuity and talent when it come to the world of custom builds. Rudy wraps up the session by saying, “we will continue to build bikes for those who have the will and the dream, and hope for more support from the public and the authorities. Custom building is not about just making a motorcycle that is different, it is about the interest and passion.”
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looks alone…..it looks cute though like chibi/sd stuff
The bike looks cool. IMHO it would be slightly cooler if they (GTB) can put a stock 250cc 2 cylinder on the bike, without modifying the original 150cc engine. Personally doesn’t like the sound of 150cc bike. Not to say that the 250cc sounds ok, but it is slightly better. 250cc with 4 cylinder would be nicest.
250cc motor on this small bike with enlarge tires would make a different in terms of respond and handling and slightly on the exhaust sound.
its for show off only bro. this kind if mod ofkos not for lenjan. dont get what u mean with that 250cc/150cc, confusing
The front upside down fork has an Ohlins sticker. Unfortunately Ohlins doesn’t produce one. It’s a fake
Thank you mr obvius. I’m almost didn’t notice that
Yes ohlins doesn’t produce this short ones but they cut short the real ohlins to make it.
Copy Vietnam ka
legal ke?
For track or showroom only.
Hee hee. All the girls will be laughing and not because the rider looks cool.
With all sorts of components changed, isn’t safety a concern for the resulting product? This is going to be on public roads.
Only to look good but performances are out & Useless. Whts a wasteful bro.
It’s all fakes
Lazy to think
Nice and terbaek!!
Confirm very gaya when riding this replica to buy roti prata or buying beras at 99 Mart.
Tamsap, kipidap & dongibab, bossku!
Good job in replacing the ‘ps’ in ‘Repsol’. Now my head stuck with ‘Respol’.. dammit
This is art. It’s for show. Your opinions about power, safety, handling etc2 does not matter.
First time tayar besar keluar nice la..then lama2 bosan dh n nampak too much lame..tukar tayar depan blakng tukar swing arm tukor suspension..sama ja
a.k.a geng takut bini.
I go buy an Aprilia 660 close case!
He mean’t engine swap…example taking the CBR250’s engine and putting it into the rs150r chassis…that would be illegal but GTB bikes are already pushing the limits in terms of legality…Also I don’t think the engine would fit in the chassis without cutting the chassis abit…
how much the cost to modified benelli rfs150i