At the risk of offending thousands of enthusiasts, I’ll say that the Honda NX650 Dominator looks good sometimes. A purpose-built evolution of the earlier XR600, the NX650 was equipped with an integrated fairing, a low-mounted front fender and other contoured bits of plastic that gave Honda an easy in for the developing adventure bike scene. It’s pure ’90s nostalgia that you have to respect, if it’s in good shape. But considering the last NX rolled off the assembly line in 2003, most have seen a thing or two by now.
But those enthusiasts I’ve jilted know the real strength of the Dominator is what hides beneath the retro wrapper: one of the simplest, rock-solid thumper platforms ever built. The custom scene has embraced the NX for these reasons and more, but perhaps none have done it quite like Holger Breuer.
Breuer’s an electrician by trade, who’s being pulled into the leagues of pro, full-time builders by his own hand. What started as a side gig modifying bikes for himself and close friends has snowballed into a collection of customs worthy of a dedicated tag here on Bike EXIF. Operating out of Husum, Germany, HB-Custom has graced our pages with Honda and Kawasaki cafés, restored classics and resto-mod sport bikes. But Breuer finds success every time he brings an NX650 into the garage — the only issue is that he’s struggling to keep up with demand.
What Breuer has on his side is experience, and at this point, he has the Dominator down to a science. The adaptability of the NX platform allows him to use the same basic foundation for his builds, fine-tuning the finishing details for his client’s personal taste and intended use. Armed with a low-mounted exhaust and Bridgestone AX41 rubber, this one lands somewhere in the supermoto realm.
Like the others, this aging NX650 donor was torn down to bits for a full engine service. Piston, rings, valves, timing chain and other major components were overhauled before the engine received a show-quality finish on the exterior. You’ll never see an HB-Custom sporting the original Keihin CV, and Breuer fit this one with his preferred Mikuni — a TM40 flat slide with a K&N filter. Exhaust gases are directed through a hand-built stainless system with a LeoVince muffler. After going to these lengths, it’s no surprise that Breuer puts every engine on the dyno, and the accompanying sheet stays with the bike.
Frame modifications are even more intense. Breuer axed off the whole subframe in favor of his own custom piece. It’s far cleaner than you’d ever get de-tabbing the original, and establishes a more aggressive line under the saddle. It sets the perfect stage for a retro rounded fender and Breuer’s custom perforated number plates. With 220 mm of travel up front, the NX’s 41 mm forks were up to the task after a rebuild, but Breuer upgraded the rear with a nitrogen gas-supported shock from YSS.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a supermoto without the right hoops, and Breuer ditched the stockers for a pair of gloss-black 17-inch wheels wrapped with BATTLAX AX41S tires. While the stock brakes remain, performance is enhanced massively with the addition of a Magura hydraulic master cylinder.
The cockpit is tidied further with a Magura tapered fat bar, OTOM clamps, Motogadget mo.switch buttons and a motoscope mini display — housed in the combi frame with programmable indicator lights. A bespoke wiring harness powers the bike, centered around an Axel Joost Elektronik H-Box, and a KOSO Zenith headlight lights the way. Microscopic indicators from Kellermann are nearly impossible to spot.
Plagued by chunky lines and a mounting seam for the original fairing, the Dominator’s stock fuel tank has nothing to offer this build. Eagle-eyed readers may be able to identify its replacement as being sourced from a Yamaha XT500, which takes some fettling to fit over the NX frame. The tank and side covers were coated in a rich blue with a contrasting silver center and black pinstriping. Is it sacrilegious to paste the Honda wing on a Yami tank? We don’t think so if you don’t, and it just fits so darn well.
We’re not certain how many of these Dominator-based customs Breuer has turned out, but for us, it’s the fifth we’ve covered in this basic style. You’d think he’d achieve diminishing results, but somehow, HB-Custom manages to keep it fresh each time, and obviously, his clients are lining up to grab one for themselves.
Maybe I’m biased, but this one really hits the mark. It’s not excessively blacked out, and doesn’t rely on nostalgia more than it needs to. It’s a bullet-proof foundation sporting a time-honored tank shape from the 1970s — and the rest is pure Holger Breuer.
This build, and the next one, are finished, photographed and likely spoken for. All we’re wondering is when Breuer will be forced to go full-time.
