THE 2012 BIKE EXIF TOP TEN

Twice a year, we compile a list of the most popular motorcycles on Bike EXIF. It’s the global barometer of public taste, with bikes selected on the basis of web traffic and their popularity across our social media channels—including Facebook, Stumbleupon and our exploding Pinterest page, which now has almost 1.5 million followers.

So here are the ten machines that our readers liked best in the second half of 2012. There are several ‘older’ bikes that are still racking up huge numbers, and would make this list if it was an all-time Greatest Hits: That includes several Rough Crafts and Wrenchmonkees bikes, plus previous Classified Moto builds and many of Cafe Racer Dreams’ machines.

Let us know in the comments what you think of this list.

1. Classified Moto KT600 [top]. When Battlestar Galactica actress Katee Sackhoff wanted a custom motorcycle, she commissioned John Ryland to build this Honda XL600. It’s already garnered well over 100,000 page views, and not surprisingly, Ryland has been deluged with orders for new builds.

2. After a track day accident, Alonzo Bodden got his Ducati 1098 (above) customized by Anglada Originals. The result is a powerful, heavily upgraded performance bike packed with top-shelf components and given a brutal streetfighter style.

3. This 1982 Yamaha Virago XV750 (above) was Eric Meglasson’s first motorcycle build, and was inspired by Classified Moto’s work on the same model. The Oregon architect now runs his own custom motorcycle company.

4. 1970s-era BMW airheads respond well to the cafe racer treatment. But you don’t often see one with a mono-shock conversion. This 1976 BMW R75/6 (above) is owned by graphic designer Casey Wilkinson of the motorcycle-mad Wilkinson Brothers.

5. It’s always fascinating to see the personal rides of bike builders. This amazing Ducati Pantah(above) belongs to JvB-moto’s Jens vom Brauck, a regular on these pages since the early days.

6. Dark and minimal is the custom trend today. But there’s always an exception, like this pale and elegant Triumph Bonneville cafe racer (above) by Loaded Gun Customs.

7. The Spanish workshop Cafe Racer Dreams transformed a humble BMW R75/5 (above) into a stunning vintage scrambler destined for the streets of Paris.

8. Holland’s Super Motor Company has turned the humble Honda Super Cub (above) into a fire-breathing salt flats racer. It’s not our usual fare on EXIF, but it was the surprise hit of the year.

9. Jason Kidd’s extraordinary Flyrite Choppers ‘Double Trouble’ (above) custom Norton has not one, but two Atlas engines.

10. A stern test for custom builders is how they handle the ‘budget’ job. This Ducati GT1000 (above) was no problem for the English workshop Spirit Of The Seventies—and won the company many new admirers.

What do you think about this selection? Is it representative of the custom scene today? And what do you think the next trends will be?

Add your thoughts below—I’ll be closely monitoring the comments from around noon (PST time in the US), and will be happy to answer any questions you’ve got.