Honda NX650 Mustard Takes the Dominator Recipe in a Tastefully Scrambled Direction

Most notably, the NX650 has spawned oodles of top-notch custom scramblers at the hands of talented craftsmen.
Case in point: this stylish piece of machinery from Gas & Retro (G&R) over in Slovenia. Frontman Ziga Petek isn’t someone who ever does things by halves, and his dedication has translated into many outstanding projects since the workshop’s founding. This one goes by the name of Mustard, showcasing Ziga’s take on the Honda NX650 platform in all its glory. Let’s have a closer look, shall we?

First things first, the Dominator’s appearance is woefully outdated by today’s standards, so a full cosmetic overhaul was high up on the grocery list. The motorcycle looks genuinely timeless following G&R’s custom treatment, but making it all come together was no walk in the park. Finding the right donor was the first challenge, with the client managing to get his hands on the only NX650 for sale in Slovenia at the time.

As you might expect, the bike was a bit of a disaster upon arrival at Gas & Retro’s facility in Ljubljana. It ran pretty well, but the previous owner had customized it in a very questionable style blending punk and military themes. That wasn’t too much of an issue, though, as Ziga simply did away with all the nasty bits before redoing the creature’s aesthetics from scratch.

For starters, the subframe was swapped with a handmade looped alternative. Kellermann turn signals and a circular LED taillight are attached to the tubing, along with a bespoke rear fender underneath. The new side covers located further ahead were also built in-house, while the saddle has been pieced together by one Mitja Bizjak. It’s upholstered in brown faux leather that looks just as good as the real deal.

The Dominator was starting to look a lot better with the rear-end mods out of the way, but Ziga was just getting warmed up. We were never too keen on the model’s bulbous OEM fuel tank, so it’s nice to see it gone in favor of a much prettier substitute. Originating from an old Caballero, the tank was thoroughly refurbished inside out prior to installation, also seeing its underside revised to fit Honda’s dual-sport.

A sharp, high-mounted fender is present at the front, just large enough to successfully carry out its duties. Bringing Mustard’s attire full circle is a new skid plate, which keeps the single-cylinder engine nice and safe when venturing off-road. The front end is finished off with an aftermarket LED headlight from Koso’s range, flanked by Kellermann blinkers like those found at the back.

Everything is held in place via tailor-made mounting hardware, and the motorcycle’s cockpit area keeps clutter at a bare minimum. It is home to a replacement handlebar kitted with brown Biltwell grips, stealthy Motone switchgear, and a high-grade brake master cylinder. There are no rear-view mirrors in sight, but an aftermarket pair can be added with ease to keep things road-legal.

All the electronics have been rewired through a Motogadget controller, without a single loose wire left visible. The stock paraphernalia is still present in the suspension sector, but Ziga had it revised to get the Dominator’s stance just right. He shortened the forks and raised the rear end, while also breathing some fresh air into the footwear department at the rear.

This came in the form of an 18-inch hoop from Moose Racing, and both wheels were ultimately cloaked in chunky dual-purpose tires. G&R had the brakes freshened up, as well, enabling Mustard to stop on a dime when it needs to. After giving the thumper a once-over, Ziga found its internal workings to be in great shape and ready to rock, so he only had to worry about the intake and exhaust.

On the one hand, the carburetor was refurbished and then topped with fresh air filtration technology. Exhaust gases are routed through a custom high-mounted setup, which was fabricated from scratch using stainless-steel. Parts of the engine were finished in black, just like the entire frame, both rims, and some bodywork components. The color scheme gets a lot more interesting on the fuel tank and side covers.

The tank is cloaked in a yellow base taken straight from the Toyota Supra’s color options, along with white patches on the flanks and black detailing. White is the base color used on the side panels, with the number 99 done in black over it. All things considered, Mustard is living proof that Gas & Retro can easily hang with the big boys of the custom motorcycle scene.