Queensland-built 1000cc Royal Enfield wins top Busted Knuckles custom award
Royal Enfield's Busted Knuckles Build-Off is now in its third season, and some wild custom creations have emerged from five separate buildersRoyal Enfield has completed the third season of its Busted Knuckles Build-Off, with five Australian dealerships unveiling custom versions of the Shotgun 650 after a six-month build period. The 2026 edition marks the first time the competition has been held in an international market, with local dealers selected from an open submission process.
The participating builders were Moto Machine, MotoMAX Perth, House of Motorcycles, Fast Fuel Motorcycles and Grid Motorcycles, each taking a different approach to reworking the Shotgun 650 platform.
Queensland's Grid Motorcycles took out the Expert's Choice prize with a bold 1000cc reworking of the Shotgun 650. The award was presented at a special event in Melbourne on May 21, with a "People's Choice" winner to be announced at a later date.
Related: Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 2024 Review
Grid Motorcycles delivered the most mechanically ambitious build of the group, replacing the standard 650 engine with a re-engineered 1000cc version while fabricating a new chromoly frame, bodywork and controls.
MotoMAX presented “Dirty Purdy”, a lowered and more aggressive interpretation that retains much of the bike’s original form but adds a distinctive high-mounted twin exhaust layout and revised suspension. Moto Machine’s “Desert Eagle” pushed the base bike further into bespoke territory with fabricated bodywork, a ram-air intake, nitrous oxide system, custom lighting and a desert-racer theme.
House of Motorcycles opted for a cleaner, stripped-back approach with its “Sawn-Off” build, drawing on bobber and drag-bike influences through shorter suspension, drag bars and minimalist lighting.
Fast Fuel Motorcycles completed the line-up with the “Spitfire 650”, a road-legal custom featuring aviation-inspired detailing, themed luggage, cosmetic enhancements and a custom seat.
The five participating dealers were narrowed down from an open call for submissions and were given six months to create their custom builds.
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
