As a manufacturer, they currently lead the Moto3 World Championship, compete in Moto2, have flown their flag at the Isle of Man TT, and off-road they won the World Rally-Raid event in the deserts of Morocco. Few would guess that the brand behind such success is the Chinese company CFMoto. They’re winning on Sunday, selling on Monday, and when they approached the Cali kings of little things, Steady Garage, the boys didn’t have to be asked twice. Taking the latest mini-bike from the company’s range, the Papio CL 126, the goal was to showcase what can be achieved with bolt-on bits. Project SGPAPIO02 might be small but this serious street scrambler packs a sharp sting in its tail.
If you’ve ever searched for wild mini-motos on social media, you will no doubt have come across the incredible work of Steady Garage. The California-based outfit, run by Kevin Dunn, Jimmy Chen, Bahwee Suh, and Duy Nguyen, is renowned for their killer customs of just about any small bike you can imagine. But don’t think just because they work with little bikes that they do things by halves! They have one of the most impressive portfolios of any workshop in the world, stock an enormous range of parts and accessories, and work with some of the biggest brands to develop industry-leading products.
And they were instantly impressed with what CFMoto was bringing to the table. “The Papio CL 126 is a standout in the mini-moto world, with eye-catching design and style that sets it apart. Its double LED headlights feature an X and O pattern, giving it a youthful, urban vibe. The CL’s body lines resemble a scrambler, showcasing its versatility. We were eager to get our hands on one, and when CFMoto gave us the chance, we jumped at it!” Inspecting the bike, that scrambler vibe was an obvious direction to not only follow but enhance, and with a design drawn up, they were ready to rip in.
To get the bike on the right rolling stock, the whole theme of the bike is set off by the rubber sent over by Kenda Tires. The rough and rugged Big Block Adventure K784 tyres make a bold statement with their seriously aggressive tread pattern. Not content to wrap them around the stock rims, the guys have gone seriously high-end with their choice of wheels. They are based around a set of top-quality Chimera Engineering hubs, which are built up into a set of three-piece modular wheels measuring 12×4 at the front and 12×5 at the rear. Being a multipiece wheels, if you happen to buckle a rim, they can be easily swapped out.
The high-end parts don’t just end there; the suspension and braking package is exactly what you’d expect on any serious bike. Working with Gears Racing on the suspension, the guys have developed a full front fork spring kit that will soon be available in their store, while at the rear, an adjustable Gears Racing EV shock allows the setup to be dialled in to suit the rider. The braking package is led by a set of P3X caliper brackets from Chimera Engineering, supporting Anchor twin-piston calipers. These then clamp down on a set of Braking wave-style rotors front and rear, providing serious stopping power.
Having transformed the rolling chassis, the bodywork needed to be elevated a few notches, and the mini-bike world is known for some seriously killer paint jobs. To tackle the task, a friend of the shop, Felix, was given the job of laying down the colour, and the guys selected a standout yellow with an orange tint from the Volvo catalogue. Over the top are some ultra-neat graphics in green for contrast, and working with so many high-end suppliers, their logos are neatly applied too. To match the quality of the body, the seat was perfectly pieced together by Roger at Rogelio’s Auto Upholstery.
Back at Steady Garage, “We added every accessory we could to elevate this project, from the Chimera Engineering speedometer bezel and fork caps to a prototype skid plate, rear hugger fender, and chain guard.” The boys didn’t stop there either; they emptied their already growing parts catalogue for the CFMoto onto the bike, including more Chimera parts such as a Sugoi steering stem nut, upper handlebar clamp, axle sliders, and fork covers. They also added an ultra-neat rear luggage rack, which will undoubtedly be very popular among the commuter crowd.
Even the company of the great Pops is part of the package, with Yoshimura supplying a fender eliminator kit, featuring micro LED turn signals and the same little lights for the front of the bike too. The Japanese giant stays aboard for some of the engine modifications as well. “For better performance and sound, we installed a Yoshimura RS-9T under tail slip-on exhaust, which improved engine airflow and gave the Papio a quick-revving, deep single-cylinder thumper sound.” To round out the build and ensure there is no slip as you hammer through the gears, the clutch springs are swapped out for SMR 30% stiffer springs. It’s one hell of a serious upgrade to a small bike, and the team from Steady Garage delivers yet another showstopper, this time from a new player in the custom scene.
[ Steady Garage ]