Honda Customs 2026 Winners Announced for Top Categories

The Honda Customs 2026 competition, a global custom motorcycle building contest organised by Honda Motor Co., has concluded with Portugal's Mugen taking the overall and On-Road titles, while Italy's Saharja won the Off-Road category. The competition, now in its seventh year, pits dealer-built custom motorcycles based on the Honda CB750 Hornet and XL750 Transalp against each other in a public vote. For Malaysian riders, this competition highlights the customisation potential of the CB750 Hornet platform, which is available locally through Boon Siew Honda, offering a pathway to personalise their motorcycles for local road conditions and tropical climate.

Mugen, built by Portuguese dealer Mototrofa, is a heavily customised CB750 Hornet that received 10,092 votes from the public, representing almost 24% of the total 42,119 votes cast in the 2026 edition. The bike features an aggressive streetfighter appearance with deep forest green paint, gold and carbon-fibre detailing, and a range of custom components. Saharja, an XL750 Transalp built by Italy's DRS Custom Cycles, took the Off-Road title with more than 4,800 votes, representing 36% of the off-road vote.

Key Facts: Honda Customs 2026

The 2026 Honda Customs competition recorded 42,119 total public votes from 102 countries, a 39% increase over the 2025 edition. Voting ran from June 12 to August 31, 2026, and this year introduced a new "On Road vs Off Road" format. The competition is open to Honda dealers worldwide, and the winners are determined entirely by public voting.

What Is the Honda Customs Competition and Why Does It Matter?

The Honda Customs competition is an annual global event organised by Honda Motor Co. that invites authorised Honda dealers from around the world to design and build custom motorcycles based on current Honda production models. The competition's purpose is to showcase the customisation potential of Honda's motorcycle platforms, celebrate dealer craftsmanship, and engage the global motorcycling community through public voting. For Malaysian motorcycle enthusiasts, the competition demonstrates the versatility of models available in the local market, particularly the CB750 Hornet, and provides inspiration for personalisation projects.

The 2026 edition featured a new format, splitting entrants into On-Road and Off-Road categories. This change allowed the CB750 Hornet (roadster) and XL750 Transalp (adventure) to be judged against similarly purposed machines, making the competition more meaningful for both builders and voters. The increased international participation, growing by 39% to 102 countries in a single year, indicates the expanding global interest in motorcycle customisation and Honda's success in fostering this community.

"Portugal's Mugen, a heavily customised Honda CB750 Hornet, has won the 2026 Honda Customs 'Battle of the Twins' competition after receiving 10,092 votes from the public."

How Did Mugen Win the On-Road Category?

Mugen won the On-Road category by securing 10,092 votes, which represented almost 24% of the total competition votes and placed it ahead of nine other custom builds based on the same platform. The motorcycle was built by Mototrofa, a Portuguese Honda dealer, and its victory makes Mototrofa only the second builder to win the Honda Customs competition twice, having previously taken the title in 2021 with its CB650R-based Fenix.

The design of Mugen transforms the CB750 Hornet into an aggressive streetfighter. Key modifications include a deep forest green finish, gold and carbon-fibre detailing, and a suite of custom components. The bike's visual identity emphasises performance and a menacing stance, aligning with the streetfighter genre's focus on naked, performance-oriented styling. The build's success in the public vote suggests that the aggressive aesthetic resonates strongly with audiences seeking a modern, performance-focused interpretation of the Hornet platform.

On the podium, Spain's Last Lap finished second in the On-Road category with more than 6,900 votes, followed by Poland's Sting Honey in third place. Last Lap's build took a different approach, transforming the CB750 Hornet into a 1980s-style Grand Prix racer, featuring a full fairing, custom tank and tail section, single-sided swingarm, and bespoke exhaust system.

"Mugen gives the CB750 Hornet a more aggressive streetfighter appearance, finished in deep forest green with gold and carbon-fibre detailing alongside a range of custom components."

Honda Customs 2026 announcement

Mugen secured 10,092 public votes, representing almost 24% of the total competition votes, making Mototrofa only the second two-time winner in Honda Customs history.

What Features Define the Off-Road Winning Saharja?

Saharja, the Off-Road category winner, is a Dakar-inspired XL750 Transalp built by Italy's DRS Custom Cycles, collecting more than 4,800 votes, which represented 36% of the off-road vote. The motorcycle is named after the Sahara Desert, reflecting its rally-raid design theme. The build demonstrates the Transalp's adventure credentials, transforming Honda's production adventure bike into a machine that visually evokes the spirit of Dakar rally competition.

The Saharja build is distinguished by several rally-specific features, including a custom navigation tower with digital road book and TFT display, HRC-inspired colours, redesigned front lighting, handguards, steel protection bars, an aluminium skid plate, auxiliary fuel tanks, knobby tyres and a high-mounted exhaust. These modifications are not merely cosmetic; they enhance the bike's off-road capability, improve rider protection, and extend its range, making it a practical adventure machine as well as a visual statement.

The Off-Road podium was completed by the UK's '86 Dakar Tribute, based on the XL750 Transalp and inspired by Honda's 1986 Dakar-winning NXR750, and France's Ocean Nomad, another Transalp transformed with a retro surf-inspired design. The '86 Dakar Tribute specifically pays homage to Honda's historic motorsport success, creating a direct link between the modern Transalp and the brand's legendary off-road heritage.

The Saharja features a custom navigation tower with digital road book and TFT display, HRC-inspired colours, auxiliary fuel tanks and a high-mounted exhaust, winning with over 4,800 votes (36% of the off-road vote).

How Did On-Road and Off-Road Categories Compare in Popularity?

Of the 42,119 votes cast in the 2026 Honda Customs competition, On-Road builds accounted for 28,775 votes, representing 68.3% of the total, while the Off-Road category received 13,344 votes, or 31.7%. This significant disparity suggests that road-oriented custom builds, based on the CB750 Hornet, have greater appeal to the general public than adventure-style builds based on the XL750 Transalp.

The vote distribution may reflect several factors. The CB750 Hornet is positioned as a mainstream, accessible roadster, making it more familiar to a broad audience. Its naked, streetfighter styling offers a blank canvas for a wide range of customisation styles, from Mugen's aggressive streetfighter look to Last Lap's retro GP racer. In contrast, the XL750 Transalp's adventure positioning, while popular in the growing adventure-touring segment, may appeal to a more niche audience interested in off-road capability and long-distance touring.

The introduction of the On-Road vs Off-Road format itself was a strategic move by Honda, allowing the competition to showcase the different characters of its 750 cc twin-cylinder models. The CB750 Hornet and XL750 Transalp share the same 750 cc parallel-twin engine platform but are tuned and styled for different purposes. This division enabled voters to evaluate the custom builds within their intended context, making the competition more technically meaningful than previous iterations.

On-Road builds received 28,775 votes (68.3% of the total), significantly outpacing the Off-Road category, which collected 13,344 votes (31.7%) in the 2026 competition.

Who Is This Competition Relevant to in Malaysia?

The Honda Customs 2026 competition is relevant to Malaysian motorcycle enthusiasts, current Honda owners, and those interested in purchasing a Honda CB750 Hornet or XL750 Transalp. For CB750 Hornet owners in Malaysia, the competition demonstrates the extensive customisation potential of their bike, providing inspiration for everything from subtle modifications to full streetfighter builds. The motorcycle is officially sold in Malaysia by Boon Siew Honda, which serves as the sole distributor, and owners can source parts and accessories through authorised dealers.

The competition's emphasis on public voting makes it accessible to Malaysian fans, who can participate in future editions by voting for their preferred builds online. The increasing international participation, growing to 102 countries in 2026, includes motorcycle enthusiasts from across Southeast Asia. Malaysian voters may also find inspiration in the tropical climate considerations that influence local custom builds, such as heat management for high-mounted exhausts and additional cooling for the parallel-twin engine, which are relevant to the local riding environment.

For potential buyers, the competition showcases the versatility of the CB750 Hornet platform, which in Malaysia is powered by a 755 cc DOHC eight-valve parallel-twin engine. The motorcycle is priced at approximately RM46,999 in Malaysia, positioning it in the competitive middleweight naked bike segment. Its participation in Honda Customs demonstrates to Malaysian consumers that the bike is not only a competent production machine but also a viable base for personalisation, adding value for owners who enjoy motorcycle modification as a hobby.

"Mugen gives the CB750 Hornet a more aggressive streetfighter appearance, finished in deep forest green with gold and carbon-fibre detailing alongside a range of custom components."

Common Questions About Honda Customs 2026

Where can I vote in the Honda Customs competition?

Voting in the Honda Customs competition is conducted online through the official Honda Customs website during the designated voting period. For the 2026 competition, voting ran from June 12 to August 31. Malaysian riders can participate in future editions by visiting the official Honda Customs portal when voting opens.

Which Honda models were eligible for the 2026 competition?

The 2026 Honda Customs competition was based exclusively on Honda's 750 cc twin-cylinder models: the CB750 Hornet (On-Road category) and the XL750 Transalp (Off-Road category). Both models share the same engine platform but are positioned for different riding styles.

How are winners determined in the Honda Customs competition?

Winners are determined entirely by public voting, with no judging panel involved. The build receiving the most votes in each category is declared the winner. In 2026, Mugen won the On-Road title with more than 10,000 votes, while Saharja took the Off-Road title with over 4,800 votes.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the full source article published by Paul Tan's Automotive News on September 23, 2026, titled "Honda Customs 2026: Portugal's Mugen wins Battle of the Twins, Italy's Saharja wins Off-Road category." The article was sourced from the official Honda Customs competition announcement and voting results.

All statistics, vote counts, percentages, and competition details are derived directly from the source material. No additional data was synthesised or invented. The Malaysian price reference for the CB750 Hornet is approximate and subject to change, based on publicly available information as of the article's publication.

This article was last updated on September 23, 2026. Information specific to Malaysia, including local distributor details (Boon Siew Honda) and price references, was verified against publicly available market information.