Arthur II isn’t just a motorcycle – it’s an uncompromising piece of rolling art, meticulously handcrafted by Daryl Villanueva and his team at Bandit9. Built for a client in Germany, this machine began as a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 but was transformed into something entirely unique. Following the legacy of the original Arthur, which was based on a single-cylinder 535cc platform, Arthur II ups the ante with a 650cc inline twin and a fully reimagined frame and body. Every part, from the frame to the finishes, has been touched by Bandit9’s pursuit of purity in design and their love of bending the rules.
The heart of Arthur II lies in its custom parametric steel frame, blending selected stock elements like the headstock and swingarm pivot with new, flowing components that erase any trace of harsh edges. The new subframe eliminates lower mounting points and instead sweeps out from the center, supporting a floating-style café tail with no visible fasteners. At the rear, twin horizontal shocks offer both function and visual punch, mounted with precision to maintain the bike’s seamless aesthetic. Up front, the forks are cleaned up, lowered, and paired with custom triple clamps and board tracker-style handlebars, all polished to mirror perfection.
Bodywork is sculpted exclusively from aluminum, giving the bike a futuristic, uninterrupted look. The tank recalls the original Arthur’s lines but exaggerates the knee dents and side curves, bringing to mind a moonlit silhouette. A flush pop-up cap caps it off, and the café-style rear blends seamlessly into the frame. The saddle and grips are wrapped in hand-stitched calf leather, and even the smallest components – switchgear, throttle, levers – are machined in-house to Villanueva’s exacting standards.
The engine itself stays close to stock, but the exhaust system is anything but. Custom headers arc gracefully into handmade mufflers, and the custom airbox features a meshed enclosure feeding both intakes through a single entry, all beautifully polished. Details like the lighting, turn signals, foot controls, and radiator guard carry Bandit9’s signature blend of utility and art, and the entire bike is finished in their trademark high-polish sheen. Limited to just nine examples, Arthur II isn’t just a sequel – it’s a statement, proof that Daryl Villanueva remains one of the boldest voices in custom motorcycle design. Also be sure to check beautiful vintage motorcycles.
