
Road Hopper Type 2i
Years: 2015 – 2023
Under the Road Hopper label, Zero Engineering distilled its celebrated minimalist aesthetic—clean lines, narrow stances, and mechanical honesty—into limited-run production customs. The bikes typically used S&S-style V-twins and carefully selected running gear, then wrapped them in rigid-look frames and hand-finished bodywork that honored pre-unit American silhouettes without resorting to pastiche. Japan’s obsession with craftsmanship shows up everywhere: weld beads like jewelry, hardware alignment that rewards close inspection, and controls that move with buttery precision. While the stance suggests showbike, geometry and component choice aim at tractable street manners and serviceability, with standard bearings and brake parts owners can actually source. Historically, Road Hopper exemplifies the Japanese custom movement’s reverence for proportion and material truth. These are bikes that look timeless because they avoid gimmickry, and that ride well because someone sweat the invisible dimensions that decide whether a motorcycle feels composed or contrived.