SSB selects a few special readers' rides each month that aren't wild shop builds, but personal bikes that are a bit closer to home for many of us. If you'd like your bike featured, send your high-resolution digital donationto ssbmail@sourceinterlink.com for consideration.

The City of Lights beckons tourists, lovers and history buffs the world over to enjoy its art, architecture and aura, but one very specific group of gearheads knows it for other more mechanical reasons. Custom sportbike connoisseurs view the French as some of the most innovative and talented artists in the biz, and this Suzuki GSX-R1000 is another fine example of style and speed for the real world-with a French twist.

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa
MILES RIDDEN: 4700
MODIFICATIONS: Sportech windscreen, Hotbodies Racing blackout kit, R&G Racing fender eliminator

But when Kawasaki approaches you and wants something special done to its new ZX-10R, you don't argue. Instead, you get to the business of building.

While the Hayabusa is undoubtedly the most pimped sportbike in the USA, it's not the usual choice for a front-line 'fighter elsewhere. In an effort to bring the ethos of the European streetfighter to the offspring of the huddled masses here in the USA, (in Florida to be precise), Jesus "Jai" Infanzon has tried to make the Euro-styled streetfighter as popular in the USA as gun ownership and obesity.

Flames, skulls, chrome and pinstripes have been a part of the custom scene since the beginning. These basic elements come and go, but remain staples that never really go away. Chrome plating is one of those trends that is hot today and not tomorrow. Lately, the shiny look has been replaced by something called contrast cut. Contrast cut, a trademark of Performance Machine, is when the aluminum is colored first then cut afterward to provide the best of both worlds: shiny and black. Jerry Peters from Darkside Graphix is always on the leading edge of bike trends and wanted to do something different than the typical bling and chrome. "Marcus Bowlin is no newcomer to the custom motorcycle scene, and was looking for a bike to be his daily rider. He didn't want anything too radical, but it had to have a sleek, timeless look that resembled the look of an old-time race car with clean lines and contrasting colors."

Sure, we thought of loading the latest and greatest liter bikes into a truck and going to the track with a stopwatch-but our second option involved hitting the canyons followed by a stop at a local gentlemens' club. It was a no brainer really.

Brooklyn is one of the oldest cites in America and has a long history that dates back to the late 1600s. It is one of the original six towns of Kings County from which Kings Riders derives its name. Buried deep in the inner city, Kings Riders lives, breathes and works the inner city life, and just a few feet out of the shop doors is the real East Coast custom bike scene.

Forget for a second the hot-looking R1 in the picture. Posing with the bike is an up-and-coming model with a very familiar last name. Readers of Super Streetbike should be well acquainted with Monica-Lee's husband, stunt rider Darius Khashabi.

Ever wondered what would happen if you dropped your pride and joy off to be fully pimped and then tried to skip out on the bill? After a certain period of time, the bike can be repossessed in a lien sale, and that's precisely how AIP Racing in Van Nuys, California, acquired its 2002 Honda RC51.

Ideally suited for anyone with a desire for a motorcycle that doesn't demand the services of a chiropractor, who likes the aggressive off-road styling and has at least a 40-inch inside leg measurement, the Ducati Multistrada is indeed the cock of the walk.

Florida's Custom Sportbike Concepts laid the foundation for the coast to coast custom craze nearly ten years ago, and has been pumping out some heavy hitting customs ever since. Working at a bike shop has its advantages, particularly when the shop in question is one of the most revered tuning stops for two wheelers in the country.

Location: European Touch
www.europeantouchusa.com
The Lamborghini marque has become synonymous with speed, style and class. But perhaps of more importance, that single word makes a statement to the world that the owner has an insane amount of money. With a price tag that rivals most houses, the only way an average person can experience driving one is vicariously through the TV during an episode of "MTV Cribs."

Strip clubs and motorcycles have gone hand-in-hand since the first horny husband took an engine from the shack and strapped it to his bicycle to get away from his battle-axe bride. Since then, men across the country have been venturing out on midnight motorcycle rides whenever the ball-and-chain is having one of her "female" days. What better way to have a marriage with the mistress than to put the love of blacked-out windows, big-breasted babes and bad DJs on a strip-club-themed Hayabusa?

2008 Suzuki Hayabusa
Dave Sonsky: Editor
Miles Ridden: 3000
Modifications: Micron GP-Sport exhaust
After doing miles on my obnoxiously loud Speed Triple, the 'Busa's stock whisper was getting a bit aggravating. If there are 170 horses under the hood I'd like to hear them once in a while after all.

In the late '80s and early '90s, men in mascara and stretchy spandex pants with excessively teased hair crooned power ballads and dominated the rock-and-roll music scene. Looking back it all seems ridiculous, but at the time it was considered totally "massive," "bitchin'" and "rad."

After taking a look at Billy Shoemaker, owner and rider of this turbocharged Hayabusa, you would likely peg him as a former drummer in a 1970s-era stadium rock band. The truth is he is an account manager for Cisco Systems in Texas, and while it may not seem like a normal mix of private and professional life, to Billy it makes perfect sense. As a child he remembers going to the local flat-track races with his dad, and it was there that Billy knew he was hooked on motorcycle racing.

Holland has produced some pretty funky vehicles: cars driven by a rubber band, weird delivery vehicles that look like a moped attached to a double bed, and buses powered by cheese (OK, I lied about that last one). The Dutch also customize their V-Maxes by improving the brakes and suspension in addition to the more usual paint/chrome/polishing route so beloved here in the USA.

2006 Honda CBR1000RR
Owner: Kevin Maggard
Engine Mods: Barnett Racing clutches, Jardine RT-1 exhaust, Power Commander III with custom map by Brad Cline at Rolling Performance, K&N air filter
Chassis Mods: 6-inch extensions, Brock's front lowering straps, Vortex lowering link, RK Racing chain
Other Mods: Vortex mirror block-offs, chrome frame sliders, Puig windscreen, integrated taillight, flush-mounted turn signals, chrome RR bar ends, spools, fluid caps, green neon lights, custom black paint with prism metallic done by Charles Bell
Your Space: "I get Super Streetbike because I like to see the normal, everyday rides."

Psychochrome has been turning out unique customs since it opened its doors in 2004. But owner Gonzalo Polanco has been working on his own GSX-R1000 ever since he bought it new in 2002. The bike is a constant work in progress. Polanco explained the continued upgrades, "The Gixxer changes every two years. As time passed, I've tried to do little things to the bike to keep it up to date.

For most of us, Saturdays in the garage spent working on the bike means either trying to rig up something that's been broken or perhaps performing a little basic maintenance like swapping spark plugs or changing the oil. Top it off with a soapy sponge treatment for good measure and we can usually walk away pleased.

In the maze of chrome and wide tires, it's rare that a bike truly stands apart. But Scott Wolf has created a custom that really rocks (pun intended). Featuring a Playstation 2 under the seat and two color video monitors, this bike is a rolling arcade.

To hang with the big boys at the famed Daytona Bike Week a custom has to have style, power and a little something extra. Moto-Boutique put together a black beast that kills the streets wherever it rolls.

Phu "Felix" Nguyen grew up in Southern California and was always into fast bikes. During his childhood, Nguyen met and became good friends with a boy named Robert Fisher. Fisher would eventually head east to become one of the most recognizable names in the custom sportbike scene with his company Roaring Toyz. When it came time for Nguyen to build his first custom bike, he called his old friend for help. "I grew up with Bob Fisher. When I decided to build my own bike, Bob helped me get it started with advice and a bunch of parts."

Custom Sportbike Concepts, Seminole Powersports and Stunt Wars Inc. joined forces to create a custom 2008 Honda CBR1000RR to be auctioned off at the end of 2008 on eBay. All proceeds will go to Fisher House, a special program that provides "comfort homes" to military family members whose loved ones are receiving long-term medical care in military hospitals.