Royal Enfield commissioned Daryl Villanueva of Bandit9 in 2018 to create ‘The Arthur,’ a bespoke motorcycle based on their classic 535cc single-cylinder platform. Now displaying their unmatched artistry, Bandit9 introduces Arthur II, their successor, a painstakingly handcrafted evolution of the Continental GT 650.
This custom, handcrafted piece, which was commissioned by a German client, features a perfect mirror finish. Daryl Villanueva created the inventive Arthur II, expanding on the original Arthur. It has a custom parametric steel frame that removes unnecessary parts while keeping key stock components like the engine mounts, swingarm pivot, and headstock. A lowered tank is one example of a new addition that creates a more streamlined appearance.
The level of detail is striking. The forks are internally lowered and precisely set within stripped triple clamps, where every unnecessary fixture has been removed, leaving only essential lines. True to the original’s intensive polishing process, each part is disassembled, meticulously refined, and buffed to a mirror-like sheen.
With prominent knee dents and sweeping concave sides that create a lunar-like silhouette, the tank reinterprets the lines of the GT 650, drawing inspiration from the original Arthur. The bike’s mirror finish is reinforced by a sleek, flush-mount pop-up gas cap that punctuates the polished surface. Matching handgrips and a custom-shaped seat with premium leather upholstery finish the set, and their profiles blend in perfectly.
Though the engine’s internals remain stock, its character is redefined through masterful metalwork. orm and function are seamlessly combined in the handcrafted mufflers, which are the end of a single, flowing line of long, sweeping header pipes that flow downward. The striking new airbox and the mirror-finished side covers are just two examples of how every visible element radiates, turning a functional necessity into a piece of art.
With only nine units available at USD 25,990, the Arthur II stands as an exceptionally rare and exclusive masterpiece. Available now exclusively on Bandit9’s website.
