These Royal Enfield customs are crazy, yet perfect

You're going to have trouble identifying this Royal Enfield motorcycle.

Roger Chrystie of Massachusetts sent me a photo of his impressive, almost all-original 1960 Indian Chief last year. But what really caught my eye was an accompanying photo of another Royal Enfield made Indian he owned: a 1957 Apache with a Trailblazer engine and a red — yes, red — frame.

Roger likes to do things just a bit differently. And, since last year, he has finished a couple more examples of motorcycle eye candy.

"I'm sure the purists will hate me for this," he wrote in 2012, explaining that he planned to put the motor of a 1957 Indian Trailblazer into the frame of a 1965 Royal Enfield Interceptor. Well, he did, and it's yellow!

This is one good looking "mongrel."

Roger provided these additional details:

"Joe Hunt magneto; air filter a repop of an early filter; homemade chain guard; complete front end off a new India made Bullet. A real mongrel."

Color in unexpected places sets off this hard tail custom.

The next emails from him brought photos of his 612cc custom Bullet, with hard tail, five-speed left-shift gearbox and SS rims.

Somehow, what you don't expect looks completely natural.

"This one started as a Royal Enfield Military," he wrote.

How did he get there from HERE?

"Must admit it looks a lot different; even surprised myself when you put the pictures side by side."

To my eye, the results are splendid. Where did he get the confidence to mix, match and colorize motorcycles?

"I hate to say it but it's been 57 years from my first bike 'til now. I've been 'chopping' them my whole life. Even when I buy a new one now and then. Neat part is a fellow came over the other day riding a Harley I built 30 years ago. Looks and runs like the day I built it."