Royal Enfield scrambler looks sharp now

Builder chose vintage drum brakes for his custom Royal Enfield scrambler.

It took more than a year for Chanderjeet Rai to complete the transformation of a battered old Royal Enfield Bullet to the beautiful custom scrambler he imagined. Along the way, the New Delhi resident documented the project in a series of photographs that capture the drama of this Cinderella story.

It began with the dusty remains of a 1965 Bullet that saw service with the state police. Readers of the Adventure Rider Forum watched while Chanderjeet's mechanics made it shine.

The first comment he got on the forum expressed the dismay most mothers would feel if their sons dragged home a dog like this:

"You sir are a glutton for punishment. But you've got my attention. I salute you."

The "before" picture is stunning. The builder is a talented photographer.

The motorcycle is a 1965 Royal Enfield 350cc originally imported from Britain to India, Chanderjeet wrote. He bought it at the end of October, 2010. The build was declared finished in February, 2012.

Now the motorcycle is for sale, for $4,750, including worldwide shipping.

Why for sale? "I want to start my business and need some starting money plus juggling between a job and full-time babysitting means I do not get to ride this at all. I do not want this beauty to turn into a garage queen," he wrote.

It's not the first time he has created a lovely custom Royal Enfield and sold it. I wrote about his beautiful cafe racer in 2010.

Royal Enfield cafe racer was his earlier project.