Kommunal Kustom Build & Men’s Mental Health Week

Kustom Kommune: Institution For Inspiration…

This blog post is dedicated to Men’s Mental Health Week and the positive impact that we hope our Konnections program is having on everyone in our community.

“Do you have a surgical mind or a medicinal mind?” asks Amelia, while the Adv Scrambler team admire the lines of their custom seat hoop that’s being tacked into place. If ever there was a fitting topic of conversation on build night, this is it.

Surgical minds are captivated by how things fit together, how objects and components are repaired or restructured. Surgical minds like problem solving, demystifying the design and contemplating shapes and textures. Surgical minds can improvise at a seconds notice and succumb to sparks of spontaneous creativity. Medicinal minds enjoy working with numbers and figures. Medicinal minds need to understand the chemical reactions and physics. Medicinal minds live by mathematical certainties and equations of truth. The conversation was ripe with self awareness and the realisation that there’s a heck of a lot of crossover in the workshop between these two mindsets, within individuals and between mates. Thanks for the existential insights Amelia!

A Few Words From Steph…

“Today was an interesting one and it made me reflect specifically on the last six months and how this has drastically changed my life. These changes have a lot to do with the environment and the people who form the Kustom Kommunity. Six months ago I could not have imaged speaking in front of three organisations about a multitude of subjects relating to my work, but that’s what I did, and with confidence too. Progressively, by being a part of the community, my voice, has not only increased in volume, but confidence. I’m finding that I can speak with knowledge, knowing there are those will listen and respect my opinion. Until recently, this is something which I haven’t experienced. I will forever be grateful to the Kustom Kommunity for the confidence and the self worth which has been instilled upon me”.

Steph’s email arrived in our inbox on the coldest day of the year so far, immediately warming the workshop and delivering a dopamine hit before the caffeine had a chance. Like an unexpected phone call from your best mate with a plan for an epic road trip, or a smiling nod at the traffic lights from an old time rider diggin your machine as much as you dig theirs, this positive response to being part of our workshop community received f**k yeahs all round and set us to work with supercharged zeal for another week at Kommune. We’re stoked that you’ve found a house in the bush, Steph, but we all wish you were sticking around Melbourne! We do need someone to lead a Moto Maintenance & DIY feature on Kommune Social, if you’re keen, which might just make it feel like you never left!

Tyres On Forks On Engine In: The Road Awaits

Essential parts for both bikes are finally arriving but our supply chain is still intermittent due to international blockages because of you-know-what. Still, there’s never a dull moment and our machines are taking two very distinct shapes, telling two very distinct stories. By the way, big respect to the crew who show up to build night week in week out whatever the weather, and chip away at this first ever Kommunal Build, which has undoubtedly become the flagship gathering of our Konnections program. It continues to be a learning curve for everyone; an education in when to follow the manual as gospel and when to work with what you’ve got and wrench on the fly. If these bikes could talk! This project has become, for the Adv Scrambler team, a deep dive into how things work and the skills and knowledge required to repair and rebuild. For the Tracker team, things have been much more design focused, with close attention being paid to the specific characteristics of classic trackers and a lot of creative self expression, from paint to plasma cutting.

1-on-1 Trainers: Kommune Wants YOU

Another valuable outcome of this Kommunal Kustom Build has been the emergence of essential skills and priceless knowledge contained within our community. There’s a hungry mob of motorcyclists seeking guidance and support and we’re encouraging anyone with the confidence to share their know-how to apply here and make some cash instead of working for beer!

You certainly don’t need to be a qualified mechanic but if you are that’s even better. Everything from oil changes to engine rebuilds need to be covered and your input can help to establish a reliable and engaging network of trainers at Kommune, making the highly sought after 1-on-1 sessions a major part of our workshop culture. We always say it, we always mean it: many greasy hands make light work. Jon, Lenny, Hamish, Kyle, Paul, Jake, Juan, Jen- we’re looking at you!

Thank you and welcome back to Kommune lifer @Jake Simkin, the man behind the lens, the man who pioneered the Thursday night BBQ, the man who’s bringing at ’60s Trumpy back piece by piece from the Middle East and the man who makes your butt pucker with his wild tales from the road!

Written by Tom Ansell