Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Wrenchmonkees was founded in 2008 by Anders Ingvartsen, Nicholas Bech and Per Nielsen. After a few years Anders left, leaving Nicholas and Per to develop the company further. In the early years, most activity was around bike builds, with a shop and an online store added later to meet the demand for aftermarket parts.
The Wrenchmonkees were one of the pioneers of the ‘new wave’ custom scene in Europe, and inspired many private and professional builders. They rebuild and customize old and new motorcycles, and design bolt-on parts for contemporary motorcycles such as the Yamaha SR500, XSR900 and XJR1300.
The overall design philosophy is simple: clean lines and colors, with mechanical parts to the fore. Visual balance and proportions are the key elements, with respect for the origin and legacy of the bike.
These elements led Yamaha Europe straight to the Wrenchmonkees in 2011 when the Yamaha Yard Built project started. Four more projects followed during the next five years.
By 2016, the Wrenchmonkees had built more than 80 bikes. These days, production has reduced a little, as the company focuses on more refined bike builds and designing aftermarket parts.
The Wrenchmonkees also have their own clothing line, Wrenchmonkees Apparel, which started out with work and outer wear, but now also includes normal street wear.
Building custom motorcycles sounds like a dream job, but the reality can be harsh. Builders who can actually make a living from the art are worthy of respect and admiration. The Wrenchmonkees are celebrating a decade in business this year, which is an incredible achievement in the new wave custom scene. And the Danish twosome…
Read more »If there’s one type of build we don’t see enough of, it’s the 80s and 90s sport bike resto-mod. We love those endurance-style racers with their chunky bodywork—harking back to a time when motorcycles were still fairly straightforward, and technology was only on the cusp of becoming complicated. It’s a style that the Wrenchmonkees have…
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The dirt track revolution continues apace. Even the big guns are turning their eyes towards the ovals, and the latest to catch the bug are Nicholas Bech and Per Nielsen of the Wrenchmonkees. We’re guessing the scene is pretty small in Denmark, but it’s only a three-hour drive from Copenhagen to the German border. “Nicholas…
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Picking the right donor for your custom project can be a daunting task. And if you’ve got the cash or the credit history, there are good reasons to spring for a new-ish machine—one with modern suspension that starts every time. Yamaha’s XSR900 comes to mind. We rode it and loved its brutish nature—and the modern…
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It feels like we haven’t heard from the Wrenchmonkees for a while. And we’ve just found out why: the original alt-moto superstar…
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Custom bike building is a long game. It’s easy to make a short-term splash, but difficult to keep the momentum going over…
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If there’s one company that symbolizes the style of the new wave custom scene, it’s the Wrenchmonkees. Their motorcycles are raw, simple…
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The big news for the European custom scene right now is the official return of the Yamaha SR400. The icon of the…
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You can find a passion for motorcycles in the unlikeliest of locations—even on a small island in SE Asia still reeling from…
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This brutal, slammed Honda CB750 is Monkee #54, the latest machine to roll out of the legendary Danish workshop. It’s got even…
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I’ve always liked the Yamaha XJR1300. It’s an uncomplicated bruiser of a bike, an unassuming retro-style naked powered by a air-cooled motor…
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EXCLUSIVE Like all the top custom builders, the Wrenchmonkees have a clear and consistent vision. And this, bike #45 from the Copenhagen…
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