Jett Lawrence's Incredible CRF450 "Toy Replica"!

I came across a story from French publication Moto Verte that I thought was too cool not to share. 

We know a passionate enthusiast who has remained young at heart, even if his creations are far from mere toys! A former elite enduro rider and BMX fanatic, Fabien Rolland expresses his passions down to the finest details—so much so that he spent endless days in his workshop working on Jett Lawrence’s CRF450, built completely from scratch at 1/9th scale. A colossal undertaking, elevated by a masterful result: a truly unique masterpiece.

"I think I’m a little crazy... !" A little? Passionate, almost feverish, would be more accurate.

Sitting on his terrace facing a vibrant natural landscape—accented in the distance by a striking, highly graphic BMX track in a remote area of the far suburbs of Cahors—Fabien Rolland details his crown jewel. A museum-worthy piece that required nearly 400 hours of labor.

"I'm an aesthete, I love beautiful things," explains the self-taught builder. "And I find this CRF 450 with this livery magnificent. The shape, the geometry, and the fact that an extraordinary rider like Jett Lawrence rides it—I love that. On top of that, it doesn't exist as a model kit!"

Without any blueprints and solely by analyzing images of the official US factory CRF, Fabien set to work. As a fan of painting and graphic design—and creator of numerous custom helmet designs—he brought out magnifying glasses, a mini sander, and the spools of PLA and PTG resin filaments needed for his 3D printer to begin what can only be described as a work of fine craftsmanship.

He had previously built a few 1/9th scale BMX bikes, but a motocross machine—with all its moving parts, engine details, cables, and drivetrain—pushed him into another dimension. Moving forward by trial and error, without blueprints, and uncertain if he would finish, he was driven by his lifelong love of taking on challenges, backed by a strong mechanical knowledge and proven dexterity.

"The printer determined the size of the bike for me because I had zero dimensions," Fabien notes. "The entire bike was made using 3D printing. Then I took care of the details, adding small aluminum plates for the frame, for instance, to give it that shiny look—paint doesn't highlight that aspect as well. I also used the soldering iron a lot to finish certain parts."

The work truly began with the frame, the foundation. He then refined it piece by piece according to the assembly process. The fork, frame, swingarm, plastics, and wheels followed one another to ensure the overall coherence of the motorcycle.

It was a real puzzle: "The hardest part was the wheels," Fabien continues. "You have to make the hub and the rim using a chassis setup so that everything stays aligned. Then you have to cut 1 mm tubes, lace the wheel like a real one, and glue it. I remade the wheels 10 times to get the right size and proportion between the front and rear, because a 21-inch wheel is almost the same size as a 19-inch wheel once you factor in the volume of the tires. You can't even imagine it when you look at the finished bike."

Another feat of strength was the exhaust pipe and its bluish color, replicating heat staining. Afterwards, everything had to be glued together with Super Glue, leaving barely the handlebars and suspension functional. The chain itself is a jewel...

In the end, as mentioned, nearly 400 hours were completed with no deadline—guided solely by the passion for the craft.

"For me, it's like a painting," the artist concludes. A museum piece for sure, which may soon take flight at an auction...

Who is Fabien Rolland?

Former enduro rider, former supermoto racer, former photojournalist... A jack-of-all-trades who likes to reach expert levels whenever something aligns with his passions.

Fabien’s father was the owner of Quercy Motos in Cahors when Fabien discovered enduro at age 16 behind the handlebars of an 80 DTLC. Great years in the French Championship followed. His friends and rivals were named Castera, Algay, Sainct, and Nuques.

• He became the French National Champion at age 20.
• Finished 9th in the first Gilles Lalay Classic in 1992 (a masterclass aboard a 125cc!).
• Multiple-time French Inter Runner-Up, he also became the Junior World Team Vice-Champion in 1992.

At the top of his form, he transitioned to Supermoto when the 400 YZM arrived. Once again a French Vice-Champion, he raced in the French top 10 and headed to the US to face his "heroes"—McGrath, Pastrana, Ward, Dymond, Metzger, and Henry—in a RedBull-backed championship: "a crazy experience."

He stopped competing at age 33 and went into motorcycle journalism before returning to his childhood passion: BMX. He launched FabMX1, a paid website dedicated to BMX Racing. Finding himself too isolated in a demanding digital sector, six years later he shifted toward graphic design and photography.

Since 2022, he has been organizing the BOMD (Bicycle of Motocross Day), an event that reproduces the culture of the 1970s: bikes, outfits, music, and racing—"a mindset, a sense of carefree fun, the good life..."

Another endeavor driven by pure pleasure!