Honda has plenty to be proud about the all-new, second-generation Ridgeline, but the aftermarket scene is always ready to improve things. That is what’s happening here with MAD Industries’ Ridgeline it build for the 2016 SEMA show. It comes decked out in a street-ready attitude that includes big wheels, low profile tires, a murdered-out color scheme, and a sport bike in the bed.

Under the changes, the Ridgeline is completely new for 2017, marking the second generation for Honda’s unibody pickup. The new Ridgeline is based on the current Pilot SUV, but comes with a multi-functional cargo bed. The Ridgeline might not be the truck hard-core truck folks buy, but it works great for average consumers looking for greater capability than a crossover or SUV can give.

The Ridgeline comes with Honda’s 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission. FWD is standard, but AWD is optional. Also optional is Honda’s innovative In-Bed Audio system. It uses the plastic bed walls as speakers for pumping out music for tailgating. The bed also sports Honda’s two-way tailgate. It can operate like a conventional pickup tailgate, or deploy sideways as a swinging door.

While all those Honda bits are cool, this particular Ridgeline is decked out with plenty of aftermarket goodies. Let’s have a look to see what MAD Industries has done.

Continue reading to learn more about the Honda Ridgeline By MAD Industries.

Exterior

MAD started with a 2017 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition coated in Crystal Black Pearl. Candy Red accents were added along the front grille for added effect. The red accents also match the accents on the wheels and on the Honda Sport bike in the bed. MAD also installed a bed extender to accommodate the bike’s extra length. Speaking of wheels, this Ridgeline is wearing 22-inch Niche Alpines custom painted in Gloss Black. They are wrapped in Toyota Proxes ST/11 Sport Truck All Season tires.

Besides those few yet major changes, this 2017 Ridgeline looks nearly stock. That’s the beauty of this build. This is something the average Ridgeline buyer could do to his truck. The wheels and tires are definitely an easy upgrade, minus the custom paintwork. The Candy Red accents on the grille would also require a trip to the local paint booth.

Interior

The interior customizations done here reflect the exterior’s modifications. The factory black leather and dash, along with the original gloss black trim work are all complemented by custom touches of the Candy Red paint. The color is found around the infotainment system and gear shifter. The red almost perfectly matches the factory red stitching on the steering wheel and the red ambient light ring around the front cup holders and throughout the rest of the cabin.

A FOCAL Premium Flax Audio System designed by the Source AV Design Group also brings an added touch inside the cab.

Drivetrain

Like the other Ridgeline concepts, MAD Industries left the 3.5-liter V-6 alone. That’s not a bad decision, though, as the all-aluminum V-6 offers an impressive amount of tech, power, and efficiency.

The engine comes standard with Honda’s i-VTEC system, which not only variably controls the valve timing, but also the valve lift and duration. This gives the engine the optimal cam profile for both low- and high-rpm operation. The 60-degree V-6 also has deep skirts, four-bolt mains, and a high-strength crankshaft. Direct fuel injection and cylinder deactivation further the engine’s range of talents.

Note: Standard Honda Ridgeline drivetrain shown here.

All told, the engine makes 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.

The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via Honda’s full-time AWD system. This system is standard on the Black Edition, but optional on many of the lower and mid-range trim levels.

The AWD Ridgeline is EPA-estimated to get 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. It can also tow 5,000 pounds and haul 1,584 pounds in the bed – far less than what that sports bike weights.

Honda CB500F Sports Bike

Much of this build centers on the bike in the bed. It’s a Honda CB500F, the smaller brother to the CB1000R Naked Sport Bike. It’s said to have a comfortable riding position and great maneuverability. The bike even has custom parts from PSR Custom CNC Billet Accessories. The parts include the Driven Carbon Fiber Meteor Bars and the Yoshimura R-77 muffler that’s coated in carbon fiber and stainless steel.

Read our full review on the Honda CB500F Sports Bike here.

Conclusion

The MAD Industries Honda Ridgeline build is fairly conservative for SEMA, but it begins to show the dept customers can take to customizing their trucks. The Candy Red paint found inside and out really sets the truck off, especially with that matching Honda CB500F bike sitting in the bed.

This just goes to show that the Ridgeline is a respectable truck, even in a segment dominated by body-on-frame pickups with beefy part-time 4WD systems and longitudinally mounted engines.