Custom Yamaha XS650

If you follow Ze Last Chance Garage, you’ll know that Paris-based “Sonic Seb” has immaculate taste. This gorgeous Yamaha XS650 is his personal ride, beautifully captured by the photographer Dimitri Coste for Sideburn magazine.
Seb works for a major European motorcycle manufacturer, and he’s a pure gearhead. So he did much of the work on the XS650 himself, in a fantastic communal garage that he shares with friends—complete with paint booth and dyno room.




The bike is heavily modified, with the most visible change being a tank from a 1970s Yamaha DT360 enduro motorcycle. The two-into-one exhaust is from Gordon Scott Engineering, with a go-kart style spring bracket added by Seb.



The electric start has been removed to save weight and Mikuni VM34 Roundslide carbs fitted to add power. Keeping the motor cool are a large capacity external oil filter and high performance oil pump from Heiden Tuning.



Seb shaved the fork legs, and since these photos were taken, he’s fitted a front brake. The shocks are Harley-Davidson, and the alloy rear fender was found by chance on a shelf. Grips are from the magnificently named Hippy Killer Garage. To read more about this bike, grab yourself a copy of Sideburn 7.
With thanks to Gary Inman and Dimitri Coste. 

Yamaha Virago

Yamaha Virago by Doc’s Chops

It seems like Greg Hageman can do no wrong at the moment. A few days ago, his retro-themed Yamaha XV1100 custom was a hit. And now his latest build, this radical XV920 Virago transformation, has just been showcased in Motorcycle Classics magazine.
Hageman’s strength is an unerring eye for visual balance and stance. For the XV920, he crafted a new rear subframe and installed a MotoLanna seat originally destined for a Yamaha SR500. The tank is a Benelli, but not just any old Benelli: it’s from a 1967 Wards Riverside Mojave, itself an interesting footnote in the annals of motorcycle history. At the behest of owner Mike Martens, it’s been painted in a variation of the classic Yamaha “Speed Block” graphics.

The forks have been lowered and fitted with Progressive Suspension springs; the wheels are powder-coated black DID rims with stainless steel spokes. The motor on the donor bike was strong, so Greg simply overhauled it and upgraded the twin Hitachi carbs with Dynojet internals. The exhaust system, however, is a trick two-into-two JAMA system by Laser Exhaust, terminated with Supertrapp mufflers. I’m told it sounds and performs as good as it looks.

More work has gone into this bike than we can detail here, so head over to the Motorcycle Classics website for the full story. Or check out Greg’s other builds on the Doc’s Chops site.
Images © Erick Runyon of Choppershotz. For commissions, bookings and fine art prints contact Erick here.

W800 SC

LSL Clubman

Some workshops customize motorcycles so well, it’s hard to tell whether or not they are ‘factory’ customs. Most of these outfits are in Japan, but one of the top European builders in this style is LSL-Motorradtechnik.
LSL usually focuses on the ‘modern classic’ Triumphs. But the German company occasionally transfers its attention to the Kawasaki W800—a bike closely related to the Bonneville in spirit if not metal. This stylish ‘Clubman’ is the latest W800 to roll out of the Krefeld factory.



The bike has a distinctively OEM look, but the list of modifications is extensive. LSL has fitted its own bespoke triple trees to the stock 39mm forks, and uprated the front brakes with a 300mm Galfer wave-style disc and steel braided hose. Ergonomics are improved with LSL’s own ‘Scrambler’ bars; a small custom headlight and micro Daytona speedometer are mounted in front.

LSL takes its modifications very seriously; the 2-into-2 exhaust system has EC homologation, for example, and performs better than the retro pea-shooters of the original W800.

The spoked wheels have black anodized aluminum rims, and the back wheel goes down an inch in diameter to 17”. Dual-sport Pirelli Scorpion tires are fitted front and rear. The bobbed fenders are fiberglass and the seat is in LSL’s ‘Six Days’ style. YSS shocks smooth out the bumps, and CNC-machined rear sets move the rider’s feet a little further back and upwards from the stock position. Black engine cases and side panels finish off the cosmetics.
It’s a stealthy rather than vintage flavor, and one that suits the W800 surprisingly well. Kawasaki, are you listening?
Thanks to Wesley Reyneke of Rather Be Riding for the tip.

Choppahead

Choppahead Triumph T140

It’s called ‘Tronsa’ because it’s a mix of Triumph, Honda and BSA bits. The engine and transmission are from a 1975 Triumph T140 Bonneville; the forks, triple trees and swingarm are Honda items; and the frame is from a 1968 BSA. And strangely enough, it hangs together well.





The T140 engine has been completely rebuilt, and the lovely Amal 930 carburetors are fitted with velocity stacks. Boyer electronic ignition provides a strong spark. The custom fabricated oil tank is hidden under the seat cowl, and up front is a Lucas headlight. A discreet Cat Eye LED taillight finishes off the rear.



The wheels, originally 19” at the front and 18” at the back, have been replaced by 17” Warp 9 rims shod with Avon rubber. The rear brakes and foot controls have been replaced by later Hinckley-era Triumph components.



New Bedford, MA-based Choppahead apply their own paint, and they’ve done a fine job with a satin pearl white finish. Charlie Decker of One Arm Bandit did the delicate pinstriping.



The Tronsa is now being ridden around the streets of Boston by its new owner Matt. ‘Unique’ is an overused word, especially in the world of custom motorcycles, but Matt can proudly apply it to this beautifully crafted machine.
More images and full specs on Choppahead’s website. Images by Dave Dawson.

cafe racer

Honda CRF250R cafe racer

Californian Darrell Schneider is known in the classic car community for his high-quality fiberglass skills. He’s also a keen motorcyclist, and has transformed his personal 2004 Honda CRF250R dirtbike into this eye-catching café racer.
Schneider namechecks Roland Sands, Richard Pollock and Ron Wood as the inspiration for the bike, nicknamed the ‘GP250R.’ “Those guys just have cool style,” Schneider told Cycle World. He emailed Bike EXIF regulars Sands and Pollock for advice throughout the build: “They wouldn’t tell me what to do, but they would point me in the right direction.”





Modern café racers are often accused of being style over substance, but this CRF puts performance above all. Schneider rebuilt the motor using later-model Honda parts, installed a Crower cam, and got the carburetor upgraded by Tokyo Mods.



Race Tech has modified the CRF fork, and the rear shock now sports a Durelle Racing height adjuster. Custom triple clamps increase the spacing between the forks, allowing the use of wider rims, and also increase the trail geometry. The bike now rolls on Sun rims laced to Talon hubs; the front brake caliper is from a Honda CBR600RR.



The bodywork is completely new, and all-fiberglass. And the neatest touch? For me, it’s the titanium Arrow exhaust system. At first glance it appears to be a single pipe, but if you look closer, you’ll see a second pipe snaking down towards the swing arm on the left side of the bike.
Head over to Cycle World for more images and a detailed account of the build. It’s the most original take on the café racer style we’ve seen for a long time.

Images by James Wirth.

Rebel custom

Honda Rebel custom

Think of a custom Honda and it’s invariably a CB. I don’t think I’ve seen any Rebel customs before, and I certainly haven’t seen a Rebel bobber. But this little machine, nicknamed ‘Rocky’ by owner Jason Wolske, looks sweet. And even better, he’s catalogued the whole build on a Tumblr blog, along with excellent photography. When Justin bought his bone-stock 1985 Honda Rebel CMX250, it turned out to have no compression in one cylinder. So he bought a replacement engine for the princely sum of $350 (including shipping!) and started work. This included struts to turn the bike into a rigid, a solo seat, a velocity stack and K&N filter, a white-faced speedometer and drag bars with new grips. Relatively simple and cheap modifications, but ones that presented a few unforseen problems along the way. Jason reports that Rocky has a new owner now: “I put her on Craigslist and in under 24 hours she was gone. Craziness. Anyway, on to the next project. I learned a whole lot about bikes, that’s the whole reason I bought the bike to begin with.” [Spotted on Vanishing Point.]

See The Other Post On Concept Bike Page

Nikon D300 | 1/800s | f/1.4 | ISO 320 | Focal length 50mm

Yamaha XT600

RADICAL


The Yamaha XT600 is one of those iconic enduro bikes that refuses to die—in more ways than one. The virtually bulletproof 595cc single was first released in 1983 and was the first “Ténéré” model, capitalizing on Yamaha’s profile in desert rallies. The early XT600s are still highly sought after, but you won’t find many as desirable as this one. “Dirt Rad” is the latest build from Radical Ducati, and a major departure for the Madrid-based workshop. The “Ducati” part has wisely been dropped from the Radical logo, but this is no second-rate bike: it’s as heavily reworked and thoughtfully upgraded as RD’s sportbikes.

The modified 1989 XT600 frame has been hooked up to a FZR600 fork and a Hagon shock. The air-cooled motor has been rebuilt with polished and ported heads, and now exhales through a Wolfman pipe and a Spark GP megaphone muffler. The wheels are 18”, shod with Pirelli Scorpion tires, and matched to a completely new brake system that includes Ducati S4RS components. The fuel tank is from a 1970 Ducati 250 and the seat is from a Bultaco Pursang. The fenders are hand-made: aluminum at the front, carbon at the back. Rizoma bars sit behind a headlight from a Puch 50cc mini-bike.

“Dirt Rad” won’t be as fast as the bikes that Radical Ducati usually builds. But it’ll probably be just as much fun—a simple, light and speedy machine for city streets and occasional gravel road excursions. Perfecto!

Honda XL600R

 Street Tracker

Honda’s bulletproof enduro weapon for the latter part of the twentieth century was the XL600, a big four-valve thumper built to handle desert rallies. There were several variants and upgrades, and they weren’t pretty bikes—but with a few modifications, the XL was surprisingly capable on the road. This conversion, however, sure is a pretty bike. You can see how it was built on Thierry’s Roc Street Tracker site. We suspect the powerful XL600R has the makings of a cult classic, and in the years to come, may even be mentioned in the same breath as the SR400 and W650. [Spotted on Sideblog. For background, check the Motorcycle Specs reprint of this excellent 1983 article from Cycle World.]

XS650

Eight Ball Boy

You can always rely upon prolific Italian builder Filippo Barbacane to come up with something different. The latest creation from his Officine Rosso Puro stable is ‘Eight Ball Boy’ a high-ridin’ street tracker based on the Yamaha XS650. (The stance reminds me of House Rockers’ CB750 customs: are we seeing a trend here?) The bike is full of parts from the RossoPuro sub-brand, including the swingarm, triple trees, wheels and brake rotors. The 50hp motor is stock, but the frame has been modified and Paioli 45mm forks fitted. Check that rear suspension too, with a very unusual tandem shock set-up. All the bodywork is custom-made, from the tank to the fenders, and Barbacane has created new foot controls too. Congratulations to owner Antonio Di Battista—he’s got himself a unique-looking machine that’ll be a blast to ride. [Via Mulligan Machine.]

Nikon D2H | 1/500s | f/4.2 | ISO 200 | Focal length 180mm

Drags & Racing

Drags & Racing is an Italian custom shop owned by the flamboyant Dino Romano, and he’s been putting out a steady stream of custom Triumphs and Harleys for twenty years now. Dino’s latest creation is this Bonneville, and he’s done a remarkable job in giving a modern Triumph an authentic vintage look. (So we’ll forgive him the ubiquitous Steve McQueen reference—the bike is called ‘La Grande Fuga’, meaning Great Escape.) There’s a suicide shift on the left, the exhaust has been cannibalized from an Iveco van, and the seat is a genuine 1939 Harley-Davidson item. The matte green military paint is equally authentic: it’s from a sixty-year-old cache discovered in a Czech warehouse. La Grande Fuga has attracted a lot of attention on the Italian custom scene, and Dino can build you one for around US$24,000. Given the level of customizing going on here—with virtually all bodywork and controls being hand-made—that sounds like a pretty good deal. [Via moto.it.]
PS: Bike EXIF is now on Pinterest. We’re showcasing the best motorcycle images and links from around the net, as well as our own greatest hits. Check out our boards here.

STEVE McQUEEN DOIN’ IT IN THE DIRT | TRIUMPH DESERT BIKE BY BUD EKINS

tags: 1960s, 1964, Bud Ekins, motorcycles, photography, Steve McQueen, Triumph, vintage

-

Nostalgia on Wheels posted these incredible pictures (quite a while back) of Steve McQueen and his Bud Ekins’ desert-modified Triumph Bonneville racer from the June 1964 edition of Cycle World Magazine. Original photos by Cal West. I re-typed the original text so it’s legible, great stuff. Hells. Yes.

-

“Actor Steve McQueen and his Triumph desert bike in their native habitat.”  –Cycle World Magazine, June 1964

-
-

“Many modifications make a desert bike. Crossovers, skid plate, giant filters, etc.”  –Cycle World Magazine, June 1964

-
-

“Paper-pack air cleaners are connected to carbs by special a collector box. A Cushy saddle and high pipes are essential in the desert.”  –Cycle World Magazine, June 1964

-
-

“IN McQUEEN’S SERVICE”

Winning desert races is what this machine was set up for. It is the mount of actor Steve McQueen, who recently won the novice class in a one-hour desert scrambles. The victory only proved what a close look at his Triumph Bonneville suggests: McQueen takes his motorcycling seriously.

It takes some modifications to wing the rough, dusty hare ‘n hounds, scrambles and enduros that are popular in the southwestern desert. McQueen’s machine was prepared in Bud Ekins’ Sherman Oaks, California shop. They started by replacing the stock wheel with a 1956 Triumph hub and 19″ wheel to reduce unsprung weight. The forks were fitted with sidecar springs and the rake increased slightly by altering the frame at the steering crown. The rear frame hoop was bent upward to accommodate a 4.00 x 18 Dunlop sports knobby, and to it were welded brackets for the Bates cross-country seat. The bars are by Flanders, with leather hand guards, and the throttle cables run over the tank, through alloy brackets to the twin 1 1/8″ Amal carburetors.

A Harlan skidplate protects the underside of the motor, the footpegs were braced, and the rear brake rod was increased to 5/16″ diameter and rerouted inside the frame and shock (where sagebrush can’t damege it). The oil tank was modified to increase its capacity and bring the filler out the side fom under the seat. It also serves as part of the mudguard, saving weight.

The engine is basically a stock Bonneville but the compression was lowered from 12 : 1 to 8 1/2 : 1 for reliability, and the sagebrush-snagging oil pressure indicator was converted to a pop-off relief valve with a return line back to the oil tank. McQueen runs Jomo TT cams and Lode RL47 Platinum tip plugs.

The important job of filtering all that dirt out of the desert air is handled by paper-pack air cleaners connected by a special collector box to the carbs. This box is finished in black wrinkle-finish paint while the tanks are dark green. The cross-over pipes are Ekins’ own design, and are left unplated for better heat dissipation. Perhaps if McQueen were riding this motorcycle in the movie, he would have made his “Great Escape.”

–Cycle World Magazine, June 1964

-

-

“Terrence Steven McQueen received a red tricycle for his fourth birthday from his great uncle, and on that day a racing legend was born. Before joining the Marine Corps, he worked as an oil rigger, in a carnival, and as a janitor in a brothel. When he was honorably discharged in 1950, McQueen started taking acting workshops. To pick up some extra cash, he started competing in motorcycle races on the weekends. In late 1955, at the age of 25, McQueen left New York and headed for California where his motorcycle-racing buddy Robert Culp helped him land his first TV role.

McQueen also competed in off-road motorcycle racing. His first off-road motorcycle was a Triumph 500cc that he purchased from friend and stuntman Bud Ekins. In McQueen’s 1963 film The Great Escape, he rode a Triumph TR6 650 and, in one of the most famous action scenes in a movie, his character escaped the Nazis by jumping over a fence – which Bud did the stunt for.

In addition to starring in movies like Bullitt and The Getaway, McQueen raced in many top off-road races on the West Coast, including the Baja 1000, the Mint 400 and the Elsinore Grand Prix. In 1964, together with Bud Ekins on their Triumph TR6 Trophys, he represented the United States in the International Six Days Trial, a form of off-road motorcycling Olympics. He was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1978.

In 1971, McQueen’s production company funded the now-classic motorcycle documentary “On Any Sunday”, in which McQueen is featured along with racing legends Mert Lawwill and Malcolm Smith. Steve McQueen owned over 200 bikes in his lifetime, and he was posthumously inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.” –via Triumph

-
-

Steve McQueen on his 1963 Triumph Bonneville Desert Sled built by McQueen’s good friend, Bud Ekins.
-
-

In 2009, Steve McQueen’s 1963 Triumph Bonneville Desert Sled sold at Bonhams & Butterfields’ first-ever motorcycle and memorabilia auction for $84,240. The bike was personally built by McQueen’s good friend, Bud Ekins, the famous stunt rider and off-road racing champ, and was painted by another legend– the epic painter, striper, builder, fabricator, etc., Von Dutch.