Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Italy Japan Other Motorcycle Blogs Yamaha motorcycles

Bolts From The Blue: Yamaha Garage Challenge

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
After decades of enjoying the middleweight V-twin market to itself, the Harley Sportster is facing serious challenges.

The two biggest contenders? The postmodern Indian Scout and the retro bobber-styled Star Bolt, which is known to Europeans as the Yamaha XV950. In the USA, Yamaha’s already run a custom build-off centered the Bolt—and now it’s the turn of the Italian distributor.

The ‘Garage Challenge’ pits six Italian Yamaha dealers against each other, rather than pro builders. But the results are just as good. You can vote on the Garage Challenge website to help choose the winner, and it’ll be announced at the Motor Bike Expo in Verona on 22 January. These are our three favorite builds.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
Mid Night Club by New Venezia Moto Yes, they have roads as well as canals in Venice. Two inspirations are listed for this bike: 1970s café racers, and the Japanese street racers of the 1980s. The goal was “sporty lines and a dark soul.”

It’s a much more aggressive style than the stock bike, but fortunately the handling of the XV950 is amongst the best of any V-twin. The highlight is the new tail unit, which replaces the bobber look with a racier vibe and hides a new subframe. Glossy black paint and subtle pinstripes keep things classy: the only touches of color are the yellow of the headlight lens and the shocks.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
Bombhard BH1 by Moto Shop (below) The Parma-based showroom is the oldest Yamaha dealer in Europe, and they’ve chosen a vintage look for this XV950. The styling is straight out of the 1930s and influenced by the Art Deco movement.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
The engine shroud and headlamp nacelles are an inspired touch, and hide a custom triple clamp arrangement. With nothing more than a 5mm allen key, you can adjust the geometry from cruiser to café racer depending on your mood.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
Designers Giovanni Buratti and Daniele Pasetti have reportedly patented the system, but we’re more intrigued by the motocross-style seat. It’s the last thing you’d expect to see on bike harking back to the 1930s, but it strangely works.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
TB114 by Twinsbike (below) The small Milanese dealer has only been operating for ten years, but this tracker-styled XV950 is one of the highlights of the Garage Challenge.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.
The company has MotoGP experience, so it’s not surprising that this is the most sporting of the XV950 customs. We’re especially digging the air intake and the sinuous exhaust system, which was built by SC Project.

At first glance it’d be hard to pick this as an XV950: the new lines are beautifully judged, and the uplift at the back from the matching seat unit and flared muffler just screams ‘dirt track’.

We’d be happy to put any of these XV950s in the Bike EXIF garage. Which one would you choose?

If you have a working knowledge of Italian and want to cast your vote, head over to the Garage Challenge website.

In Yamaha Italy's Garage Challenge, six builders were given an XV950 to transform.

Categories
BikeExif BMW motorcycles Custom Motorcycles Germany Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

The Bison: Revival’s custom BMW R nineT

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
Right now, I’m betting there’s an air of quiet satisfaction in the design department of BMW Motorrad. The R nineT, a long shot on the part of Ola Stenegard and Edgar Heinrich, has been an extraordinary success.

Thirteen months ago, the first R nineT rolled off BMW’s Berlin production line. Since then, we’ve lusted after ‘official’ custom projects from leading workshops in Europe and Japan.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
Now we’re seeing everyday R nineT riders taking their bikes to the next level. And that’s exactly the result Stenegard and co. wanted.

This machine, from Texas-based Revival Cycles and nicknamed The Bison, is one of the best yet. “The bike came to us with just over 800 miles on the clock,” says Revival’s Alan Stulberg.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
“The owner wanted to remove a bit of the factory clutter, and add some features that suited his lifestyle. He’s a computer programmer and often works remotely, so the ability to carry his laptop (and a book or two) was at the top of his priority list.”

It’s the custom-made pannier bag draws the eye first. Made from bison leather, it hides an internal stainless frame—but it’s light and simple to remove. The grips and seat are covered in the same bison hide for consistency.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
The other changes are less visible, but far more radical. “The idea was to make subtle changes, while respecting the beautiful factory bike,” says Stulberg.

So: just check that new exhaust system. BMW gives you different options when you configure your R nineT from the factory, but this custom-built system is something else.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
The pipework snakes up and over the engine, exposing the beautiful finned oil pan on the bottom of the cases.

“I can see why nobody else has attempted this,” says Stulberg, “because running that hot exhaust under the tank and through the center of the bike required a LOT of planning.”

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
Revival had to relocate a lot of the electrics and electronics, and have used shrouding to prevent problems with heat. They’ve also ditched the front plastic engine cover, beating a new one out of aluminum.

The exhaust pipes are equal-length stainless steel, and under the tank they’ve been wrapped with five different metal and fiberglass panels. Since the pannier is on the right, the exhaust crosses over to the left, and it’s terminated with a custom silencer that can be tuned for backpressure and noise with baffled discs—Supertrapp-style.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
Revival have also created a new stainless steel intake system, which holds a cotton performance air filter. It’s shared between both cylinders to aid balance and tuning, and is solidly mounted to the top of the gearbox.

“The damn thing sounds much more aggressive,” Stulberg reports. “It’s had an impact on throttle response and the seat-of-the-pants dyno.”

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
‘The Bison’ now rides on Kineo wheels—custom-made for this machine in Italy—and the factory sport tires have been swapped out for more aggressive-looking Pirelli MT60RS rubber.

To add a hint of classic BMW R90 S style, Revival have pinstriped the fuel tank—and added a Daytona half-fairing and aftermarket fenders from Wunderlich.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
The factory plastic undertail is gone, replaced by a custom alloy unit that holds a new LED taillight and signals, cleanly tucked under the stock alloy rear seat cowl. There’s a new license plate mount that bolts to the back of the swingarm and has its own built-in LED lighting.

It’s easy to list the mods, but not so easy to categorize the style. With the high exhaust and aggressive new rubber, one might say it’s a scrambler. But the fairing and alloy seat cowl seem to scream café racer.

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.
So what is it, Alan?

“We don’t think it’s necessary to label it. We’re not purists and never will be. Like all other Revival bikes, it’s a machine we’d personally own and ride.”

Revival Cycles website | Facebook | Instagram | Ola Stenegard interview | Edgar Heinrich interview

The Bison: Revival Cycles' remarkable custom BMW R nineT.

Categories
BikeExif Canada Custom Motorcycles Japan Other Motorcycle Blogs Yamaha motorcycles

Due South: Federal Moto’s Yamaha XS400

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400
For such a solitary pursuit, it’s surprising how motorcycles bring like-minded souls together. But this Yamaha XS400 goes one step further: it helped start one of western Canada’s leading custom workshops.

The bike is called Due South and there’s a story behind the name. “A year and a half ago, a group of us rode south on a 500-kilometer camping trip,” says Federal Moto founder Shaun Brandt. “On the way out of town we stopped for gas—and met Randy Venhuis.”

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400
“Randy was riding an XS400. Two weeks later, we set up Federal Moto and started designing our first bike, a Norton Commando called The Ace.”

Randy’s XS400 has since changed beyond recognition. Yes, it looks gorgeous, but its beauty is more than skin deep. There’s an extensive list of mods, starting with XS1100 forks (shortened over four inches to fit) and RFY shocks at the back.

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400
Federal have swapped out the original gas tank for a 1969 Honda CL350 tank, painted white and sea foam green. Up ahead are clip-ons and Tommaselli grips, a Biltwell ‘Whiskey’ throttle and 12-millimeter push-button switchgear.

Upgraded levers connect via stainless lines to a hydraulic clutch and a Brembo master cylinder. The front brakes have been replaced by a twin-disc setup, and there’s a disc at the rear instead of the usual drum brake. The rotors have been drilled.

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400
The wheels are 18-inch mags from an older XS400, shod with grippy Avon Roadrider tires. They’re an increasingly popular choice for custom builders wanting more grip than vintage pattern rubber usually provides.

The fenders are made from scratch, hand-rolled on an English wheel, and there’s a new seat unit topped off with with leather from Alberta’s H&E Upholstery. A tiny strip of LEDs at the back of the tail unit takes care of lighting.

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400
The custom 2-into-1 exhaust system is tucked in close, with gases exiting via a modern dirt bike muffler. On the induction side, the air box has been replaced by K&Ns.

Keeping everything looking tidy is a new electrical system from Wire Wizard of Vancouver. It’s hooked up to a four-cell Antigravity battery, and there’s a discreet digital voltmeter built into the rear of the gas tank.

It’s one of the best XS conversions we’ve ever seen. Keep an eye out for the Federal Moto name, because these guys are going places.

Federal Moto website | Instagram | Facebook | Images by Dong Kim.

Due South: Federal Moto's Yamaha XS400

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Harley-Davidson India Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

World first: Harley Street by Rajputana Customs

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.
Outside the States, the new Street is widely regarded as the most important motorcycle in Harley-Davidson’s line-up. So the bike we’re looking at here is something of An Event: it’s the first officially sanctioned Street custom from an independent builder.

That builder is Rajputana Customs of Jaipur City. They’re some 300 kilometers south of Harley’s Haryana factory—where the Street is built—and they’ve done a remarkable job.

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.
This Street 750 was put together in just four weeks, but you’d never guess. “Given the liquid-cooled engine and snug-fitting chassis, we felt a butch-looking racer was the way to go,” says Rajputana boss Vijay Singh.

The first upgrade was the front end, which now sports Suzuki GSX-R forks with 25% stiffer springs. There’s more suspension travel than stock, helped by the removal of the plastic grill surrounding the front-mounted radiator.

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.
To flatten the lines of the bike, the standard tank was lifted slightly at the rear and the gas cap moved to the left side.

On the right is the speedo, mounted on to the tank itself. A stripe of grey paint cleverly aligns with the fins of the rear cylinder.

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.
The standard dual shocks have gone, replaced by a monoshock mounted to the right-hand side of the swingarm. (“It works like a gem,” says Vijay.) The monoshock also carries the compact battery and part of the wiring loom.

The belt drive system of the factory bike is gone, replaced by a chain. Rajputana have custom-machined a front sprocket, and hooked it up to a Drag Race rear sprocket in tough 7075-T6 aluminum from Zipper’s Performance.

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.
There’s a sleek new subframe and a low profile cowl behind a quilted black leather seat. Coker tires are mounted on 16-inch Harley 48 rims and hubs, and the swingarm was modified to accommodate the larger rubber.

Custom-fabricated clip-on bars complete the look, topped off with Arlen Ness grips.

It’s a quite remarkable transformation—and it’s bound to make a lot of people see the Harley-Davidson Street in a new light.

Top marks to Vijay and Rajputana Customs for an exceptionally clever build. A fine bike to round off 2014.

Rajputana Custom Motorcycles website | Facebook | Instagram | Harley-Davidson India

This cafe-style Harley-Davidson Street 750 comes from Rajputana Customs.