The Yamaha SR series is the two-wheeled equivalent of modeling clay. For decades, bike builders have been pushing and pulling the SR in all directions—from race track to dirt track, and all points in between. The Japanese are masters of this craft, with SR400s and SR500s helping companies like BratStyle build their reputation. But in…
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You can judge a builder’s skills by the raw materials they work with. After all, it’s not too hard to make a Norton Commando look good. A Buell is another matter entirely, and so is Kawasaki’s mundane middleweight from the 1970s, the KZ400. Even when new, the KZ400 was about as exciting as a baked…
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Not long ago, you couldn’t open your browser without stumbling across another Honda CB custom. But these days, that honor belongs to Triumph Bonnevilles and old BMW airheads. The occasional fine CB750 still rears its head. But how many are as good as this absolute masterpiece from Auto Fabrica? The English shop—founded by brothers Bujar…
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When faced with a Honda CX500 in the shop, the first thing most builders do is ‘fix’ the frame. It looks awkward and droopy, and the usual solution is to either trick the eye, or get out the welding gear. But Auto Fabrica decided to go with the flow. Once they’d stripped the bike down…
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A radical Le Mans from Auto Fabrica, the most stylish Yamaha XT660r we’ve ever seen, and an Indian Scout ready to race…
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By the late 1980s, the simple, classic styling of most BMW airheads had turned gawky. The R80 RT was especially afflicted: its…
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In Japan, there is a design theory called Kanso (簡素)—meaning simplicity, or the elimination of clutter. And every time I see an…
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At a glance, Yamaha’s re-issued SR400 is virtually indistinguishable from its vintage counterparts. Which is probably why it’s so popular. It has…
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The English workshop Auto Fabrica is fast developing a distinctive style. It’s the reduction of the motorcycle to its simplest form, finished…
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For the past few weeks, I’ve had a KTM Freeride 350 in my garage—a press bike on loan. The most striking thing…
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The SR400 has been around for a while as a popular custom donor bike, but we shouldn’t overlook its little 250cc brother,…
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