It’s scrambler time this week: A heavily modified Yamaha RD350, a limited edition version of the Viba Lara 800, and a look at Yamaha’s new SCR950. Let’s get dirty.
Yamaha RD350 by Moto Exotica In 2016, you can’t pass a fair trade organic coffee shop or axe-throwing meet without being bombarded by scramblers. They. Are. Everywhere … including this latest Bikes Of The Week.
This RD350 is the eighth build to roll out of Arjun Raina’s Moto Exotica. Beginning with a rough sketch and taking to CAD from there, ‘Eight’ is 210 pounds of tweaked, two-stroke insanity. Thanks to the in-house crafted swingarm, KTM 200 suspension and Arjun’s work on the seat, tank and tail, the RD has shed around 140 pounds of factory flab.
With TKC80 rubber and revised geometry, there are few obstacles ‘Eight’ can’t handle—although we’d want to Instagram some shots of those clean pipes before hitting the trails. The exhaust was TIG welded from 45 separate sections, including those gorgeous, stainless steel expansion chambers. [More]
Honda Shadow VLX 400 by DuongDoan’s Design This is the third time that the Hanoi-based builder has snagged our attention. The previous bikes were Suzuki GN250s, but this latest build started life as a tiny Honda cruiser—the Shadow VLX 400. It says ‘scrambler’ on the number plates, but the Firestone tires mean its natural habitat is again the fair trade organic coffee shop—and not the unbeaten path.
All kidding aside, the craftsmanship that morphs the puny boulevard cruiser into a brat/tracker is worth a second look. That includes a new subframe, revised geometry front and rear and a peanut tank with a raw finish. Plus upside down forks, complete with a dual radial mount caliper set-up. It’s an oddly appealing set of proportions that we just can’t ignore. [More]
Yamaha SCR950 Yamaha is on an absolute roll. The XSR900 is easily one of the most exciting releases of the year, the MT10 is coming soon, and the Yard Built Program has shone the light on some truly jaw-dropping builds. But despite this success, the company isn’t about to rest on its laurels.
The latest arrival is the new SCR950—a Bolt-based scrambler—and we’re betting it will soon be gracing the streets in front of fair trade organic coffee shops the world over. The SCR is yet another factory-crated, entry-level bike that’s sure to attract the spinning carbide discs and spanners of builders everywhere. Although, as it sits, it does the job quite nicely already.
With chunky rubber, spoked wheels, number plates, fork gaiters and a slightly smaller tank than usual, it has all the aesthetic bases covered—minus that exhaust. The air-cooled V-Twin is a carryover from the other Bolt-spec bikes, but features more mid-range oomph for better manners on the fire roads. It starts at US$8,699—which is $800 less than the Triumph Scrambler, and $1,300 less than Ducati’s offering. [More]
Viba Lara 800 Furygan Limited Edition When we first featured the Viba Lara 800, the reaction to the MV Agusta-powered scrambler was more than favorable. And if you were lucky enough to score one of the bikes for yourself, we have good news for you: Viba has partnered with Furygan, the French gear maker, to create a more feminine variant—so your missus can join in the fun.
Aside from a few visual tweaks, Furygan’s involvement has resulted in a custom leather saddle, leather side radiator covers, and a leather tank bag with a custom attachment system. We’re told these elements took over fifty hours of handiwork to perfect; the hides are specially treated to ensure they won’t be distorted by engine heat or exposure to the elements. Buyers also get a matching Viba x Furygan leather jacket.
But really, it’s just another incentive to buy this ultra-high-performance custom machine. We suspect the ladies who put this beast in their garages will be riding way further than their local fair trade organic coffee shop. [More]
Ducati Monster by Desmo Classico Ducati is often referred to as the Ferrari of motorcycles: Both brands have a rich racing heritage combined with passionate Italian design. So it makes sense to name a custom Ducati after one of Enzo’s handpicked Grand Prix drivers.
This machine is called the ‘Guiseppe Farina,’ after the World Champion who beat out Fangio for the title. It’s a modded Monster from Desmo Classico, and it’s the first in a series of naked Ducs inspired by the Ferrari 250 series of the 1950s and 1960s.
Desmo Classico is actually a division of Etik Motorcycles, a French atelier that has already produced over a dozen impressive builds of its own. Working with the French magazine Moto Heroes, the Etik team will produce twenty bikes for the Desmo Classico line—each with its own nuance, but all similarly influenced and impeccably clean. One can be yours for €14,500 (US$16,400). [More]