Minus the mid-century innovations by Yamaha, Honda, and Suzuki, one could argue that motorcycling might be a lost art today. With their small engines, low profiles, and street-rider stances, these lightweight hallmarks of design give new riders all over the world a way into the fray, and experienced riders the perfect minimal ride.
These days, Yamaha motorcycles are at the core of the custom scene. They offer the perfect platforms for stylish urban rides with cheap price tags.
Models like the Yamaha XS650, SR400, XSR700 and XSR900 are among a legendary line of Yamaha motorcycles that beg to be turned into café racers, bobbers and trackers—and they fill our galleries of great builds.
We love subtle, understated style on custom bikes. But we also have a sneaking regard for machines that are aggressive and in your face—the two-wheeled equivalents of Rage Against the Machine at 120 dB. This Yamaha V-Max is one such machine. It comes from from Motocrew, a spare-time but slick operation run by firefighter Chris…
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Welcome to the second edition of Speed Read—our new weekend roundup that covers not just custom bikes, but also motorcycle news, gear, and sometimes even art. Today, we’ve gathered together an adorable MZ ETZ 250 bobber, a Yamaha RD350 from the eccentric Blechmann, and a Norton Commando that’s never left its crate. Plus we look…
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A sweet Yamaha SR500 bobber from Sweden, a bright orange Honda CBR600 from the Netherlands, a Kawasaki KZ750 cafe racer from Argentina, and a stylish BMW R65 street tracker from France. We’re racking up the (virtual) air miles this week.
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Like all good artists, the best custom builders have a handful of regular customers. They’re usually folks with an eye for quality and shared tastes, and they’re gold dust. Iowa-based Greg Hageman has been in this business for many years now, and one of his most steadfast customers is Mike Martens. ‘Fat SR’ is the…
Read more »Since modern motorcycles are far more complex than their predecessors, it makes them harder to customize. But a few bikes buck that…
Read more »A crisp Yamaha XT500 restomod, a BMW K100 from a Spanish motor racing shop, a classy Yamaha TT600RE tracker from France, and…
Read more »Folks who ride motorcycles today often started out on scooters, especially in Europe. But Maciej Bielawski of Poland did it the other…
Read more »A pair of Yamaha TZ racers that have never even been started up, a most unusual 1980s MZ two-stroke, a beastly Honda…
Read more »At its heart, motorcycling is a solitary pursuit. But it also brings people together, sharing their enthusiasm and skills when the hand…
Read more »North East Custom have never been bound to one style. We’ve already seen the Italian outfit build cafe racers and street trackers—but…
Read more »A Yamaha Virago with Ducati superbike suspension from the US, a stripped down Ducati 1198S Corse from France, a Norton Commando from…
Read more »A show stopping Yamaha GTS 1000 from Italy, a neo-retro Yamaha XT250 from Australia, and a very slick body kit for the…
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