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.
Only available in Japan and limited to just 1,600 units, the mid-80s Yamaha RZV500R is as rare as it is iconic. Based on the RZ500, the Japanese-market RZV500R sported a handful of upgrades—the most noteworthy of which was an aluminum frame. The RZ500 was a desirable machine in its own right; a four-cylinder two-stroke race…
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If you suffer from the misconception that Germans don’t know how to have fun, you’ve clearly never experienced the German sprint racing scene. Events like the popular Glemseck 101 are filled to the brim with wild and inappropriate motorcycles, all of which are guaranteed to make you smile. And what could be more fun than…
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The bicycle is the first freedom machine most of us experienced, but you never look at life the same after your first motorcycle. Whether it was an XR50, a YZ80 or the classic Trail 70, we put these machines through the ringer, likening ourselves to Jeremy McGrath, Bob ‘Hurricane’ Hannah and Evel Knievel. The turf…
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There’s something for everyone in this week’s edition of Speed Read. We’ve got a Yamaha Banshee-powered street tracker from the UK, an ISDT-inspired BMW R100GS from Italy, and an alluring 1950s Triumph Thunderbird chopper from the USA. But first, a wonderful redemption story of a stolen, recovered, and transformed Honda Cub.
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The Yamaha SR500 is enjoying a resurgence in popularity right now, but we’re not surprised. Few motorcycles can match the SR’s enduring…
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Two Yamaha singles book-end our selection this week. We kick off with a sharp custom Yamaha XT600 street tracker, then profile a…
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An old Yamaha Virago doesn’t quite have the same appeal as an old Harley, but there was a time when the Virago…
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As soon as a particular motorcycle becomes popular among customizers, it becomes harder and harder to find clean examples of it. The…
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Rumors of a new Yamaha R9 have been percolating for a while, but there’s been no official word from the Japanese marque……
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Two very different Yamahas dominate this weekend’s edition of Speed Read. We take a closer look at the new Yamaha XSR900 DB40…
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From Jakarta to Bavaria, great custom motorcycles know no borders. Our weekly round-up includes a Yamaha XS650 chopper, a custom BMW R80RT,…
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There are few better ways to get away from it all than on two wheels, but the prospect of getting started with…
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