Lots of people build a bike with the sole purpose of thrashing it. But it’s usually a ‘beater,’ with very little time or money plowed into the project.
This svelte Yamaha XT 600 E was clearly built to get loose, but it’s also a remarkably cohesive and neat custom. Even if that wasn’t the original intention of its owner, Stefan Lantschner.
Stefan is an Italian living in Barcelona, Spain—a videographer who spends his free time wrenching on bikes under the nickname ‘Koolt Creations.’ He’s already built a couple of machines for himself and friends, but this XT 600 project had a very specific purpose.
“After going to Wheels & Waves,” he tells us, “all I wanted to do was build a flat tracker! The plan was to do something quick and cheap—but as soon as I started, the plan changed.”
“It is probably the bike I spent the most time on, and it caused the most headaches. But as soon as you ride it, it pays off!”
Stefan bought the 1992 XT 600 E from a friend who abandoned a plan to customize it. As far as big thumping enduros go, the XT 600 E makes sense: it’s lumpy, but the air-cooled single makes enough power and it’s tough.
Stefan’s lowered the weight from the stock 170 kilos (375 pounds) wet, mostly by throwing all of the original bodywork in the bin. And since he’s set the XT 600 up for off-road use only, he doesn’t need niceties like lights, dials or excess wiring.
The Yamaha now wears the monocoque fiberglass body from an old Bultaco Lobito trials bike. Stefan had to modify the bottom of the tank to fit the Yamaha’s wider frame and integrated oil filler, then he shaped up a new seat with fresh foam, and sent it to XtrimSeats in Barcelona for upholstery.
Rather than slap on a generic, off-the-shelf number board, Stefan had a carbon fiber one made that sits snug, and wraps around the forks. He first made a template out of cardboard, then handed it over to an expert to shape up the final form.
As for the chassis, the subframe was trimmed down to match the length of the Bultaco body kit. Up front, Stefan has installed the beefier 43mm forks and bottom yoke from a 2003 Yamaha YZF-R6 sport bike, pairing them with a CNC-machined top yoke.
The old F21/R17 wheel combo has been ditched in favor of new 19-inch rims with KTM hubs. The front brake is from the R6, with a 320 mm supermoto disc, and the rear brake is the stock single 220 mm XT 600 unit, now matched to a Honda CRF master cylinder and lever.
Magura came to the party big time, and hooked Stefan up with a set of Xline bars and clamps, plus brake and clutch controls. (The Yamaha’s been upgraded to a Magura hydraulic clutch too.)
Other additions include Renthal MX grips, a solitary button to start the bike, and MX Bud racing foot pegs on custom-built brackets.
When it came to the exhaust, Stefan commissioned his friend Christopher Martensson, who built the full system right through to the muffler.
The Koolt XT 600 is now a compact and purposeful custom, and unlike most, loves to shred. Pretty impressive work from a guy who doesn’t even have his own workshop.
“I built the bike in a small garage owned by my friend Alvaro,” Stefan explains. “Big thanks to him, and also to Salva, Nico Niks and Luisangel for their help!”
So what’s next? Apparently the plan is to slap some lights on the Yamaha, get it road legal and tear around the hills of Barcelona.
Sounds like an excelente plan to us.
Koolt Creations | Images by Javi Echevarría Ruiz
