Two very different Yamahas dominated this weekend’s Speed Read edition. We take a closer look at the new Yamaha XSR900 DB40 Prototype, and we profile a sleek streetwear Yamaha XS650 from Canada. We also check out a new BMW R18 kit from Poland and a delicious Honda VF1000F2 from Bavaria.
Prototype Yamaha XSR900 DB40 Since breaking cover in 2016, YAMAHA XSR900 was a hit. In fact, a neoclassical-tuned MT-09, it looks, sounds and feels great—and it gets even better when you customize it.
This custom Yamaha XSR900 comes directly from the Japanese brand’s in-house design team. Dubbed the ‘DB40 Prototype,’ it showed up last weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. And we absolutely love it.
Prototype DB40 follows on from CROIG’s ‘Courds are built for good’ Custom XSR900 and from the launch of the brand’s new cafe racer-style XSR accessory series. It’s an acknowledgment of Yamaha’s illustrious racing history and draws inspiration from 80s and 90s racing motorcycles. We can clearly see inspiration from the Yamaha TZR250, YZR500 OW01 and other classic Yamaha racing bikes.
The DB40’s most obvious feature is its incredible front apron. Supported by custom racks and the bib still attached behind the top yoke, it does a great job of injecting a bit of vintage style into this modern performance motorcycle. But that’s not all that Yamaha has inherited from their legacy.
The ‘DB40’ designation refers to Yamaha’s 40-year-old Deltabox frame design. First appearing on the Yamaha YZR500 Grand Prix movement in 1982, it has been updated over the years and is still in production today. This highlight, the frame of this bike has been painted silver, making it stand out against the dark body background.
Öhlins suspension, cool paintwork and a very sleek rear end transform the naked XSR900 into a classic slick race car. The taillights and saddle are particularly neat, and we like how the bottom half of the engine is exposed.
The prototype Yamaha XSR900 DB40 was ridden up Goodwood Hill every four days of the festival in front of a loving crowd. If it weren’t for the turn signals and headlights, we’d think this is a production bike—it’s very well done. And with rumors swirling that Yamaha is planning to release a new R9 based on the XSR’s three-cylinder engine, we’re hopeful. [Yamaha Motorcycles]
Matt Thomas’s Yamaha XS650 The Yamaha XS650 was quite advanced when it was released in 1969, and brought the British twins of the time a decent sum. Its second lease came in the 2010s, when it quickly became the darling of the burgeoning cafe racer village.
Matt Thomas is a fan. Based in Canada, he picked up a 1979 Yamaha XS650 for only CA$450 [about $340] last summer, then tore it down in his garage. Spending every evening and weekend through the winter while his kids lay in bed, Matt transformed the salvaged bike into a svelte bike. street tracking.
The big win here is how well Matt has scaled down the XS650. The 1974 DT360 fuel tank is up to size, with narrow lines that match the custom style in a unique way. It is painted in stylish Lamborghini Titanium Silver.
The engine has been cleaned and polished, and the top has been rebuilt. The factory front end was probably rusted by the time Matt got his hands on the bike, so he replaced them with a nice two-in-one system that ends with an inverted cone muffler. A pair of Mikuni VM34 carburetors finish off the engine.
The frame is freed from all unnecessary tabs and brackets, while the subframe is chopped and repeated. It was then completed with a custom chair that Matt’s wife was kind enough to wrap for him.
The rear fender was made by welding together pieces from a 1979 and 1983 Yamaha, then painted to match the fuel tank. Matt built the chain guard and taillight himself. The low-profile turn signals are hidden on the bike, and the build is kept street-legal thanks to the side-mounted number plates.
The wheels are painted black and treated with a new set of thick tyres, the front fenders have been cut and the brake rotors are perforated. The lower fork and 5-inch headlights give the front end a more stylish look.
Mounted on the new 1-inch lifts and rods is a set of Vans x Cult handles, new throttle assembly, new master cylinder, and some basic switches. A little bit Motogadget The speedometer is squeezed into the space between the frame and the fuel tank, which reduces clutter even further.
Matt tells us he’s been fixing bikes for years, but this is the first time he’s completely demolished and built to order. And if this is his first, we can’t wait to see what he comes up with next. [Matt Thomas Instagram]
Unikat Motorworks BMW R18 Kit When BMW first unveiled the production version of the R18, the motoring world was a bit… astounded. The idea of the traditionally pragmatic German automaker launching a cruiser is a bit odd. And even think BMW R18 looks a lot better than the last cruiser BMW launched, the ill-fated R1200C, it’s still long, low, and heavy, with a few awkward design touches.
That said, there is a distinct beauty hidden deep inside the R18 that can be persuaded to rise to the surface. That’s where Poland’s Grzegorz Korczak and his workshop, Unikat Motorworks, go to the picture. They created a set of bolted bobber accessories for the BMW R18 that completely transforms the car through some well-regarded tweaks.
The most notable design improvement is the new muffler design. Unikat has built tighter and shorter silencers that pair beautifully with OEM tips and heat shields. They take over 100 hours to make by hand but they are a marked improvement over the bulky factory fishtails.
Unikat has installed a dB suppressor so that the exhaust emits a deep bass sound instead of a shrill scream. And they can also manufacture these in black, if that’s your preference.
This kit also includes a bobber diamond stitched saddle and necessary mounting hardware. It rests on small adjustable struts, offering an inch and a half back and forth motion and the ability to adjust the angle. The bottom is a set of stainless steel leg pins, designed to attach to the frame without any mods.
The custom 18-inch wheels have been mounted to the stock axles and there are custom fenders both front and rear. The headlights and gauges have been lowered using more custom brackets to improve the lines. Mirrors and turn signals at the end of the Motogadget bar, leather-wrapped handles, located on the custom handlebars, shrinking the control area.
The engine has been painted to match the sides of the fuel tank and the various caps have been blacked out. Real silver scales are used to line the fuel tank, adding a classy look to the classic BMW paint scheme. Highsider LED lights are placed under the saddle, concurrently the task of taillights and turn signals.
Unikat is selling most of the above as a bolt-on kit. The kit includes the saddle, exhaust, fenders, footpegs, headlight and gauge lowers, and license plate mounts. The rest is up to you. [Unikat Motorworks]
Woidwerk’s Honda VF1000F2 Looking at an original Honda VF1000F2, you’d never really know that 998 cc, 122-hp V-4 engine hides under all those fenders. Back in 1985, Honda squeezed the big four into a sports touring car, fitted with an extra radiator, and proved it could be a pretty versatile package.
Fast-forward 40 years, and Ralf Eggl of Woidwerk in Bavaria owns a very special VF1000F2. This special 1985 model was bought by Ralf’s grandfather, brand new, and was the bike that introduced young Ralf to the world of motorcycling. His grandfather used the bike daily until 2005, after which it was parked for ten years.
The bike was in dire need of attention and Ralf was happy to help. He starts with the most obvious modification – removing most of the shield. But this is easier said than done.
First, he had to remove the lower fender and its supports, then, he lowered the entire front part of the fender a few inches. This left ugly gaps between the apron and the fuel tank, but Ralf was able to fabricate the aluminum air ducts to combine the two. The smoke screen is trimmed to complete the package
The fuel tank, engine, and front fascia have remained largely the same—but they have been rebuilt and given a fresh coat of paint. The rear of the car is where Ralf has difficulty cutting a segment out of the saddle and narrowing the entire rear of the car. The new double-decker seat with custom stitching sits on the top, and while it doesn’t look like anything Honda made in the ’80s, it still feels like the factory.
Finishing touches include a new exhaust (gifted by an Aprilia V4), red cooling pipes, glossy Martini-Porsche paint and a new Wilbers rear suspension. It’s another great work by Woidwerk and it’s a great way to pay tribute to the man who brought Ralf into the cycling field in the first place. [Via]
