While we love a lot of high-profile builds from established shops, there is something so pure and beautiful about the single man or woman working alone on their bike — just their hands, tools, vision, and perseverance. Enter Chavazs Machmoedov, a lone builder from The Netherlands, who says…
“I want to make people aware that even though I’m always building alone, I can get some work done.”
Two years ago, the owner of one of the oldest Ducati workshops in all of Europe — Biggelaar Performance — must have seen his passion and talent, as he granted Chavazs a corner in the garage to play the “Mad Doctor.” One of the creations to come from this space is this Yamaha XV920 Street Tracker. Below, we get the full story on the build.
Yamaha TR1 Tracker: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
My name is Chavazs Machmoedov from Oisterwijk, The Netherlands. I always had a gas-head gene in me which I have really started to explore three years ago, as I suddenly woke up and knew that I wanted to drive and build bikes. Since I was a little child I was always constructing and building things with my brother and over the years that talent started to take shape and I found what I truly love doing, which is building custom bikes.
My workshop is in the Garage of Biggelaar Performance in Oisterwijk, which is one of the oldest Ducati garages in Europe. Approximately two years ago, Toine van den Biggelaar, the owner of the garage, granted me a corner to play the Mad Doctor and I haven’t stopped ever since.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
The base was a Yamaha XV920 (TR1) from 1986
• Why was this bike built?
I love all about classic bikes and cars because they have a soul, so to say. So in my opinion a bike should have certain elements to be classified as a genuine bike. Steel frame, air cooled engine and an exhaust that makes appropriate and suitable sound. This particular engine and the base of the bike instantly raised my interest which drove me to give it a complete overhaul.
I kind of started building it and kept looking at the base for a couple of weeks trying not to copy anyone else’s work or make it look like anything else that I have seen before. This bike was built because it gives me pure joy doing it and a feeling of euphoria when you take them out for a ride knowing it is something truly yours.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
Honestly there wasn’t much of concept or whatsoever. I just imagined instantly how the bike should look like at the end and I kept that image in my mind as I went along building it.
I never make drawings and concepts unless it would be on customers request.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Ducati Hypermotard front fork, Ducati 916 swing arm, Ducati Monster S4R Wheels, Suzuki fuel tank and the rest is all hand built to fit the bike. The most difficult part was to make the front fork and swing arm fit, that’s not easy, but nothing is when you want something different from the rest of the street bikes.
• How would you classify this bike?
I prefer the term Custom, but people would defy this bike as a Street Tracker.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
I think that one of the most outspoken parts of the bike is the seat. I really tried to make it as perfect as possible. The seat was my design stitched by Marcel Miller from Miller Customs Upholstery. But also the fuel tank, because I believe that these 2 parts can really make your bike shine or look like crap. In my case it came out pretty nice I think.
Follow the Builder / Workshop
- Follow the Builder: @Biker.4.Life
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