“Fat Boy” Yamaha TW125 Scrambler by Candy MC

The Yamaha TW (Trailway) series, with their fat tires and four-stroke engines, have been called “two-wheel quads” or “beach bikes.” In 1987, famed Japanese motorcyclist Shinji Kazama rode a TW200 to the North Pole, and the balloon-like tires make the bike great for the beach, farm work, or as camper bikes. Says Top Speed of the TW:

“I’ve always wondered if the beach buggy has a 2-wheeler equivalent and now I am convinced it does.”

Enter Jun Nakamura of Japan’s Candy Motorcycle Laboratory — a small, two-person workshop with a big reputation. Now in their 14th year of operation, Candy continues to turn out show-winning custom bikes while also doing general maintenance, inspection, and pick-up/delivery. Recently, we featured their “Big Blue” Yamaha SR400 street tracker. Now they’re back with another Yamaha, this time a TW125.

Given the signature fat wheels and tires of the model, Jun decided to make the rest of this custom TW as lean and slim as possible, including an ultra-narrow fuel tank from a TY125 trials bike and custom bodywork and seat. Below, we get more details on this “Fat Boy.”

Yamaha TW Scrambler: Builder Interview

• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.

I am a custom builder and mechanic. This year marks the 14th anniversary of Candy Cycle. It is a small motorcycle shop with two staff members, but the two of us work very carefully on custom, paint, maintenance, etc.

• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?

YAMAHA TW125. The year is unknown.

• Why was this bike built?

Customer Order.

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

The wheel is fat. The exterior is slim.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

• Used a TY125 fuel tank.
• One-off sheet.
• Created one-off seat frames.
• Wide wheels.

• Does the bike have a nickname?

Fat Boy.

• How would you classify this bike?

Scrambler.

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

This is a well-balanced view of the slim exterior that contrasts with the fat tire.

Follow the Builder

Instagram: @candy_mclabo
Facebook: @CandyMotorcycleLaboratory
Website: www.candy-mclabo.com