“Silverhawk” Yamaha Scorpio Z Street Tracker

Introducing “Shirubahoku” (Silverhawk) by Joyride…

The Yamaha SX225 — sometimes known as the Scorpio Z — is a four-stroke, air-cooled single popular in Indonesia and Bali. While it’s mainly marketed as a commuter, the bike has scored high marks for handling and value, and local builders have been tapping the hidden potential in this 225cc thumper.

Enter Geri Centura of Bali’s Joyride, which offers custom bike builds, rentals, and camping on the beautiful island known for its volcanic mountains, lush forests, long beaches, and coral reefs. The company name, says Geri, comes from his personal vision and philosophy as it pertains to custom bikes:

“I don’t want a bike that makes me LOOK a certain way, but one that can make me FEEL like I’m 7 years old again, the first time riding a BMX bike with awesome graphics and blue tires, going to the beach in the middle of the day.”

For this build, the customer originally rented one of the Joyride’s custom bikes, then wanted one for himself — a street tracker with power and handling akin to a supermoto.  As per Geri’s build philosophy, he spoke to the client about his childhood memories, and they decided on the concept of “Shirubahoku,” Japanese for “Silverhawk,” named after the client’s favorite cartoon series, SilverHawks — a space-based followup to ThunderCats in which a team of 29th-century heroes are given metal bodies and wings to fight organized crime on a galactic scale.

Geri and team sourced a 2008 SX225 / Scorpio, outfitting the bike with USD forks, custom subframe, custom-built tank, big bore kit, a six-titanium-spring clutch, and much more. The result is one of the sweetest Scorpio Z customs we’ve ever seen — one that rivals the builds of Bali giant Deus — one of Geri’s earliest inspirations.

Below, we get the full story on the build, along with more stunning shots from Geri himself (@geri_centura).

Yamaha SX225 Street Tracker: Builder Interview

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

My name is Geri Centura (34). My history with motorcycle begins 10 years ago when I moved to Bali from Jakarta, I saw a lot of Honda CB125’s in original style for sale for cheap prices, only 3 million rupiah or $250. So I bought one and customized it into a scrambler style. As it turned out, a lot of my friends liked it, especially my friends who live in the Canggu area on Bali — they said your build looks like Deus — this was before I knew about Deus. So I started to ride over to Deus and check out their bikes, and I was like, this is really good place. I had a vision to make my own custom bike brand, and I wanted to make the Street Tracker style as the main style of my bikes, so I created Joyride.

Why Joyride? Many custom bikes here in Bali are built to make you look gentler, scarier, stronger, or sometimes more aggressive — I don’t like that kind of image. I want a bike that doesn’t make me LOOK a certain way, but one that can make me FEEL like I’m 7 years old again, the first time riding a BMX bike with awesome graphics and blue tires, going to the beach in middle of the day. Yeah, riding bikes is about how you FEEL — you feel energetic, you feel fast, you feel fun, and you feel JOY — that’s why my bikes always give the feel of a JOYRIDE.

“Workshop” is really a fancy word for third world country like ours. We only use our home garage to build all our bikes, even sometimes we need to borrow some tools from our friends, but we do it solid as a team.

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

It’s a Yamaha SSX225, or popular in Indonesia with the name Yamaha Scorpio Z 225, year 2008.

• Why was this bike built?

First there was a customer that rented one of our custom bike rentals — after he finished the rental period, he wanted to make a bike 100% the same as our rental bike. After we discussed what he was passionate about, what his childhood memories were, and then we found the concept of Silverhawk from his childhood memory of a cartoon character. He wanted a bike that feels more like a supermoto in power and handling, because he rode a motard for the past three years before selling it — that’s why we upgraded our Street Tracker style by installing USD front forks.

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

The design concept was influenced by the cartoon character Silverhawk, but we wanted to use Japanese font type because this bike is a Yamaha, a Japanese brand, so we want this bike to look Japanese but with the Silverhawk name and feel of a Street Tracker in handling and power.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

• Front Fork: we changed the original one to USD Supermoto grade.
• We customized the original subframe
• Handlebar: we used a FatBar supermoto style (Pro Taper)
• Made a custom gas tank
• Bored out original engine
• Changed original vacuum carburetor to PWK type
• Installed 6 titanium spring clutch (stock type only 4 spring)
• Combined stock exhaust pipe with racing motocross muffler
• Custom leather seat
• Joyride engraving alloy emblem
• Silver paint with glossy coat plus Japanese font type on white stripe
• Aluminium rims combined with 18-ring dual purpose Swallow Deli Tire
• Custom LED rear and front light

• Does the bike have a nickname?

SHIRUBAHOKU – Silverhawk.

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

You feel like you’re riding a supermoto only heavier — but light in handling — you can easily move your body right or left. It’s easier to do counter steering when you turn left or right because the width of the fat bar and the riding position. It feels like you’re higher from the ground, but the handling, torque, and power make you confident to take more speed in the corner. The engine performance is more torque than horsepower, so it’s more fun riding in the city than going for long rides.

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

The engine work. This is the first time we successfully added a 6 titanium spring clutch, and it’s much better for performance and traction.

Follow the Builder

Instagram: @joyride.bali
Facebook Page: @joyridebali
Photographer: @geri_centura