British-Style Scrambler from AX Studio…
The Yamaha SR might just be the world’s most beloved series of single-cylinder street bikes. While we’re most familiar with the SR400 and SR500 variants derived from the XT500 dual-purpose enduro, Yamaha also offered the SR150 in certain markets. It was especially popular in Taiwan, where motorcycles are a way of life and small-displacement “white plate” bikes avoid costly registration and inspection fees. Like other models of the range, the 150cc SR makes a great base for customization.
One of our favorite Taiwanese builders is Alex of AX Studio, who began customizing bikes at the age of 18, working out of a basement garage of just 17 square feet.
“Thanks to Taiwan’s rich online resources, I began learning from both local and international builders and started building my own motorcycles by hand — and from there, I embarked on a path of no return.”
Later he opened his own workshop, AX Studio, and his builds have garnered multiple awards and recognition. This SR150, dubbed “A-10,” was showcased at Ride Free 14.
“During our initial discussion, we learned that the owner had studied in the UK and directly expressed the desire for a cleanly designed SR150 with a distinct British style. Thus, the A-10 project commenced.”
It’s no walk in the park to convert a Japanese commuter bike into a machine that could be mistaken for a vintage British single. And what’s more, we’re always impressed with builders in East and Southeast Asia, who have the ingenuity to fabricate so many of their parts instead of obtaining readily available bolt-on solutions.
In this case, the handlebars, control levers, headlight ears, subframe, top triple, alloy sprocket covers, electronics enclosure (resembling an oil tank), and many more components were fabricated in-house. The result is a Yamaha that bears a striking resemblance to old British iron, like a refugee machine from an alternative timeline where Yamaha engines were used in British frames to create Anglo-Japanese hybrids. Bravo, Alex!
Below, Alex gives us the full story and details in his own words, along with more photos of this gorgeous machine.
In the Builder’s Words…
For those who visited our booth at Ride Free 14, this piece might be familiar. The body material is sourced from the Yamaha SR150, also our flagship work from 2023, A-10.
During our initial discussion, we learned that the owner had studied in the UK and directly expressed the desire for a cleanly designed SR150 with a distinct British style. Thus, the A-10 project commenced.
The frame was the primary focus of this project. The SR150 boasts a double cradle frame not found in other domestic models, but its downfall lies in the compact subframe. Building a vintage British bike hinges on the frame, so we decided to forego the original subframe structure and crafted a new one to match the frame’s proportions.
We raised the subframe’s height, shifted the rear shock mounting point rearward to make the shock absorber more upright, and fabricated fixed brackets for both sides of the rear dirt tracker. Lug fixing techniques were employed in multiple areas, making the frame an integral part of the detailing.
The fuel tank is a reproduction from the Honda CB100, featuring a ridge on the top surface echoing the rear dirt tracker, with the Yamaha logo-modified tank cap.
The tank badges were entrusted to @sku and crafted using 3D printing, paired with metal electroplating to create a pair of Triumph-inspired AX Studio logos.
We handcrafted vintage aluminum alloy headlight ears for the front headlight, paired with a 5.5-inch dual-sided locking headlight.
AX Studio’s specially tuned stainless steel handlebars were used, along with handmade brake and clutch levers welded onto the handlebars. All handlebar control systems were integrated into the left-hand side’s Mark Motorcycle vintage integrated switch, ensuring a visually clean handlebar with a classic touch.
For the triple clamp, all unnecessary lock points were removed, and a custom upper crown with threads was made, allowing the crown to be securely fastened from below the triple clamp without any visible screws.
The instrument panel features the precision craftsmanship of the German Motogadget Motoscope Tiny Speedo, integrating all standard gauge functions into a compact dial with a diameter of less than 5 cm.
The taillight utilizes a Crocker taillight as the base, crafted into a parrot screw shape and designed to be housed on the left rear shock.
Original front forks were retained, with the front dirt tracker mounting points removed and a set of vintage front fork cuffs fabricated.
The chassis features 19″ front and 18″ rear wire wheels, paired with Shinko Tyres’ SR241 tires, offering 50% on-road and 50% off-road capabilities with a clean tread pattern.
For the engine appearance, we polished the alternator and clutch case covers. As the original front sprocket cover was made of plastic and couldn’t be polished, we handcrafted a set of aluminum alloy front sprocket covers to further enhance visual integration on both sides of the engine. Engine power was boosted with a PE26 carburetor, and a set of original Triumph air filters was installed.
Behind the air filter, vintage BSA and Triumph side covers typically house an oil tank, which the SR150 lacks. Therefore, the A-10 features a box-like enclosure behind the air filter, integrating the entire bike’s electronic system. In addition to crafting an oil cap resembling a fuel cap, two outlets resembling oil inlet and outlet ports were extended from the right side of the oil tank. Inside, it houses the starter motor and engine negative wiring.
Designing within the framework of vintage British motorcycle aesthetics posed many constraints in terms of exterior contours and body structure. To create a high-quality piece within these constraints, we drew inspiration from various vintage British motorcycle designs such as BSA and Triumph, contemplating how to design similar styles of handmade and modified parts. It was truly a brainstorming process, but seeing such a classic bike completed and running on the roads of Taiwan made it all worthwhile.
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Photos: @_biechaole
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