Streetfightin’ Man: Xavi Dynamische’s Vader-Black R1…
In 1998, Yamaha released the original YZF-R1. The first-year red and white R1 revolutionized the 1000cc superbike class, employing an innovative new vertically stacked gearbox. This design made the engine very short and compact, allowing the use of a longer swingarm for better traction without lengthening the bike’s overall wheelbase — a serious advantage on the track and in the canyons.
“When it arrived in 1998 the R1 not only blew the competition out of the water with its 150bhp, it ran rings around the porky FireBlade thanks to a 177kg dry weight and sharp geometry. The first modern sportsbike had arrived and it was very special indeed…” –Bennetts
In 2002, the new Deltabox III frame arrived. Not only was it lighter than the previous frame, but the hydro-formed aluminum construction reduced frame welds, improving chassis rigidity some 30%.
“This translated into agile handling backed with an abundance of mid- and top-end power.” –Cycle World, “Best Used Bikes”
True superbikes like the R1 were at the heart of the early streetfighter scene, when riders and couriers stripped their race replicas of fairings and swapped out the factory clip-ons for risers and one-piece handebars. Some 15-20 years ago, we had a 2001 GSX-R set up in this style and can confirm it was a hooligan machine nonpareil.
Today you’ll find a wide array of naked bikes on the market, many of them informed by the old streetfighter style, but the vast majority of these bikes are neutered versions of their race replica brethren: lower seats, less horsepower, lower-spec suspension, etc.
Our friend Xavi (@xavi_dynamische) was an early streetfighter devotee and enthusiast who built a number of custom fighters with his buddy Franc (@francolinerr) while writing and shooting for various custom magazines in his native Spain and across Europe. Based in Barcelona, Xavi remains one of Europe’s best custom bike photographers, and he’s shot several bikes we’ve featured here at BikeBound.
After spending the last several years riding supermotards, Xavi found himself itching to return to his roots. He missed having a four-cylinder naked bike. To be clear, not just any naked four-cylinder, but “a real RR bike with a wide handlebar.”
Xavi picked up a 2002 R1 and got to work building his perfect naked bike. The subframe is handmade, featuring a highly modified 2015 YZF-R1M track tail section with a Pro-Fiber Racing Solution seat. The headlight and carbon-fiber bellypan are Kawasaki Z800 units, which took a great deal of modification to fit. Other highlights include a 900mm wide handlebar with risers, custom exhaust with EXUP delete, racing radiator, and more. Xavi’s friend Oscar (@handmadesoul.hms) painted the boydwork, while Xavi himself laid down the paint on nearly every other component on the bike.
The mix of gloss and matte black paint gives the bike its name, “Tydirium”:
“The name of Darth Vader’s personal shuttle. She is so black. Maybe the bike for Anakin 🤣”
Even more important than this naked R1’s aesthetics is the very nature of the bike. With more than 150 bhp, a dry weight of just over 380 pounds, and an upright seating position, “Tydirium” offers a raw, exhilarating experience that today’s machines just can’t offer.
“Today all the bikes have their power limited for all the restrictions in the exhausts and by electronics. This bike is pure. Nothing tells the engine how many horsepower to give you — you only you say that with your right hand.”
Hats off to Xavi for realizing the vision you had for the perfect naked superbike, for learning so much in the process, and for taking such care with the lines and details. Below is our full in-depth interview with Xavi about the build, and we recommend you follow him @xavi_dynamische for great moto content and commentary.
Yamaha YZF-R1 Streetfighter: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I’m Xavi from Barcelona. I’ve been in to custom motorbikes since 1996 when I was young. I got in to streetfighter bikes in 2006 and spent a lot of years shooting and writing for custom magazines in Spain and Europe.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
Yamaha YZF-R1 2002.
• Why was this bike built?
Personal project.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
As I told you I was involved iwth streetfighter bikes a long time ago. I built a lot of them with my friend Franc, for ourselves and for other friends. And I missed having four-cylinder bikes a lot after spending a lot of years with supermotos and twin supermotos. I didn’t miss a naked four-cylinder bike — I missed a real RR bike with a wide handlebar.
A few months ago I felt the moment was coming. I saw a project of a friend of mine, Kitto Concepts. He fitted an R1M modified tail section on an old carbureted R1, and that gave me the power to think and do something similar in my style.
I wasn’t going for an extreme streetfighter look; I aimed for an aesthetic that resembles an extreme but stock hyper-naked. All the actual nakeds have their seats lowered and this is a red flag when buying a bike…so I built the perfect one. With the most aggressive headlight (imho) ever, the Z800 one.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Handmade subframe, R1M 2015 track seat (very modified), fairing gone. ABM handlebar kit with a 90cm wide handlebar. Z800 headlight. Z800 Cup carbon fiber bellypan. Handmade seat. Custom exhaust. MT09 plate holder. Racing radiator. Erase EXUP. And lot of details, new bolts, wiring relocation, etc.
Paint by me: frame, subframe, engine covers, yokes, belly pan, swing-arm, wheels. Body paint by Oscar (@handmadesoul.hms).
• Does the bike have a nickname?
Yes. The name of the bike is: TYDIRIUM. The name of Darth Vader’s personal shuttle. She is so black. Maybe the bike for Anakin 🤣
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The power isn’t crazy; what’s crazy with this bike is the weight. Exactly 174kg dry [383 lbs] and less than 200kg [441] fully wet for 152hp. It’s crazy how it accelerates at high revs.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
As I said, it’s not the same to ride a naked bike as to strip down a real RR and fit a handlebar. If you have that you have a real deltabox frame. Good suspension, nice brakes, and the performance of a really sporty bike but without semi-handlebars [clip-ons]. There’s no better experience like that for me. Actually you can buy a nice sporty naked bike. But there’s no screaming four cylinders with a full handlebar on the market (I hate the crossplane sound). And today all the bikes have their power limited for all the restrictions in the exhausts and by electronics. This bike is pure. Nothing tells the engine how many horsepower to give you — you only you say that with your right hand.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
Obviously the handmade rear frame and the work with the tail. This had to be cut a lot in the low part, modifying the side wings to try to find a good line and this crazy look. Adapting the headlight, bellypan. Those were not designed for an R1 and were not easy to fit for a perfect look.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
- First of all to my friend Franc (@francolinerr). He’s always helping me with ideas, time, and welding.
- Oscar (@handmadesoul.hms) is the painter who painted the whole body following my ideas and advising me with the paint job. The colors are metal gloss black, satin titanium, and alloy strip.
- My CNC machinist (@42miki).
- To Doug (@kittoconcepts) for giving me the main idea with the tail.
- To @profiberracingsolution for the racing seat.
- To @herve_furstn for the 3D disc vents
- To Winston Yeh for inspiring me with the idea to mix shiny and matte paints.
- To @oriolesplugas and @mexi3x2516 — both expert mechanics who always have time to help with an urgent phone call. And to @barrikele for helping me in lot of moments.
And last but not least: Me, for learning new stuff, for all the effort and care that went into the details, and for pushing every day I worked with this bike. Now I’m so proud of my personal job, and for not thinking if it looks good it is good…with this bike I wanted it to look perfect. And I think I achieved the mission.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @xavi_dynamische
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