From Superslab to Singletrack: A Lightweight Yamaha T7 from SPKS Lab…
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 (T7) represents something of an answered prayer for ADV riders who’d been wishing for a modern, affordable, streamlined middleweight adventure bike with true off-road performance. Whereas other manufacturers have focused on constantly upgrading engine sizes and electronics — adding weight and complexity in the process — Yamaha took the opposite approach with the T7.
The 72-bhp CP2-powered Ténéré 700 prioritizes simplicity, weight, and balance, making it much easier to handle once the pavement ends and the off-road fun begins.
“Yamaha hit the nail on the head, and because of this it’s often chosen by ‘purists’ who prefer an old school approach when the only riding assist was in the hands, feet, and mind of the adventurous soul onboard.” –MCN
The enthusiasm of T7 owners for these bikes is evidenced in the vast array of T7 customs we’ve been seeing roll out of sheds and workshops around the world. This one comes from Cheyne Speak of Western Australia’s SPKS Lab. Cheyne is a trained motorcycle mechanic whose father runs a dyno and suspension tuning shop, Dynotime, though Cheyne works as a postman.
“I spend my evenings and weekends working on custom cars and motorcycles and creating artwork in my workshop/studio, SPKS Lab. I love music, art/design and retro motorsport aesthetics. I try to incorporate those influences into my custom builds.”
Cheyne’s 2022 Ténéré 700, which you see here, was built for “fast twisty single trails and exciting urban commuting.” While it may not appear wildly customized upon first glance, a keen eye will soon notice that nearly every part of the bike has been modified, replaced, or upgraded, often with hand-fabricated parts.
“For this build the priorities were lighter weight, power gains and nimble handling… If I’ve done my job correctly this bike should look just like any other T7 with an aftermarket graphics kit, but when you get up close you will see it is much more than that.”
Cheyne gives us the full rundown of the modifications below. Highlights include heavy-duty Excel rims laced to billet hubs, a single-disc front brake conversion to decrease unsprung and front end weight, and suspension specially tuned to Cheyne’s weight and riding style — it helps to have an old man who runs a suspension shop!
Cheyne combined a 40mm lowering link with a custom-shaped 30mm taller seat to tweak the riding position and center of gravity.
“This combined with the 40mm lowering link provides a taller rider position while seated (similar to a MX or enduro bike) while maintaining a lower centre of gravity. The combination makes an excellent handling bike in tight single track.”
Cheyne modified and reshaped the OEM skidplate for better rock protection, lightened the footpeg brackets, replaced the pegs and controls, hand-fabricated aluminum engine hangers to replace the mild steel OEM units, installed a lightweight titanium exhaust and high-flow aluminum airbox, and more. The graphics consists of custom Rival Ink and SPKS LAB decals, including holographic zebra stripes.
“The unusual livery inspired by early 2000’s drift cars which often blended corporate motorsport logos with outlandish chrome graphics.”
While he’s yet to have the bike on the dyno and scale, Cheyne estimates the bike makes 10-15 more horsepower and weighs approximately 45 lbs less than the stocker, which should put it around 355-365 lbs dry — a featherweight among adventure bikes. The combination of increased power, lighter weight, and improved riding position transform the bike, making it much more potent off-road.
“This bike is super fun to ride now! With a taller seat height and modified foot controls the ergonomics feel like a 450 MX bike and the suspension changes and aftermarket wheels make it handle like a big enduro bike on the trails. It’s nimble and torquey, ideal for commuting around town, but being a 700cc it is still able to sit comfortably at highway speeds.”
While Cheyne himself has built wilder customs than this T7, this is a bike that’s built to perform, perfectly suiting its owner’s riding style and home terrain. The combination of enduro-like performance on the trail and ADV comfort on the superslab isn’t easy to attain, but Cheyne has nailed it…and with a unique aesthetic, too. Well done, man!
Below is our full interview with Cheyne about the build, including many more photos, modifications, and details. You can follow Cheyne and his projects on Instagram at SPKS LAB.
Yamaha T7 Custom: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
I am 41 years old, born and raised in Perth and have been around custom cars and motorcycles my whole life. My dad owns a motorcycle dyno and suspension tuning shop and I am also a qualified motorcycle mechanic, however my day job is a postman.
I spend my evenings and weekends working on custom cars and motorcycles and creating artwork in my workshop/studio, SPKS Lab. I love music, art/design and retro motorsport aesthetics. I try to incorporate those influences into my custom builds.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 (T7).
• Please tell us about your build.
If I’ve done my job correctly this bike should look just like any other T7 with an aftermarket graphics kit, but when you get up close you will see it is much more than that.
As opposed to the traditional adventure bike build formula this T7 was built for fast twisty single trails and exciting urban commuting. For this build the priorities were lighter weight, power gains, and nimble handling.
It started with a custom set of wheels from Axiom Moto-X: a pair of 21×1.85 and 18×2.50 Excel rims were laced to polished billet Envy UK hubs using heavy duty stainless steel spokes. These wheels are both lighter and stronger than standard, and the narrow rear rim allowed for the fitment of a Motoz Tractionator 140/80-18 rear tire, which was paired with a 90/100-21 Motoz Tractionator.
The front brake has been converted to a single 320mm braking rotor using an adapter bracket from MotoSwiss, further reducing unsprung weight. This wheel and tire combination provides excellent off road handling, especially in rutted or rocky terrain.
Moving to the suspension, the forks and shock were stripped down, serviced, and valved to suit a 75kg rider weight by Dynotime in Perth before having the fork legs and shock components polished and coated. While the suspension was removed the linkages were polished and a 40mm DRC lowering link was fitted.
Onto the frame components, the factory centre stand was removed and the OEM skid plate was sectioned and shortened, with approximately 2” of material removed both horizontally and vertically before being re-welded and run through an English wheel to subtly reshape it. This allows the plate to sit snug against the frame rails while providing better protection for the headers and oil filter against rocks.
The factory cast footpeg brackets were painstakingly lightened; the recessed cast sections were cut out and hand-shaped with files before being polished. A set of YZ250 Fastway footpegs were then reshaped and modified to fit.
The rear brake pedal has been re-profiled to provide better feel and a replaceable aluminium KTM SX brake pedal tip has been fitted. On the shifter side, a billet pedal tip was machined and knurled to replace the bulky factory rubber tip and a hand-fabricated aluminium front sprocket guard replaces the large plastic OEM unit. A set of hand-fabricated aluminium engine hangers replace the factory mild steel units. These also allowed the overflow bottle to be deleted to save more weight.
Moving to the subframe, Kriega pillion peg eliminators were fitted along with a custom-fabricated tail tidy and licence plate holder. The rear was then fitted with a compact B&B polished aluminium rack, which can be easily and quickly removed for off-road duty with just four bolts.
Arrow titanium lightweight racing headers were bolted up, along with a titanium Akrapovic muffler. This set up provides significant weight savings and performance gains, not to mention an amazing exhaust note.
To match the high-flowing exhaust a fabricated high-flow aluminium airbox was fitted, utilising a large 5” pod filter. This is easily accessed and cleaned, crucial after dusty off-road rides. The charcoal canister has also been removed for additional weight reduction, and the large plastic radiator louvers have been replaced with a slim aluminium grill.
A custom seat was shaped out of high density foam, before being covered with a MX-style pleated gripper cover. The new seat profile is 30mm taller than stock. This combined with the 40mm lowering link provides a taller rider position while seated (similar to a MX or enduro bike) while maintaining a lower centre of gravity. The combination makes an excellent handling bike in tight single track.
Up in the cockpit, Renthal fat bars take care of steering duties, finished off with ODI lock-on grips and polished OEM levers. The tall T7 screen has been replaced with a low-profile tinted unit from WRS.
The front fender has been replaced with a hi-mount Polisport SM fender, a necessity for off-road use that also completely changes the profile of the bike. Given this bike will spend most of it’s time off-road, an aluminium headlight grill has also been fitted, albeit with customised brackets to allow it to sit snug against the headlight screen.
With the bike assembled and ready to ride it was time for the graphics. Rival Ink provided the tank and shroud decals while custom SPKS decals were applied to the side covers and hand-cut holographic zebra stripes to the rear panels and swingarm. The unusual livery inspired by early 2000’s drift cars which often blended corporate motorsport logos with outlandish chrome graphics.
While I certainly would not call this a wild custom build, there are still plenty of one-off, hand-fabricated and modified parts that separate it from the majority of T7’s while maintaining or improving on the excellent handling and performance this bikes are known for.
• Any idea of power, weight, and/or performance numbers?
The exhaust and intake mods combined with a tune has provided approximately a 10-15hp gain over standard and by removing all unnecessary weight and choosing lighter aftermarket parts I have shaved approximately 20kg(45lbs) of the standard weight. These figures are only educated guesses as the bike wasn’t run on the dyno or weighed in stock form.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike, especially compared to the stocker?
This bike is super fun to ride now! With a taller seat height and modified foot controls the ergonomics feel like a 450 mx bike and the suspension changes and aftermarket wheels make it handle like a big enduro bike on the trails. It’s nimble and torquey, ideal for commuting around town, but being a 700cc it is still able to sit comfortably at hwy speeds.
Follow the Builder
Instagram: @spks.lab
Day photos: Cheyne Speak
Night photos: @janglovac_photography
