The bike we know as the Yamaha XS650 actually started life as the 1970 XS-1. For the 1973-74 model years, it was re-badged as the TX650 to match the TX500 and TX750. When these bikes […]
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Finnish Gravel Eater: Honda SLR650 Adventure Scrambler
Finland’s Panu Laakkonen builds a Honda adventure machine… The Honda SLR650 was a streamlined, more street-oriented version of the popular NX650 Dominator, geared more for commuters and couriers than dual-sport riders. The SLR’s seat height […]
Heritage Edition: KASPEED CB750 RC42 Cafe Racer
“A concept of how a modern Honda works cafe racer could look if they built it at the factory.” In the early 1990s, Honda introduced the CB750 RC42, an air-cooled inline four with a […]
Diesel Enfield: 1959 Bullet by TIME:CYCLES
India’s TIME:CYCLES Garage Cafe builds an Enfield bobber with a 500cc Greaves-Lombardini diesel! Diesel motorcycles are fairly uncommon, mostly reserved for military use, where power-to-weight ratio often takes a back seat to range, fuel availability, […]
Welsh Hot Rod: Yamaha XS650 Street Tracker by LC Cycleworks
A mechanical engineer builds one of the cleanest XS650 trackers we’ve seen… The Yamaha XS650 arrived in 1969, a Japanese equivalent to the British twins featuring advancements like unit construction and a horizontally split crankcase. […]
Backroad Warbird: Honda V30 Magna “WeeVee30” by MotoRelic
One of America’s most talented builders creates a bike just for himself… In 1984, Honda unveiled the VF500C, better known as the V30 Magna — a potent 500cc cruiser whose sophisticated V4 powerplant boasted technology […]
“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 […]
Perfect Middleweight: “The Standard” Honda CB500 Four
“Almost every part of the bike has been touched, but looks like it could be a factory bike…” Introduced in 1971, the Honda CB500 Four was in many ways a streamlined, smaller and lighter version […]
Heavy-Duty CB: Honda CB750 by Monnom Customs
The Honda CB750 is one of the most beloved vintage motorcycles in existence, and possibly the most popular platform for custom builds. Introduced in 1969, the 68-hp CB’s tranverse inline four engine would become the […]
Lightweight Monster: Yamaha RD400 Café Racer
“Like riding a lightweight monster…” –Derek Molinski, Bikeshop DM In late 1975, Yamaha introduced the RD400 — a stroked and updated evolution of the 350, featuring a rubber-dampened engine, disc brakes, longer reach spark plug, […]
