Pikes Peak winner builds a 775cc twin motocross machine! Introduced in 1970 as the XS-1, the Yamaha XS650 combined the style of the classic British twins with an engine that was quite sophisticated for the […]
Tag: Yamaha
Loyal Companion: Yamaha Bronco 225 by DOTi Motorcycle
More than just a motorcycle… For some of us, there are motorcycles that become much more than transportation, adventure, or even personal expression — they become companions, even friends. Such is this case for of […]
Torque Monster: Yamaha HL500 by Se7en Six Collective
“This motor effortlessly lifts the front in 3rd while ploughing 3-inch furrows at the rear…” The Yamaha HL500 — aka the “Aberg Yamaha” — is one of the most fascinating motocross bikes of the 1970s. […]
Queen of Dakar: ZZ Moto’s 1981 Yamaha XT500 Resto
The Yamaha XT500 is one of our favorite bikes of all time. The twin-shock, four-stroke single-cylinder enduro came out in 1976, a street-legal version of the TT500 introduced a year earlier. Yamaha USA had realized […]
Lurch Reborn: Yamaha XV920RJ Vintage Superbike
Jesse Davis builds a tribute to his father’s famous “Lurch” — Kevin Schwantz’s first pro ride! Here’s a piece of motorcycle racing trivia for you. Did you know the bike that Kevin Schwantz rode in […]
Retro Enduro: Yamaha “XT155” by Treasure Garage
Throwback Thumper: Yamaha WR155 gets a retro makeover… The Yamaha WR is the company’s series of liquid-cooled four-stroke enduro / dual-sport motorcycles. WR indicates a wide-ratio gearbox, which is better-suited for street and trail use […]
Restomod Thumper: Yamaha SR400 by DOTi Motorcycle
JDM Motard: A big single streetbike from Vietnam… The Yamaha SR400 has been available in the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) since 1978, originally developed as a street-oriented spinoff of the legendary XT500 enduro. To comply […]
Orange Crush: Yamaha RD350LC Hybrid
Dusty Miller builds an electric orange giant-killer… The Yamaha RD350LC was the first liquid-cooled evolution of the RD series, which appeared in 1980 to succeed the air-cooled RD400. It had the same bore and stroke […]
White Heat: Yamaha RD400 Hybrid
Retired firefighter Dusty Miller builds one hot RD! In 1975, the Yamaha RD400 appeared as the evolution of the RD350, featuring 51cc more displacement, new cases/barrels/head, a new airbox design, and a rubber-mounted engine. “The […]
Rally Beast: Yamaha WR450F by Le Motographe
True to Form: Le Motographe builds a race-spec custom rally bike… The founders of France’s Le Motographe, Jérôme Mawois and Yvan Bertona, may have backgrounds as a product designer and metallurgist, respectively, but the pair […]





