Long run
Some of the happiest people on the planet live and work in Hamamatsu, Japan. Yamaha introduced the XJR 1200 in Europe in 1995 and has continued to sell the XJR in Europe until 2016, but not without a few changes throughout the years. Most notably, the XJR got a 100CC more lung capacity, boasting a healthy 100 hp and 108 Nm of torque. Not bad considering that the engine is an air/oil-cooled unit. Overengineered even, some might say. In a similar way to Moto Guzzi, the XJR really started to become cool again around 2015, right near the end of its life cycle. There where Moto Guzzi decided to go full throttle with their retro bikes, Yamaha pulled out the plug of the XJR model to make room for the Faster Sons-series XSR and SCR. And to be honest, the XJR wouldn’t have survived the ever-stricter emission regulations without some serious R&D money being thrown at it. Which brings me back to that very first sentence. A run of 21 years is incredible and a remarkable achievement. Yamaha’s R&D-department can be proud of itself, because we feel that the XJR has become an iconic powerhouse.

Sculpture
Being an iconic motorcycle almost automatically means that inspiration is drawn from it. And that is exactly the story behind Sergey Smirnov’s Sculpt Moto built XJR 1300, dubbed the Kintaro. Specialized in Café Racers exclusively, the Latvian based craftsman considers each of his builds as a sculpture, hence the name “Sculpt Moto”. This means that in reality, they aren’t bike-builders but artists. We dig that. So, why choose an XJR 1300? The answer is simple. The XJR is a timeless classic that carries some really nice lines already. On top of that, XJR owners usually ride their bikes for many years. This makes it a popular motorcycle that still satisfies the needs of its owners.

Samurai!
The bike we see here today is a 2001 Yamaha XJR 1300SP full fat version, sourced in Germany. The SP-models come with Ohlins suspension as standard. Being a Japanese motorcycle, inspiration for this build was drawn from legendary Kintaro samurai. This Yamaha stands for the embodiment of the ancient legend of the samurai Kintarō and the power of the mysterious mask Hannya, which is considered a strong amulet for samurai.

Overhauling
A lot of work has been done in this build. The list of modifications is extensive, given the large number of details that have gone into this project. The process began with complete disassembly of the donor bike. The sub-frame was modified, and the frame got powder coated, as well as the swing arm and forks.  The forks were upgraded with new Wirth springs, oil seals, bearings replaced, and oil. The engine was rebuilt and repainted, and the carbs received an upgrade with a DynoJet Stage-3 kit.

But there is more:

• Metal parts chrome plated
• Detachable seat cowl with handmade black leather seat – “Fish Scales”
• Exclusive custom paint in Candy-Tangerine-sandpearl-metal flake
• KINEO spoked wheels
• Adjustable ABM clip-on set
• Rizoma Mirrors
• AceWell speedo/tacho with custom bracket
• LED Headlight 7” with CNC headlight brackets
• License plate bracket
• Fork gaiters
• Custom made radiator grille
• Custom made metal side covers
• K&N Air Filters
• LSL adjustable footrest
• Chrome Dina mufflers, new exhaust gaskets
• Custom made connecting pipes and custom made exhaust brackets
• Front bikini fairing and aluminium handmade Club-Style “87” side plates

The result of Sculpt Moto’s work speaks for itself. The combination of airbrush and the colors gives this XJR 1300 a very classy look. Not only that, but the quality of this build comes near a factory finish, giving the XJR a new lease on life. The question we always ask is: how does it ride? Apparently, it rides like a powerful sports car. Sergey Smirnov, we salute you sir!

Builder details:
Sculpt Moto
Website
Instagram
Facebook

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Café Racer “Kintaro” by SCULPT Moto appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Cafe Racer appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

While the title/category of this bike seems a bit off, I really don’t know where to put this. Alloy wheels with racing slicks,  mono-shock suspension, a massive 1300 high-performance engine and an aggressive stance make this bike more look like a serious track weapon than a classic cafe racer. Last week I’ve published another Yamaha XJR1300 Cafe Racer, which is a completely different bike, based on the same donor. But let’s get over that issue and take a look at this awesome Yamaha XJR1300 built by Eak, owner of the Thai K-Speed. Regular readers may know K-Speed from this radical Suzuki SV650 Scrambler earlier this year.

Now Eak took the massive XJR1300 and took it to a fitness training. The bike lost a lot of weight and got nothing but high-end performance parts. Unfortunately just some photo’s, I hope to get some more specs soon. Luckily I was able to get a short video with the sound of this monster.

The post Yamaha XJR1300 by K-Speed appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

Yet Another exclusive feature of my buddy’s at Wrench Kings. This time it’s a Yamaha XJR1300 from 1999 and with this build, they show their capability of creating custom motorcycles that look like they were meant to be like this. Owner Frits wanted something else with his bike and headed over to the Kings. It was 100% original and the assignment was even simple as complex: make a real one-off eye catcher. That looks pretty simple with that MASSIVE 1300cc engine, (knowing that a lot of cars have less cc’s these days of downsizing), but the stock XJR1300 is just another face in the crowd. A typical challenge for Wrench Kings.

In the design stadium, they’ve decided that the bike should be a real single seated performance bike with a short seat and a gas tank with knee dents in it. Lights should be integrated into the design and some real classic racer elements like custom rear sets, clip ons, a half fairing and a custom seat cowl that suited flawless in the design of the gas tank. Getting the right color palette for this bike was based on trail and error, while they were looking for a retro touch. Looking at the result I may conclude that they succeeded. Very well. That’s also what their client thought and he gave the Kings a -GO-.

Just like with all builds from Wrench Kings, no part was skipped and got a complete overhaul. The frame got some necessary modifications to make it a bit shorter and keep hold on all the new handcrafted aluminum bodywork parts. The seat/tank combo and both fenders come from The Custom Factory/Stewin BV. All original parts of the bike got a new (powder) coating and/or refurbishment to make sure the “Wrench King Quality” is assured. This makes the end result look as if it’s a completely new bike. The bike also got a new wiring loom, built from the ground up. Of course with a Motogadget M-Unit in the center. This simplified the wiring setup which made it easier to fit in the clean look of the machine.

A little summary of the modifications: DNA filters, DNA carter vent, Tarozzie rear-sets & clip ons, Motone 3-way switch, Hell brake/clutch levers, Highsider bar end mirrors, 7″Rhino headlight, seat and grips by Silvermachine, Daytona Velona speedo, LED indicators, Monza gas cap, LED integrated tail light, M8 licence plate light, Öhlins rear shocks, Cobra SP exhaust system. 

The Kings about the result:

Due to the complete new aluminum bodywork, there’s nothing much left of the original bike. We’re absolutely happy with the result and quality of the machine. The combination of the colors and the bodywork give the bike a beautiful retro look with a modern touch since the motorcycle kept all of his original handlings. With the massive engine between your legs and the powerband of a V2 rocket, this bikes makes you smile every time you open up the throttle!

For those guys who are in the neighborhood or traveling trough Holland, feel free to visit the Wrench Kings shop in Utrecht. They have regular BBQ’s and they organize a bunch of cool things. And the shop is always open for likeminded people:

More info:

Website | Instagram | Facebook

Photo’s by Bas Duijs.

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Cafe Racer by Wrench Kings appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

The Yamaha XJR1300 is one of those machines we can’t put a clear label on. Yes, they look like a naked bike but they have an engine with superbike specs between the two wheels. We also know that XJR’s are a great base for customization (like this XJR1300 Cafe Racer). In stock trim, it’s a quite heavy machine with a wet weight of around 240kg. The air-cooled 1251cc 4 inline puts out a pretty 106hp and delivers 98Nm of torque. Powerful, but a bit bulky to be honest. Combine this with a passive riding position and you have an easy cruiser with a lot of power reserve.

This XJR1300 Brat was sent in by Lionel from Duke Motorcycle, based in a small village near Nice, France. Lionel is a professional builder, specialized in cafe racers, brats, and scramblers. Lionel works on motorized two and four wheelers for over 20 years. 4 years ago he started Duke Motorcycle to focus completely on customizing bikes. His workshop is pretty basic and this is “to keep the cafe racer spirit in mind”. He likes working on steel and designs and manufactures most of the parts himself.

One of the many heard issues with the XRJ1300 is that the (front) suspension and brakes are a bit underpowered, so Lionel started with some serious upgrades here. The stock telescopic fork has been replaced with a Öhlins USD fork from a Yamaha MT-01SP to align with the stock Ohlins rear shocks. Together with that new fork, the braking system also got a serious upgrade on the fly with a complete Brembo setup. For a more active riding position, he placed a set of ABM Multiclip clip-ons which are a bit higher than regular cafe racer style clip-ons and a bit lower than a wide superbike handlebar. The front end was finished with a big LED headlight and a couple of Daytona gauges.

In terms of styling, Lionel crafted a range of parts: he modified the gas tank, placed a classic Monza cap, built a new battery holder, front mudguard, side panels and gave the bike a new paint job. To add some more stiffness in the frame, it’s been reinforced at some points by OVER Racing. The single seat, which is a bit between a brat and a cafe racer is designed and crafted by NMB Design. To give the bike an authentic look, Lionel places a beautiful set of Kineo wheels.

The stock airbox was replaced by a K&N filter together with the intake of a FJ1100. The exhaust system is also custom made out of titanium and stainless steel. To align this, the carburation got a Dynojet stage 2 & 3 upgrade.

Follow Duke Motorcycles

Web | Facebook

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Brat by Duke Motorcycle appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

Fashion and design working together: Thierry Langlois, owner of fashion brand “Atelier 5” has an eye for design and has a strong passion for motorsports. So why not combine those two must Thierry have thought. In “Flash 76“, a French Yamaha dealer, he found a technical partner who could build his bike.

It had to be a powerful bike and something else than a BMW so they picked a XJR1300 as a base bike for this project. This air cooled 1250cc 4 cylinder heavyweight puts over 106 horses and 100 Newtons on the road and is safely qualified as a pure rocket.

(Like the base bike? Make sure you check out this Yamaha XJR1300 Café Racer)

Atelier 5 makes tailor made suits with a great eye for detail so it was obvious that this tailor made bike is full of details like the custom stitched grips, subtile colors and high end parts like a Yamaha R1 USD fork, Kineo spoked wheels, Öhlins rear shocks and a beautiful diamond stitched leather seat.

The wide handlebars, shortened rear end and knobbed tires give the bike the real scrambler look. I wonder if this bike will handle well in the dirt, because the stock bike is a bit heavy with 221kg and the weight savings look limited.

I know that some guys may find this bike ugly, that’s all a matter of taste. And if you look quick at the opening image you can mistake it for a BMW R nineT. But I think they did an amazing job in creating this Yamaha XJR1300 Scrambler and I guess it will fit like a tailored suit…

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Scrambler by Flash 76 appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

With the Yamaha Yard Build program, the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer is aiming his arrows at the booming custom motorcycle scene. The program seeks for inspirational ideas on how to transform modern Yamaha bikes to something “special”.

It’s “Faster Sons” philosophy, where modern bikes are inspired by there ancestors gave us the already legendary Yamaha XSR700 and it’s big brother the XSR900. Both built to customize, with a complete range of aftermarket (bolt on) accessories. The Yamaha XSR700 Scrambler “Super 7” by JvB Moto, is already one of my favorite custom bikes.

But this is something else: it’s a Yamaha XJR1300 Café Racer built by Motorrad Klein from Germany. They turned the rather bulky (but powerful) XJR1300 in a great looking café racer and upgraded it to a high spec, fast & mean machine with amazing details. They called it “Ronin”.

The post Yamaha XJR1300 Café Racer “Ronin” by Motorrad Klein appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.