Your complete guide to Yamaha cafe racer motorcycles, from classic RD two-strokes bikes to modern-day XSR specials. Here you’ll find everything from traditional XS650 cafe racers to the latest builds based on newer models. Discover the parts, seats and performance upgrades that’ll take your own Yamaha to the next level.
There are a thousand ways to approach motorcycle customization. Some custom builders are slaves to geometry, creating machines that boast architectural levels of mathematical harmony. Then there are artisans like Mike Chen. Mike runs the eponymous Mike’s Garage in Taipei, Taiwan. His builds often appear to be cobbled together from mismatched parts, but the reality…
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We all have our inclinations, preferences, and particular predilections. In custom motorcycle circles, a BMW boxer or Triumph Bonneville are considered mainstream choices, while unlikely donors present a more left-field option. Yamaha’s Virago is one such machine—but it’s not enough of an outlier for Jimbo Turner. Jimbo reserves his fervor for only one variant of…
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They say that you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, but no one bothered telling Earth Motorcycles that. The Slovakian custom shop has just built an elegant and somewhat alluring café racer out of the most unlikely donor; a Yamaha Virago. It’s not that Yamaha Virago café racers are uncommon—they’re just…
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With its inch-perfect frame, OEM-style bodywork, and period-correct graphics, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this Yamaha for a forgotten 90s factory prototype. But what it really is, is a completely bespoke machine with a Yamaha XS400 engine, a whole lot of innovative engineering, and a patented front suspension system. Oh, and it was built by…
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Despite the company’s name, there’s nothing misshapen about Crooked Motorcycles‘ latest custom bike. This svelte Yamaha XS650 from the German shop is…
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Simone Conti has what many custom motorcycles builders strive for—an instantly recognizable style. Working under the banner of Simone Conti Motorcycles, the…
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Any conversation about the good old days of motorcycling will eventually include the words “they don’t build ’em like they used to.”…
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Made in Taiwan and only sold locally, the Yamaha SR150 was a hit among commuters and delivery riders. But it was a…
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Telescopic forks have become the de facto solution for motorcycle front suspension, but most major manufacturers have dabbled in alternative designs at…
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We kick this week’s edition of Speed Read off with further proof that Yamaha SRs make great café racers. We also cover…
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When we think of Motocrew, we think of sleek, muscular customs with a very modern edge. But sometimes it’s good to try…
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We’ve got them in all shapes and sizes this week—from a Yamaha SR500 that’s gone electric, to a BMW R nineT built…
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