This is the latest in a line of those neat Yamahabased customs and you might think that the title of this article refers to the colour. Well, it does, but it might also describe how you will feel when you get to the final paragraph of this feature! Keep reading, though—no skipping to the end to spoil the surprise…
As they’re about to explain, it’s the work of Luke Cormack and Mike Leary of Bristol Bobbers who told us: “We managed to obtain a very rough XVS650 from a contact who had the bike stood up under a cover in his garden for nearly ten years. As you can imagine, the bike was in much need of restoration, but being custom bike builders, of course this bike needed modifications!
“So work began. We started the strip down of the bike, treating all frame work for rust and corrosion, using a local soda blaster to remove paint from the frame, swinging arm, forks, headstock, drive shaft and wheels. With the parts now cleaned and we were sure that the chassis was structurally sound, powder coating could commence and the frame and swinging arm were treated to a fresh coat of black gloss.
“The engine was given an overhaul with new paint, oil, filter, gaskets and spark plugs. As I’m sure everyone who knows about these bikes can confirm, these engines are bulletproof! The carbs were stripped, cleaned and rebuilt with gaskets and new jets—upgrading the main jet from a 90 to a 100 is a necessity when you’re running open pipes. Also tuning the carbs once back on the bike is good practice to ensure the bike runs perfectly and not too lean. With the engine fitted back into the frame, the swinging arm greased, new bearings fitted and the monoshock mounted, it was time to start putting the front end back together.
This story is from the Issue 252 edition of 100% Biker.
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This story is from the Issue 252 edition of 100% Biker.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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