A Honda CB750 rebuilt no less than three times, a stunning go-anywhere Yamaha MT-07, and a carbon fiber Gentleman’s Racer costing a cool €150,000. Meet the bikes that filled our fantasy garage this week.
Yamaha MT-07 by JvB-MOTO Earlier this week, photos surfaced of a Yamaha MT-07/FZ-07 based ADV bike that had people (myself included) quickly throwing currency at their computer screens. A go anywhere machine, powered by Yammie’s parallel twin? Yes please. And then I came across this, JvB-MOTO’s MT Super 7. I promptly recollected my cash and threw it right back at my Mac.
If you’re unfamiliar with Jens vom Brauck’s work we suggest you click here. Now that you’re back, we can tell you that this latest build can be had (and put together) by just about anyone with a set of spanners, some empty space and a MT-07/FZ-07 kicking around.
This scrambled MT Super 7 is an extension of JvB’s work with Yamaha’s Yard Built program, in that customers can go from stock to rockin’ with a few mouse clicks. Of course, this being the halo version of the build, the componentry is top shelf. An Öhlins shock has been fitted to the rear and an Arrow exhaust now handles the soundtrack. With a curb weight of 165 kg and just around 68 Nm of torque rolling through sticky TKC-80s, the Super 7 may actually be the ideal urban adventure bike. [More]
Honda CB750 by Andrew Wales The alphanumeric designation given to this 1978 Honda CB750 cafe racer—“I4HV3.0”—isn’t exactly the most romantic of monikers. Especially when you learn about the trials and tribulations that Calgary’s Andrew Wales went through.
Inline 4 Honda Version 3.0 is Andrew’s third iteration of this 38-year-old CB750. Originally purchased with full touring regalia, the first fettering involved some plastidip paint and a new seat and set of bars. Soon after though, the custom builds found on these digital pages and Instagram beckoned Andrew back to work. Version 2 was put together with the revised monoshock rear, using a Ducati 749 unit, and the front suspension was swapped for a Gixxer 1000. The rear hoop was crafted and the custom swingarm was Tig’d together over lunch breaks.
Andrew was just about finished with his project when he and his bike were sideswiped. While he was rehabbing, he began rebuilding too. This time the Honda would get a new tank, seat, fender and hand crafted tail, which combine to make this CB truly stand out. Andrew may only consider himself a ‘motorcycle modifier’ but we’d stay his gumption and vision earn him builder status. [More]
VanderHeide Gentleman’s Racer The swooping lines of bespoke carbon fiber have a distinct Pininfarina vibe, and the engine hanging from a handcrafted chassis is the fire breather from an Aprilia RSV4. But despite the Italian vibe, this incredible coachbuilt bike doesn’t hail from Europe’s ‘boot’: It comes from its hat, the Netherlands.
The product of a Dutch engineer/designer with past stints at Spyker and Carver, the Gentlemen’s Racer is the realization of Rolf van der Heide’s life long dream. To that end everything, save the motor and componentry, is completely custom. The monocoque chassis, swingarm and double-wishbone front suspension are all made in-house using carbon fiber—as are the leather seat and grips. Öhlins was tapped to handle all damping duties, which are both inline units, to reduce stresses on the monocoque chassis.
The Gentlemen’s Racer tips the scales at a scant 175 kg and packs a healthy 210 horsepower in standard guise. If your checkbook and bravery permit, there’s a 165 kg, 230 hp version in full race trim. Dreams become reality at €150,000. [More]
1974 Yamaha RD250 by Trevor Scales Inspired by tales of his father’s days tearing around the track on his ported RD350, Texan Trevor Scales has created this lovely little, 1974 250cc homage. With a background in high-performance engine building and hot-rod fabrication, you can rest assured the mechanicals are in check—but it’s the bodywork that caught our eye.
It took the help of a friend to search them out, but the 1969 Benelli tank, fairing and tail were quickly dispatched from Italy and Trevor set about his work. Moving to an off-site garage and wrenching after 9-5 duties were sorted, roughly 400 hours went into the RD’s transformation. Fairing mounts were fabricated and the bodywork was fitted.
From there, Trevor flexed his mechanical muscles by sorting out a new mono-shock rear suspension set-up that added some extra apex-hunting abilities. To power out of the bends, Trevor has trimmed the RD’s pistons, shaved its head and enlisted a full race port. 32mm Mikunis gulp and blend while a custom 2-into-2 exhaust makes every bee in those cans sound incredibly pissed.
Triumph Street Triple by Hanse Qustom A quick perusal of the back catalog of Hamburg’s Hanse Qustom reveals a team of dedicated craftsman. Led by Andreas Mecke, they’re perfection seekers in the truest form, with some inspiring dealer-backed builds.
One of their most recent projects, this Cafe’d Street Triple, is an excellent example. The changes, although subtle in appearance, are substantial in detail. Working with a 2015 model, the chunky rear subframe fitted at Hinckley has been swapped for a slimmer, lighter affair with a flattened profile to deliver the requisite stance. The seat and tail unit hide the slimline battery and electronics. Moving forward, some trickery with paint gives the tank a floating appearance that sheds weight more effectively than the factory effort, and draws the eye to the Hanse signature cowl.
The design philosophy behind the team is to build bikes that people will ‘drool over’—and they’ve stayed true to that yet again. [More]