In Sydney’s congested traffic, scooters and smaller motorcycles reign supreme. It’s good news for younger (or learner) riders but there’s a downside: most small-capacity motorcycles are somewhat lacking in the looks department. Unless you choose a road-legal dirt bike, you’re stuck with bland “commuter bike” styling or a badly miniaturized sportbike clone with skinny wheels and acres of plastic.
The latest motorcycle to roll out of Deus Ex Machina’s workshop tackles the problem head on. Nicknamed “The Mouse Trap”, it’s based on a 2008 Yamaha Scorpio—a sprightly commuter bike with good handling and terrible looks.
Deus tore the Yamaha Scorpio down to its core components and cleaned up and de-lugged the chassis. They welded on a new subframe, and then powdercoated the whole lot, along with the swingarm and forks. The engine and transmission were painted satin black, and a custom battery box fabricated—along with new front and rear fenders. The tank is a custom item too, set well back from the Japanese Nitroheads seat. The usual Scorpio alloy wheels have been ditched in favor of laced rims.
The stock Scorpio weighs just 139 kg (306 lbs), and this one, stripped of its bodywork, will be lighter still. The motor likes to rev, so its internals have been left alone—but it’s been treated to a K&N pod filter and a custom exhaust system. A single header pipe branches out into twin Laser reverse cone mufflers.
For a rider wanting to cut through the city traffic with an off-kilter style—and with no hangups over engine size—the Mouse Trap is the perfect bike. Head over to Deus’ Australian website for more images and inspiration.
