Bike EXIF is primarily a showcase of rare and esoteric motorcycles. But every now and then, we see a bottom-dollar custom that can hold its own with much more expensive machines. Bikes like these tend to polarize opinion, but I’ll come straight out and say that I love this little Yamaha XS400 bobber. It’s owned by Árpád Zirig of Hungary, who wanted a ‘cheap but cool’ bike for commuting. He paid 80,000 Forints ($420) for a rough-looking 1980s XS, and took it apart. “The previous owner thought that his 27 hp bike would be perfect for a streetfighter,” says Árpád wryly.
The front suspension was from a Yamaha FZR250, but had been fitted using the wrong clamps, so that had to be fixed. The rear loop of the frame was also damaged, so Árpád took the bike to his friend Szakal, who runs the Art Deco custom workshop. The result is what you see here—a striking bobber that’s a little rough around the edges, but full of charm. The wheels are original 1982 XS items, fitted with Czech-made Mitas E03 vintage-style tires. The fenders are remodelled CZ 175 Sport items, and the tank is also from a CZ 175—but modified to fit the Yamaha frame.
The bars are from a Pannonia, with controls from a Csepel, both vintage Hungarian brands. The blinkers and headlight are more familiar Honda products, and the footpegs are from a Yamaha FZR250. The exhaust downpipes were made by Art Deco, and hooked up to silencers from a Sportster, and the bike has been rewired and fitted with a new CDI ignition. It’s million miles away from a Japanese Brat Style Yamaha XS400, but I’d be happy to have it in my garage. [Spotted on bikerMetric.]
