After an incredible seven years, Yamaha’s Yard Built custom program is still firing on all cylinders. In 2012 it kicked off with the Wrenchmonkees’ iconic ‘MonkeeFist’ XJR1300, and there have been over 60 pro builds since.
This is the latest, an XSR900 called ‘CP3’ from Jens vom Brauck of JvB-Moto in Cologne. It tips the scales at just 180 kg (397 pounds), and with 115 hp on tap, it’s one of the fastest Yard Built machines yet.
The stock XSR900 does 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds flat, but the JvB-Moto machine has around 20 kilos less weight to carry—so the performance will be even more ballistic.
The XSR900 is your classic ‘retro rocket,’ but Jens has brought it bang up to date. And he’s also deliberately made it easy for XSR owners to follow his path.
“It’s not a retro bike anymore,” he says. “The only things you might call retro are the lines and proportions. I’m a big fan of concept cars from the 70s and 80s and got a lot of inspiration there.”
Jens wanted his XSR900 to look fast, without looking ‘aggressive.’ “It doesn’t need a robot face, or to look like a dangerous insect!”
“It’s about less retro, more minimalist design—reduced and purposeful.” The appeal is definitely more ‘concept bike’ than ‘German custom bike,’ with understated styling and a crisp, clean look.
Jens has focused on switching up the looks of the XSR900, designing new tank covers, a new LED headlamp arrangement, and a bolt-on tail unit with built-in LED lighting.
The good news is that these parts will be available for Yamaha owners to purchase via the JvB x Kedo store in 2020.
“Customers will be able to reproduce the complete build or just parts of it,” says Jens. “The parts will be easy to assemble and bolt-on.”
Other custom components are the front fender, the tapered bars and matching riser, an instrument relocation kit, and a new numberplate carrier.
On the mechanical front, Yamaha got it exactly right with the liquid-cooled DOHC triple. So Jens has left the engine alone, simply fitting a Termignoni stainless steel exhaust system that offers a fruitier sound and a 4 hp boost in output.
The brake system gets an upgrade too, with Beringer disks at the front, and Jens has also installed a footrest kit from LighTech.
The rims are stock, but sheathed with custom carbon fiber covers, and the stock Bridgestone Battlax tires have been ditched in favor of grippy Pirelli Diablo Supercorsas—effectively a street-legal trackday tire.
Other smaller upgrades include LED indicators front and back, and Jens tells us that there are a few more minor parts in the pipeline.
He’s finished the XSR900 in a very dark blue: “I wanted it to look like a Yamaha. So besides the design clues, I chose the dark blue Yamaha Racing color, but made it even darker and with a matt finish.”
“But in the end, it’s really all about the engine,” he says. “To me, the bike’s looks exactly match the powerful triple now. Less of a cozy ‘retro’ machine, and more of a timeless, clean performance bike.”
We’ll buy that. We’ll also be keeping an eye on the Kedo store when the parts for this beauty go on sale.
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