First of all a few words why and how I started with this xs750 bike build.
I used to be a proper bike maniac when I was in my twenties. For some reasons, at one point I stopped riding bikes . A couple of years ago I found myself by chance working in the design development of motorcycles. Somehow, there I’ve been infected again with this virus.
Over a period of two years I frequently took a look on web pages where used bikes are being offered, searched the internet for photos and blue prints of frames and played around with them in Photoshop. I tried to figure out, if that what I’m looking for is easily possible with this bike or not.
I’m not such a big fan of four cylinders straight. Don’t like their sound and the fact, those bikes are often very wide. Especially the ones which have been build in the seventies and eighties. Two cylinders often don’t allow the long, almost straight bone line, I was looking for, or are kind of boring to me. Or they are simply too pricy for the value that you get.
I got to admit, that two stroke engines are my real love. But there is not so much left to choose from. The only interesting engine is the Suzuki RG500 Gamma. Very rare, and good ones are extremely expensive. And of course the Bimota DUE 500 – even more rare and expensive …
In conclusion of that I chose the Yamaha XS750. For several reasons: I really like the sound of the three cylinder, used ones are cheap to buy and the stock fuel tank (the small version) looks very cool and clean.
The downsides for me is the width of the engine. Smaller then a straight four, but still not really narrow (I want to have my bike as narrow and light looking as possible). And: the shaft drive.
What I’m looking for is a timeless, classic style. Nothing extreme – just good proportions, clean and nicely running lines. I’m trying not to limit myself by thinking too much in categories. But if I would describe it, I would say it’s somewhere between a cafe racer and a brat style.
Anyway, in Photoshop I realized that there are no real big changes necessary to archive what I got in mind. The rear end of the fuel tank is lifted slightly up to make it run in a straight line with the lower edge of the seat. The seat itself was a bit tricky. I am not he shortest man on earth. So I need a certain height of the seat. The bike should look good, even when I’m sitting on it. That’s why I came up with this “floating” seat design. It also gives a little bit more volume to hide all the electric. And it makes the bike look light. Which is an illusion – a big time!
The rest is all stock. Except lights and indicators, foot rests (bought some Raask – not the nicest but road legal) and the K&N air filters.
For comparison here and image of the stock version of the bike:
Piero at Dutch Wikipedia, Yamaha XS 750, CC BY-SA 3.0