Since the debut of the XSR range in 2016, these new machines with heritage stylings have been a booming success. Straight off the bat, they look good, and kick out a great amount of power for your riding pleasure. Chuck the bike into the ring with the likes of Gasoline Motor Co. however, and an aggressive custom machine will be what rides out.
Let’s go back to Christmas Eve 2016: A brand new, stock XSR700 was delivered to the Gasoline workshop by a local Yamaha dealer. The boys at Gasoline had been tossing up ideas with the bike’s new owner, Rich. A solid plan was hatched to transform this stock standard bike to a minimalistic, clean future-tech motorcycle – while paying tribute to the iconic Yamaha XS650 which the XSR series plays homage.
A deep 68NM of torque and a 55KW super agile 655cc inline twin engine delivers outstanding acceleration and great traction. This and the lightweight chassis is ideal for agility and performance. This has been a shining characteristic the XSR bikes, the nimble light feel that allows complete dominating control paired with an excellent dose of power. The XSR700 is a learner approved machine, yet upon riding it there is very little that feels restricted.
A complete keyless start M Lock system by Motor Gadget was cleverly incorporated into this build, amplifying the trim, futuristic aesthetic the street-basher was striving for. On just about every custom motorcycle that rolls out of their workshop, Gasoline Motor Co. pushes apply cutting-edge tech accessories to help bolster the tried and true amalgamation of heritage with the contemporary – these intricate details enhance for a better rider experience.
A super tight, tidy, perforated Porsche black leather was pulled tightly over a hand-shaped hi-density foam to create the custom seat. Tailored to Rich’s height, the custom upholstered seat is finished with a neat tuck ‘n’ roll double stitch. Tail modification involved extensive strip back and reinventing a new subframe, surrounding the mono shock system. For an iconic, futuristic rear end, a swaged steel hoop accommodates the LED brake light and tail lights to ensure visibility, still keeping it road-worthy.
A one off 3D CNC’d redesign top triple clamp was created to house the Moto Gadget Mini speedometer, losing the key ignition housing in the process. This promoted the minimalistic, techy feel and kept the bike super clean. The rubber of choice would be the Ducati Scrambler’s signature Pirelli MT60 rubbers – practical for urban riding and promoting a more of an aggressive look as far as aesthetics were concerned. A Rizoma exhaust was added, satin blacked out for a stealth vibe, theItalian company played their part in keeping the look of the machine sleek, aggressive, and modern.
After a structured 3 month build process, the handover of the bike to it’s owner Rich would coincide with the dusky photoshoot we Throttle Roll and Gasoline had planned together. Watching a grown man lose their shit at the first site of this completed machine was a site to behold. Much like a kid receiving an N64 for Christmas, Rich couldn’t believe his eyes. And for a good reason, Gasoline nailed the brief with this build.
The Yamaha XSR debut involved tearing it up through an empty carpark, a few cheeky wheelies whilst ripping into some full throttle action – The boys riding proved that this LAMS-approved motorcycle can suit both new and more experienced riders, if you know how. The exhaust tone was not subtle – it echoed and screeched through 6 levels of carpark.
Massive thanks to Pete Cagnacci at Throttle Roll for the photos and a big shoutout to the carpark security for photographing our number plates and advising us they have called the boys in blue – we briskly picked up all the camera gear and did the bolt from the car park. All in a night's work.
