Mechanical animal: Simone Conti's customized Yamaha XS650

[ad_1]

Simone Conti has what many customized bikes builders try for—an immediately recognizable type. Working underneath the banner of Simone Conti Bikes, the Italian craftsman creates machines that look quick, aggressive and futuristic, like two-wheeled mechanical aliens. His type is so distinctive, that when he informed his associates he was about to customise a Yamaha XS650, they scoffed.

“I had this 1971 Yamaha XS650 engine,” Simone tells us, “and I assumed I might make a motorbike with an outdated engine and a contemporary aesthetic. All my associates informed me that it might by no means be stunning, as a result of the engine has completely totally different traces.”

Decided to show his associates flawed, Simone got down to construct certainly one of his wildest bikes but. Calling this a customized XS650 is definitely a little bit of a stretch, as a result of the one unique components left are the engine, transmission, wheels and rear brake. Every part else was both upgraded—or scrapped and remade from scratch.

Sure, that features the chassis, too. The XS650’s twin cylinder mill now not sits cradled in its unique metal body. As a substitute, it’s suspended from a full aluminum setup, designed and fabricated by Simone.

It’s a modular design; the entrance half and the subframe are tubular items, with a set of CNC-cut mounting plates tying all the pieces collectively. As soon as Simone had constructed the person items, he set all the pieces right into a jig and put all of it collectively, like a life-sized Meccano set.

The boxy swingarm appears to be like prefer it got here off a sportbike, but it surely’s additionally a customized piece. It’s hooked as much as an Öhlins shock, and makes allowance for the XS650’s OEM drum brake hub.

Simone saved the Yamaha’s unique 19F/18R wheels, however upgraded the entrance suspension and brakes. The forks are from a Honda CBR600RR, and the dual brake calipers are Brembo items. For the tires, Simone paired an Avon Speedmaster (entrance) with a Dunlop K825 (rear), to combine a traditional contact into the bike’s in any other case futuristic vibe.

Metallic shaping is Simone’s forte—so this XS650 is swathed in handmade aluminum components. The vibe is lithe and muscular, and if we needed to guess, we’d say that Simone’s temper board is roofed in footage of futuristic jet fighters and anime robots.

From the nostril cone, by way of to the sculpted gasoline tank, waspish tail part and beneficiant facet fairings, every bit is closely sculpted and loaded with tiny particulars. We love the juxtaposition of sharp edges and visual welds, and the best way Simone has labored a plethora of vents into the design. Quarter-turn fasteners on the fairing show that he’s thought-about the sensible facet of proudly owning a servicing a bike like this, too.

This Yamaha sports activities much more customized goodness, within the type of a lot of customized carbon fiber components. However since that’s exterior of Simone’s wheelhouse, he first prototyped all the pieces out of aluminum—after which known as in reinforcements.

The aluminum templates have been handed over to a pal, Ivan Motta (who additionally dealt with the bike’s hanging paint job). Ivan collaborated with a kiteboarding firm, Devils Kiteboarding, to construct molds and reproduce every bit in carbon fiber. The brand new carbon components embrace the vented entrance brake scoops, rear wheel covers, rear hugger, exhaust warmth shields, and shields for the engine’s pod filters.

Simone would have been proud of ‘common’ woven carbon, however Ivan had a greater thought. All of the components have been formed utilizing unidirectional carbon—a non-woven kind of carbon with a singular look to it. The carbon contrasts the uncooked aluminum and sweet aquamarine sections completely.

The Yamaha is completed off with a smorgasbord of smaller one-off components. Simone made the foot controls and heel plates himself, in addition to the dual chrome steel exhaust system. The slash-cut silencers use a mixture of carbon fiber and aluminum tubing.

Not too many customized builders would attempt to flip a Yamaha XS650 right into a neo-futuristic café racer, however Simone has pulled it off spectacularly. However do his detractors agree?