1978 Yamaha XS750 Special

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This one was plagued by the most gremlins by far. Worth the trouble, though. Commissioned by advertising art director Adam Stockton in the winter, this antique triple has one of the most devilish exhaust notes ever. Jetted with pods and custom 3-into-1 straight pipe, it's got power for days. Technically a Yamasaki, the front end was snagged from an '05 Kawasaki ZX6R (Ninja 636) which dramatically changes the stance and attitude of the beast. Stockton's bike was the first to incorporate the perforated metal side covers that let you get a hint of what's behind them — in this case, not much. Just a tiny battery in a custom welded mount. Above it, the underseat electronics tray that keeps the unpretty stuff from view. Who says shaft drives can't be cool? (Photos: http://www.adamewing.com )

1978 Kawasaki KZ650 SR

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This was one of "The Alexandria Three" that my buddy Greg Ownby and I bought for a good deal up near DC this summer. My long-time friend Devin Bousquet bought one of them from us and it became part of the family. We gave it "the treatment" with an '04 Gixxer 1000 front end and a slimdown. Jetted with pods and a proper 4-into-1 exhaust, this one is silky smooth with plenty of power. Canister shocks from Mike's XS are adjustable and have just the right look. A custom electronics tray under the seat keeps everything looking skeletal and clean. Everyone pitched in — even Devin's mom who made the seat cover on her industrial strength sewing machine. In fact, she'll probably be doing seats for all the bikes soon. (Photos: Adam Ewing).

 

1982 Yamaha Virago XV750

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I know. Many people think Viragos don't have a lot going for them. But flaws aside, the early ones had a monoshock that makes them pretty versatile when customizing. It can have lines like a hardtail or a sport bike. Or something in between. This one was commissioned by director Sunny Zhao — http://www.dreamsfactory.com — for his current feature project "Reciprocity". A revenge movie set 100 years in the future. http://www.reciprocitymovie.com  He wanted something that looked old and futuristic at the same time — something the antagonist (a hitman with no discernible soft side) could appreciate. This is the result. With our unpatented triple tree mod, we grafted on a 2000 Yamaha YZF R1 front end. We removed several feet from the wiring harness, mounted the battery under the tank and made a remote recharging system so we don't have to remove the tank when the volts are running low. Shifted the controls rearward. Thought about a padded seat for awhile. But that will come after the movie is wrapped when Sunny starts riding it around town. (Photos: http://www.adamewing.com )

 

1982 XS650 Heritage Special

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Besides a lightweight front end and supermoto running gear, the old Yammie is fairly low-tech. What it lacks in finesse, it makes up for in character. It's a far cry from the owner's beloved BMW Dakar 650, but everyone's happy. The exhaust is temporary while we wait for the perpetually back-ordered Supertrapp Elite cans to arrive, hopefully in a few weeks. Carbs have been jetted. Pod filters replace the stock airbox. Custom perforated side panels and all sorts of odd brackets keep everything tidy. We both hate the taillight. Consider that temporary, too. (Photos: Adam Ewing).