Yamaha and flat observe racing are inseparable. It’s a legacy cast within the Seventies, again when Kenny Roberts famously wrestled a TZ750-powered framer across the dust ovals of America, draped within the iconic yellow-and-black “pace block” livery. That competitors DNA has trickled down into the {custom} scene, making Yamaha the de facto selection for builders seeking to seize the “go-fast-turn-left” aesthetic. Whether or not it’s the punchy, light-weight character of the classic RD two-strokes or the torquey, trendy parallel twins, Yamaha gives a slim, flickable platform that feels at residence wherever from a neighborhood brief observe to a congested metropolis heart.
The attraction of the Yamaha tracker lies in its honesty. It’s a silhouette outlined by extensive bars, 19-inch wheels, and the overall removing of something that does not serve a goal. It’s a method that prioritizes an aggressive, upright driving place and a slim profile—good for carving by site visitors or kicking up mud on a fireplace street. We’ve spent years documenting the very best within the enterprise. Listed here are 6 of our Favourite Yamaha Trackers.
MotoRelic’s RD350
Sean Skinner of MotoRelic is a person of two worlds, usually oscillating between delicate restomods and wild, imaginative builds. This 1973 Yamaha RD350 falls squarely within the center, starting its life as a “crusty” $350 barn discover. Skinner stripped it to the bones, conserving solely the body and engine, and got down to create a light-weight street ripper that mixes classic soul with trendy, aggressive efficiency.
The mechanical coronary heart was despatched to two-stroke guru Ed Toomey for a full porting job and a set of 28mm Keihin carbs, whereas Skinner centered on the rolling chassis. He grafted on Suzuki GSX-R750 forks and a Trac Dynamics aluminum swingarm stretched by two inches. The wheels are 19-inch Excels laced to Cognito Moto hubs, wrapped in Hoosier flat observe rubber.
The bodywork flows, that includes a narrowed Honda Ascot tank and a hand-shaped aluminum tail part. Skinner fabricated a intelligent, ultra-slim oil reservoir to keep up the “Autolube” system with out the cumbersome OEM facet covers. Wearing a reinterpreted traditional Yamaha palette, the bike “rips” with a powerband that lofts the entrance wheel at 6,000 rpm, accompanied by the “symphony” of Jim Lomas’ stainless-steel enlargement chambers.[MORE]
Tough Crafts’ Ténéré 700 “T7” Tracker
Winston Yeh of Tough Crafts is world-renowned for his Harley-Davidson builds, however his collaboration with Faber Studio on a brand-new Yamaha Ténéré 700 exhibits his versatility. Impressed by Estenson Racing’s YZ450F flat trackers, Yeh determined the T7’s body geometry was completely fitted to a dirt-track makeover. The result’s a 74-horsepower twin-cylinder machine that appears prefer it escaped from a manufacturing facility race staff.
The transformation concerned important surgical procedure, together with hacking off the inventory subframe and changing it with a light-weight aluminum unit from a YZ450F. JZO Crafts fabricated a {custom} 6.8-liter aluminum gas tank, which was then coated with UFO YZ450F plastics. The bike’s weight was slashed to simply 158 kg (348 lbs) absolutely fueled—an enormous drop from the journey bike’s inventory trim.
Efficiency is dealt with by {custom} Öhlins suspension and Roland Sands Design “Hammer” flat observe wheels. The cockpit options Renthal bars and a GPS-enabled KOSO speedo, whereas the asymmetrical exhaust system exits by the YZ tail cowl. It’s a high-performance city weapon that proves Winston Yeh’s signature “Tough Crafts” type may be utilized to any platform with spectacular outcomes. [MORE]
DubStyle Designs’ “Root Beer” RD400
Garett Wilson of DubStyle Designs lives for “vans with facet pipes” and “boat flake paint jobs,” and his 1977 RD400 tracker exemplifies that vibe. Initially supposed as a passenger-friendly date-night bike, the undertaking shifted gears when Garett determined to go full-bore on the flat observe aesthetic. He fabricated a brand new subframe to accommodate a fiberglass Champion-style tail and paired it with an aluminum gas tank from a Seventies YZ400 enduro.
The bike sits on a set of classic Kawasaki 7-spoke Morris-style wheels, which required custom-machined carriers for the Brembo brakes and rear sprocket. Garett swapped out a earlier GSX-R fork setup for a set of right-side-up Yamaha R6 models and added a Kawasaki aluminum swingarm with Fox shocks out again. The exhaust is a intelligent “cut-and-paste” affair utilizing recycled Manufacturing facility Pipe enlargement chambers and FMF silencers.
What really units this construct aside is the retro-fabulous livery. Whitey’s Paint Store utilized a “root beer” flake base with purple, orange, and yellow graphics that completely seize the Seventies flat observe period. It’s a motorbike constructed for pure “shenanigans,” combining the sensory explosion of a two-stroke twin with a hot-rodded aesthetic that makes it as a lot a bit of artwork as it’s a street-legal racer. [MORE]
Hombrese Bikes’ “Steffi” SR500
Uwe Kostrewa of Hombrese Bikes is a romantic at coronary heart, constructing this svelte 1979 SR500 for his girlfriend, Steffi, so they might compete collectively in seaside races. The construct utilized a wide range of spare elements from Uwe’s workshop, specializing in a “low-key good-looking” look. The centerpiece is an outdated Yamaha DT50 gas tank with authentic patina and dents, which Uwe efficiently mated with the bigger SR500 body spine.
Uwe opted for the inventory SR forks, preferring their geometry for flat observe racing, however upgraded them with heavier oil and inner reducing. A pair of contemporary YSS shocks handles the rear. The wheel setup is an ingenious combine: a 19-inch entrance from an Aprilia Pegaso and a 19-inch Excel rim laced to the unique SR500 drum-brake hub on the again. With out a entrance brake, the bike depends on the pilot’s talent and engine braking.
The motor was absolutely rebuilt with a 500cc piston and bigger valves, exiting by a {custom} header and a blacked-out Supertrapp muffler. Weighing in at simply 122 kg (269 lbs), the bike is extremely svelte and useful. It’s a pure observe bike with simply sufficient “retro attraction” to look nearly as good within the pits because it does sliding by a nook. [MORE]
Jeff Palhegyi’s Framer MT07-DT
Jeff Palhegyi is the fabricator behind the Yamaha MT07-DT race bikes utilized by Estenson Racing in American Flat Observe, and this construct is his private “Private Assortment” masterpiece. Constructed utilizing a 2021 MT07 engine and a group of prototype elements, that is chassis #18 from Palhegyi Design. It contains a chromoly trellis body and a tubular swingarm with an eccentric pivot for complete geometry adjustment.
The 689cc crossplane engine is the star of the present, recognized for its punchy torque and character. Jeff added a Yamaha Racing billet aluminum oil pan for further cornering clearance and a titanium Graves Efficiency exhaust. The suspension is pure top-tier Öhlins, whereas the 19-inch wheels come from Roland Sands Design. Each fastener and bracket is a premium racing part, together with a carbon fiber entrance sprocket cowl.
Weighing in because the lightest body Jeff has ever fabricated (simply 15 lbs), the complete bike is a featherweight weapon. The carbon fiber bodywork from Estenson Racing weighs beneath 6 lbs, painted and padded. Whereas it’s a thoroughbred race bike for now, Jeff notes that it’s only some lights away from changing into a road tracker—which might simply make it one of the succesful street-legal Yamahas on the planet. [MORE]
DGRS’ SR500 Racer
Chad Daly of DGRS took a “half-rate bobber” Yamaha SR500 and carried out a complete rescue mission to create a aggressive flat observe racer for the road. The rear finish was utterly rebuilt with a modified XS650 subframe and a shortened, braced XS650 swingarm. Dealing with is managed by Showa forks with Race Tech cartridges up entrance and custom-tuned Öhlins shocks on the rear, permitting Chad to dial within the geometry completely for the dust.
The construct is a showcase of contemporary fabrication methods. Chad used 3D printing for the inside fenders, engine guards, and the taillight housing, and even sand-cast his personal aluminum spacers for the rear brake disc. The bodywork is traditional Gopher Glass fiberglass, hooked up with DZUS fasteners for fast removing on race days. It runs a 19-inch wheelset with a Kawasaki KX250 hub on the again and a Moose Racing hub up entrance.
The engine is as clear as a restomod, respiration by a Mikuni flatslide carb and a Cerakoted header. A minimalist Professional Comp headlight and custom-cast taillight lens make sure the bike is street-legal with out ruining its racing silhouette. Completed in a monochrome livery with delicate flake and gold accents, this SR500 is a classy, high-performance software that brings a sketchy {custom} again from the brink. [MORE]
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