This rare Yamaha TZ750 above and it’s sister the TZ700 would make wicked streetfighters, but who would put something as valuable as that on the street? Well, I’ve yet to see it. But the two-stroker Yamaha below is something probably equally as rare and definitely streetable if you can ever get the carburation right. Nice tin work on this bike.
This 1984 Yamaha RD350 Streetfighter sports a frame and wheels blasted and powder coated, tank stripped to bare metal ,all painted by racepaint. Rebuilt using either mint used parts or new. New parts include rear disc, seatcover, grips, pads, chain, sprockets, levers, screen and tires (160 rear).
Looks like a brand new factory effort!
Lovely Yamaha RD YPVS with RGV front and rear ends. It has all the running gear, wheels and brakes of the famous RGV, giving the handling and stopping power that the RD lacks.
Seems the RD350 is a favourite for streetfighter builders to use as a foundation for some really professional projects!
We’ll see more of these sweet rides here no doubt, as they seem to lend themselves nicely to transformation to streetfighter machines.
Check out some more Yamaha streetfighters below.
Just as Kawasaki came out with the modern iteration of the Z1 with the Z1000, and made it into a factory streetfighter to boot, so too has Yamaha prouced a factory fighter/power-cruiser.
Wouldn’t take much to make this baby a mean machine. Start by lopping off those cow-horn mirrors. Please.
It will be interesting to see if Yamaha goes streetfighter with this unit. Those of you reading this no doubt hope so!
Then get rid of some visual bulk at the rear end. A general lightening of the MT-01 and you start to get the idea.
No doubt it’s already been done somewhere. Love to see the results!
“The frame has been removed of all unsightly and unnecessary brackets and mounts, sandblasted and anti-corrosion sealed before painting. The engine has been disassembled, all clearances and OEM tolerances checked and refined prior to reassembly. Engine cases are hand polished while the barrel and cam cover are treated with a high temperature coating before hand finishing of the aluminum cylinder cooling fins.
Whilst a great deal of the bike’s accessories are hand-made, there are also several unique and off the shelf items newly purchased including blinkers, handle-bars, LED warning lights, digital multi-function speedometer, braided brake lines, mirrors, rear-a-set billet aluminum foot-peg assemblies, coil-over gas shocks, seat & upholstery, new Michelin tyres, wiring and battery, and of course, new custom paint”.
Early streetfighter motorcycles were inspired by the UK’s café racer movement that thrived in the 50’s and 60’s.
Though they are close cousins and often the same model bike could be very similar in appearance, one would be regarded a café racer and the other a streetfighter. The differences are subtle but instantly reconizable by the oficionado.
Replacing crashed bodywork costs big bucks so having none makes sense. And frequently these bikes were modified 70’s and 80’s Japanese big-bore superbikes with no fairings to begin with. Or had fairings but were bought second-hand with cosmetic damage so the body-work would be gone or removed, creating the signature streetfighter look.
So bear with me if I’ve previously said that necessity is the mother of invention. Makes economic sense to me. Most mods for streetfighters include radically raised rear sub-frames with solo seats, beefed up suspension front and back, bigger brakes, bigger rear sprockets for acceleration at the expense of top speed, dual front headlights, engine mods for a torquey powerband, chrome and paint work.
Popular classic Japanese fighters include the Kawasaki KZ900,1000 and Z1 series, Suzuki GS1000 superbikes, early Suzuki GSXR streetfighters, and so on into the modern era. Today factories build ready-made streetfighters such as the Ducati Monster and Triumph Speed Triple.
A few manufacturers make a modern version of the Universal Japanese Motorcycle that lends itself to customization and have become a popular basis for the classic streetfighter.
This Honda CB1100F prototype could be a wicked Streetfighter with some flat bars, a raked-up seat and a bit of a clean-up. Use your imagination, because if they don’t build it, that’s all we’ll have.
Have a look at the left-sweeping headers on this prototype. Talk about memories of the Honda CB400f and it’s classic design!
But with a modern 1100cc motor, well, how can you not wish?
Once again, this prototype Yamaha Sakura could easily be made into a classy and tough streetfighter with the right mods. Superbike bars and a chopped-off back end to start. Photoshop it in your head and see what you can come up with!
But there’s many more Yamaha streetfighters that have had radical transformations from regular old universal Japanese motorcycles into superb streetbikes with pedigree, tough looks and great function. The eighties series of FZ bikes comes to mind but we’ll find some earlier ones too.
The Yamaha SR500 motor seen on the right has been stripped down to it’s bare essentials. it’s a perfect basis for a classic Japanese streetfighter motor.
And of course it’s been done. See more Yamaha streetfighters on this link.
See above for a tough looking 1983 Suzuki Harris Magnum streetfighter.
Also check out this Suzuki GS1000 racer! This bike hails from what many folks consider the last golden age of motorcycle racing where plenty of privateer racers filled the grids of pro-racing series grids.
Not so today. You may be a “privateer” but you’ll need plenty of dough to qualify for most pro series races today. Or you’ll need to plaster your ride with sponsor logos if you can find sponsors. Fortunately, there are many “period” racing series springing up for enthusiasts to take their older bikes out and fullfill their need for speed on-track.
It was inevitable someone would have the audacity to pare down a Honda Gold Wing to it’s primal self. This streetfighter takes the cake. With it’s Superbike exhaust can, old school fender, and abbreviated fairing, it’s a bold build.
What’s next? Another one anybody?
It’s a tour de fource literally. The tour comes from the Honda Gold Wing it used to be, and the force comes from the five-barrel Gatling gun exhaust cans. Beautiful paintwork, shorty tail and sportbike seat screams heavy-duty streetfighter!
Elements of both here with a massive swing-arm/wheel/tire combo and modern front end, superbike bars, rear-sets, Omars DTR solo seat and who knows what else improve this unit immensely.
Who knew the Honda Goldwing lent itself so readily to conversion to monster streetfighter? This black bobber’s been put on quite a diet. Shorty front fender, no back fender, and who knows what else has gone into this project.
More obvious changes include nifty up-swept pipes, sport-bike seat, tank and front brake set-up, what looks like a massive dual headlight and everything that could be black is black.I suspect there’s a lot more going on here than is apparent to the eye but this sure is one mean streetfightin machine!
Here’s a fellow I’ve been conversing with lately on the Cycle Canada forum website. He’s brought this impressive Wing to all our attention.
Check out the modifications listed below and you’ll see the effort that has gone into creating this slick beast. I’m becoming a big fan of cafe and streetfighter versions of the old Honda GoldWings!
This is the “before” picture and it just shows what a transformation the GL1000 has gone through. Oldboy has the knowledge and the tools to get to job done, clearly!
Mods are:
- 1975 GL1000 front & rear hubs, with 16 X 3 “Harvey Donaldson” rims
- GL1000 final drive to mate up with hub, mounted on the original 1100 swing arm. To do this you must graft in the left side of the 1000 swing arm. This allows you to mount the 1000 rear brake and use 1000 rear shocks. The neat thing is the 1000 final drive is a 3.40 ratio so you get a little more zip.
- Rear of the frame rails were lopped off, the muffler/rear peg mount was relocated up the frame rail
- Rear fender is the lower section from the Aspencade … chromed
- Front fender is a CB900, reversed and replated
- Ebay turn signals and risers for the drag bars
- Custom made seat a knock off of the popular gunfighter seat by Corbin
- Paint is Lamborgini yellow, Mustang grabber orange & black
- All original hardware Zinc plated
- Carbs and motor were freshened up
- Everything was blasted and painted
- Progressive front springs and 20 weight fork oil
- Fork brace
- Fully detailed
The builder of this extraordinary GoldWing goes by the name of Oldboy and a more detailed account of his trials and tribulations can be found on the ngwclub.com website, catering to all the early naked GoldWings!
Says Oldboy,
“I built this bike with the idea that this is something Honda could have built. With that in mind there are no modern technology pieces.”
Photos of past projects in various stages of construction taken from the few photos i still have. The first bike is a Hagon JAP 500 with a 3 speed burman gearbox and fitted with a suzuki 50 front end and a Honda rear wheel built for sprinting The second bike is a Suzuki GT380 only mods are ace bars, mildly ported barels and a bit of paint Moto-martin This was purchased by me as is but by the time I sold it had a very early mechanicly operated nitrous system, I think it was by high power hand crafted exhaust and othher mods. Suzuki GS750 with an 850 top end TZR seat and some paintwork. Yamaha SR500 norton tank TD250 seat. many engine mods Maitland race cam, high comp piston 38mm amal carb extra long induction tract ported big valves. Second SR500 Norton tank Amal carb reverse cone mega flat bars. BSA A10 with yamaha xs650 engine origionly built by Nick and Moo, I got it as a basket case and rebuilt it and breathed on it 860cc hot cam big carbs and the paint and polish. Kawasaki z1100 preditor fairing belly pan z900 tail piece carbon fible exhaust 4x36mm amals rearsets and paint job Yamaha TR1 engine in a Norton featherbed frame, 40mm Amal carbs alloy rims manx seat and tank gold star silencers modified TR1 forks. Finally the Honda XBR500 video of this is on youtube
Lovely Yamaha RD YPVS with RGV front and rear ends. It has all the running gear, wheels and brakes of the famous RGV, giving the handling and stopping power that the RD lacks.
Just as Kawasaki came out with the modern iteration of the Z1 with the Z1000, and made it into a factory streetfighter to boot, so too has Yamaha prouced a factory fighter/power-cruiser.
Most mods for streetfighters include radically raised rear sub-frames with solo seats, beefed up suspension front and back, bigger brakes, bigger rear sprockets for acceleration at the expense of top speed, dual front headlights, engine mods for a torquey powerband, chrome and paint work.
See above for a tough looking 1983 Suzuki Harris Magnum streetfighter. 
Here’s a fellow I’ve been conversing with lately on the Cycle Canada forum website. He’s brought this impressive Wing to all our attention. 
