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Custom Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost” Is Animated by Playful Pac-Man Imagery

With that transparent front fairing, this magnificent R1 certainly lives up to its name.
Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost” 7 photos
Photo: Pitworks Design
Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”Yamaha YZF-R1 “Blue Ghost”
The bespoke marvel we’ll be featuring today hails from Ted Lee’s Pitworks – a Taipei-based enterprise specializing in industrial design, CAD renderings, and 3D-printing. Although motorcycle customization isn’t necessarily these folks’ main line of business, they do like to showcase their fabrication skills on a two-wheeled entity from time to time. On that note, let’s take a look at the firm’s most striking venture, shall we?

Of all things, the primary source of inspiration for this project was a Pac-Man character, namely the blue ghost known as Inky. When it came to picking a donor, the Taiwanese craftsmen settled on a 1998 variant of Yamaha’s beloved YZF-R1 family. This unrelenting samurai flaunts a liquid-cooled 998cc inline-four engine, with five valves per cylinder, twin cams, and a sizeable compression ratio of 11.8:1.

When prompted, the behemoth will spawn a brutal horsepower figure of 150 ponies at 10,000 rpm, along with 80 pound-feet (108 Nm) of torque at 8,500 spins. A six-speed gearbox feeds the oomph to a chain final drive, enabling the R1 to cover the quarter-mile distance in no more than 10.8 seconds. With a dry weight of 390 pounds (177 kg), Yamaha’s juggernaut will be more than happy to hit a top speed of 175 mph (282 kph).

Since the bike’s powertrain characteristics are already top-notch in stock form, the Pitworks crew was able to focus solely on the aesthetics. They kicked things off by trimming the standard gas tank to adjust its proportions, while the original filler cap has been replaced with a cast aluminum alternative. Next, Ted Lee and his team used CAD software to conceptualize a new subframe, which was then molded into shape by hand.

You will find a 3D-printed box hidden inside the aforementioned module, and it’s tasked with housing the YZF’s electrics. The custom rear framework supports a fiberglass seat pan, on top of which we spot a basic foam saddle. To be fair, we would’ve liked to see some actual leather upholstery, but we’re not going to make a fuss about Pitworks’ approach, either.

At the front end, the R1 is adorned with a transparent fairing that’s been fabricated using epoxy resin, as well as a bright set of LED headlights. The cockpit features Koso instrumentation, a new triple clamp and custom carbon fiber clip-ons, which sport aftermarket grips and switches. Moreover, Taiwan’s specialists also installed a one-off radiator shield and a snazzy rear wheel cover, both of which are made of carbon.

After they had fitted a unique aluminum exhaust, it was time for Pitworks’ pros to apply the finishing touches. These goodies consist of bolt-on foot pegs, higher-spec brake pads, and a premium coolant temperature gauge. In keeping with the Pac-Man theme, the fuel tank was wrapped in a gorgeous layer of cyan paintwork, and the creature has been dubbed “Blue Ghost.”
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About the author: Silvian Secara
Silvian Secara profile photo

A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing.
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