Photo: AJ Moller Photography via Ellaspede
There are many ways to customize an XJR, but even the simplest of them can yield great results when done properly.
The bike you’re looking at here – a breathtaking custom Yamaha XJR1200 – was built by Ellaspede of Brisbane, Australia for a client named David a few years back. As a self-confessed sucker for big bikes with a KTM 1190 Adventure R and a Buell Firebolt in his fleet, David knew from the very beginning that his third motorcycle would also have to be a large-displacement machine.
Browsing the web, he eventually came across a well-kept XJR1200 from the model-year 1995, showing just 31,000 kilometers (about 19k miles) on the odo. It didn’t take him long to pull the trigger, and the air-cooled, four-cylinder Yamaha was promptly shipped to Ellaspede’s headquarters in Queensland. Finding the donor to be mechanically sound, the guys got started on the cosmetic mods straight away.
They shortened the XJR’s subframe so as to tighten its rear-end geometry, while retaining the stock taillight assembly since it fitted the look they were after. A new seat pan was fabricated from scratch, then topped with generous padding, black leather upholstery, and contrasting red stitches.
Furthermore, the minimalistic license plate bracket attached below the taillights comes from Ellaspede’s proprietary catalog of bolt-on parts. At the front end, you will now find a state-of-the-art LED headlight flanked by aftermarket turn signals, as well as twin Daytona Velona gauges, an all-new handlebar, and rectangular rear-view mirrors.
These items make the XJR1200’s cockpit look delightfully neat, but its front fender was also trimmed to remove some more visual mass. Ellaspede tweaked the side covers ever so slightly, and it’s clear that subtlety was the name of the game when it came to the bodywork mods. Glancing at the unsprung sector, we still find the original brakes and three-spoke wheels, all looking as good as new.
With close to 100 hp coming from its sixteen-valve 1,188cc inline-four, the XJR felt no need for any performance upgrades. As such, its powerplant was left internally unchanged, and the only modification occurred on the exhaust side of things. Ellaspede chose to retain the stock four-into-two headers, but they’ve fitted them with modern reverse megaphone silencers.
For David’s custom stunner to handle as well as it looks, each and every suspension component was blessed with a thorough rebuild. Last but not least, there’s the striking livery borne by the OEM gas tank, blending a red base, silver accents, and black pinstripes. Along with the red stitching on the seat, the color scheme is a real charm to look at.
Now, this project was a straightforward affair compared to some of the other bespoke specimens we’ve seen from Ellaspede, but it’s precisely what David’s heart desired. It is not known how much he paid for this commission, though, as the Australian shop doesn’t make the pricing aspect of its builds public.
Browsing the web, he eventually came across a well-kept XJR1200 from the model-year 1995, showing just 31,000 kilometers (about 19k miles) on the odo. It didn’t take him long to pull the trigger, and the air-cooled, four-cylinder Yamaha was promptly shipped to Ellaspede’s headquarters in Queensland. Finding the donor to be mechanically sound, the guys got started on the cosmetic mods straight away.
They shortened the XJR’s subframe so as to tighten its rear-end geometry, while retaining the stock taillight assembly since it fitted the look they were after. A new seat pan was fabricated from scratch, then topped with generous padding, black leather upholstery, and contrasting red stitches.
Furthermore, the minimalistic license plate bracket attached below the taillights comes from Ellaspede’s proprietary catalog of bolt-on parts. At the front end, you will now find a state-of-the-art LED headlight flanked by aftermarket turn signals, as well as twin Daytona Velona gauges, an all-new handlebar, and rectangular rear-view mirrors.
These items make the XJR1200’s cockpit look delightfully neat, but its front fender was also trimmed to remove some more visual mass. Ellaspede tweaked the side covers ever so slightly, and it’s clear that subtlety was the name of the game when it came to the bodywork mods. Glancing at the unsprung sector, we still find the original brakes and three-spoke wheels, all looking as good as new.
With close to 100 hp coming from its sixteen-valve 1,188cc inline-four, the XJR felt no need for any performance upgrades. As such, its powerplant was left internally unchanged, and the only modification occurred on the exhaust side of things. Ellaspede chose to retain the stock four-into-two headers, but they’ve fitted them with modern reverse megaphone silencers.
For David’s custom stunner to handle as well as it looks, each and every suspension component was blessed with a thorough rebuild. Last but not least, there’s the striking livery borne by the OEM gas tank, blending a red base, silver accents, and black pinstripes. Along with the red stitching on the seat, the color scheme is a real charm to look at.
Now, this project was a straightforward affair compared to some of the other bespoke specimens we’ve seen from Ellaspede, but it’s precisely what David’s heart desired. It is not known how much he paid for this commission, though, as the Australian shop doesn’t make the pricing aspect of its builds public.
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