Radical Makeover Transforms the Yamaha XV750 Virago Into a Unique Cafe Racer

Every type of two-wheeled machine is defined by a few quintessential characteristics that set it apart from the others. For your archetypal cafe racer, placing an emphasis on minimal weight, an aggressive riding stance and perfectly level bone lines are all boxes that ought to be ticked. Thus, picking a cruiser as your donor when seeking to create a bespoke cafe-style entity may not exactly be a wise decision – unless you’re looking for a serious challenge, that is.

It appears this was the plan for an American craftsman named Kevin McAllister, who managed to build an exceptional cafe racer using a 1983 variant of Yamaha’s XV750 Virago family. Although this fiend was fairly well received over the course of its lifespan, choosing the Virago as a starting point for this kind of project is either pure madness or an extremely brave decision.

After a short inspection of Kevin’s portfolio, we’ve no doubt this fellow knows what he’s doing, so we tend to think it’s the latter. This project’s story began when one of McAllister's friends paid him a visit, accompanied by an XV750 that was finding itself in a pitiable condition. The two sat down for a quick chat to decide the motorcycle’s fate, concluding that Kevin should be given full freedom to modify it however he saw fit.

As such, the moto architect proceeded to remove the vast majority of Virago’s stock components, except for its engine and framework. With the structure dismantled, the following step consisted of obtaining a higher-spec front end that hails from a 2003 Honda VTR1000F. The forks are topped with an aftermarket top clamp that supports a Renthal handlebar, wearing Motion Pro switches, Oury grips and a single bar-end mirror.

Magura is responsible for supplying the new levers, while the standard instrumentation has been replaced with a digital Endurance II gauge developed by Trail Tech. Furthermore, a retro-style LSL headlight can be seen replacing the outdated factory item. The electrics, along with a modern Shorai lithium-ion battery, are stashed inside a one-off metal box that’s been fabricated from scratch.

McAllister busied himself with welding bespoke mounting points onto Virago’s skeleton to allow the fitment of a ‘77 MY RD400’s repurposed fuel tank. At the rear end, a custom subframe carries an aluminum seat pan and a Supernova LED taillight from Revival Cycles’ inventory, as well as one classy vinyl-clad saddle. The entire framework was neatly powder-coated to keep things looking nice and clean.

In terms of powertrain adjustments, the air-cooled 748cc V-twin engine was blessed with a K&N crankcase vent filter, premium Mikuni carburetors and a two-into-one stainless-steel exhaust system that’s been painstakingly manufactured in-house. Before trimming the front fender to round it all out, Kevin installed a pair of rear-mounted Tarozzi foot pegs.

We’re not sure how long this extensive customization process took, but it’s pretty safe to say that we’re seriously impressed by the end result! I mean, the way its seat and gas tank sit almost parallel to the ground makes this XV750 look fast standing still, and that slight tilt enhances the sporty aesthetic even further.