Photo: Tsuyoshi
The new bodywork is absolutely spectacular, but just wait ‘til you see the performance upgrades!
For this remarkable custom creature, Rocket Motorcycle’s Yutaka Hoshi drew inspiration from the almighty Kenny Roberts and his championship-winning machines – Yamaha's fearsome XS650 and the majestic TZ750. During the ‘70s, Roberts stacked up on several motorsport victories while riding these staggering pieces of two-wheeled machinery. Needless to say, superstardom followed.
To be precise, Hoshi’s phenomenal undertaking is based on a 1980 Yamaha XS650 Special. This bad boy is brought to life by an ominous air-cooled SOHC parallel-twin powerplant, with a healthy displacement of 653cc. The engine has a compression ratio of 8.5:1 and two Mikuni BS34SU carburetors.
It is capable of producing up to 53 hp at 7,200 rpm and 40 pound-feet (54 Nm) of brutal twisting force at 5,500 rpm. A five-speed transmission carries this power over to XS650’s rear hoop via a chain final drive.
Now, back to Yutaka Hoshi’s splendid one-off exploit; the project’s mastermind went about brewing a unique blend that incorporates the iconic design elements found on Kenny Roberts’ ferocious XS650 and TZ750 racing rigs. The end result is a gorgeous, yet ruthless track-only monstrosity that’ll leave any motorcycle enthusiast speechless.
First, the parallel-twin mill was honored with a comprehensive rebuild. It breathes a little more freely, thanks to a pair of top-grade Keihin CR carbs and a fresh two-into-two exhaust system. Furthermore, a high-performance camshaft was installed and the four-stroke leviathan’s displacement was increased to 750cc.
In the bodywork department, you will find the top half of a TZ750 front fairing replica, accompanied by a custom fiberglass tail section on the opposite end and a hand-crafted aluminum fuel tank in between. Quite frankly, these new items do a sweet job at making Hoshi’s XS650 look the part!
To ensure an exemplary behavior on the racetrack, the Japanese moto wizard treated the bike’s suspension to a complete makeover using a selection of top-shelf modules from Ohlins’ catalogue, such as a modern spring kit up front and STX 36 twin shock absorbers at the rear. The stock wheels were discarded to make room for Excel units, enveloped in track-ready Dunlop TT 900 GP tires.
And that concludes it, folks. Personally, I’m looking forward to discovering what else Yutaka Hoshi is planning on delighting us with in the future. One thing’s for sure, this drool-worthy XS650 sets the standards pretty damn high!
To be precise, Hoshi’s phenomenal undertaking is based on a 1980 Yamaha XS650 Special. This bad boy is brought to life by an ominous air-cooled SOHC parallel-twin powerplant, with a healthy displacement of 653cc. The engine has a compression ratio of 8.5:1 and two Mikuni BS34SU carburetors.
It is capable of producing up to 53 hp at 7,200 rpm and 40 pound-feet (54 Nm) of brutal twisting force at 5,500 rpm. A five-speed transmission carries this power over to XS650’s rear hoop via a chain final drive.
Now, back to Yutaka Hoshi’s splendid one-off exploit; the project’s mastermind went about brewing a unique blend that incorporates the iconic design elements found on Kenny Roberts’ ferocious XS650 and TZ750 racing rigs. The end result is a gorgeous, yet ruthless track-only monstrosity that’ll leave any motorcycle enthusiast speechless.
First, the parallel-twin mill was honored with a comprehensive rebuild. It breathes a little more freely, thanks to a pair of top-grade Keihin CR carbs and a fresh two-into-two exhaust system. Furthermore, a high-performance camshaft was installed and the four-stroke leviathan’s displacement was increased to 750cc.
In the bodywork department, you will find the top half of a TZ750 front fairing replica, accompanied by a custom fiberglass tail section on the opposite end and a hand-crafted aluminum fuel tank in between. Quite frankly, these new items do a sweet job at making Hoshi’s XS650 look the part!
To ensure an exemplary behavior on the racetrack, the Japanese moto wizard treated the bike’s suspension to a complete makeover using a selection of top-shelf modules from Ohlins’ catalogue, such as a modern spring kit up front and STX 36 twin shock absorbers at the rear. The stock wheels were discarded to make room for Excel units, enveloped in track-ready Dunlop TT 900 GP tires.
And that concludes it, folks. Personally, I’m looking forward to discovering what else Yutaka Hoshi is planning on delighting us with in the future. One thing’s for sure, this drool-worthy XS650 sets the standards pretty damn high!
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