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This Reborn Yamaha TRX850 Is A Surreal One-Man Exploit

That one-off front fairing brings about some tasty retro vibes.
Yamaha TRX850 9 photos
Photo: The Moto God
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Darren Taylor (aka The Moto God) is an Australian enthusiast that lives and breathes two-wheeled machines. He is a full-time employee of Yamaha’s Australian branch, but dedicates the remainder of his time to customizing motorcycles of all shapes and sizes. Long story short, this fellow isn’t playing around, alright?

I’ll tell you what, let’s proceed with a closer examination of Taylor’s most notable exploit. To be a little more specific, the project in question is based on Yamaha’s ill-fated TRX850. Despite the original bike’s remarkable performance, the Japanese manufacturer halted its production run after just five years, due to poor sales figures.

Nonetheless, we’ll have to give TRX850 some credit for being a competent piece of machinery. It is powered by a liquid-cooled DOHC parallel-twin mill, with five valves per cylinder and a healthy displacement of 849cc. At approximately 7,500 revs, this bad boy will deliver up to 79 bhp, along with a solid torque output of 63 pound-feet (84 Nm) at 6,000 rpm. A five-speed gearbox is tasked with transmitting this force to the rear wheel via a chain final drive.

In terms of Moto God’s custom masterpiece, he kicked things off by removing the bike’s stock subframe and seat pan. In their stead, Taylor installed a neatly upholstered leather saddle and a hand-shaped subframe that keeps things looking tidy. Additionally, the fresh unit also hosts a stealthy aftermarket LED taillight strip, while TRX850’s electrics have been relocated beneath the new seat.

On the opposite end, we notice a majestic vintage-style fairing that was fabricated in-house. To achieve the desired aesthetic, a yellow-lensed headlight was incorporated into the aforementioned custom module. Furthermore, the Moto God honored the suspension with a comprehensive overhaul by equipping a top-grade Nitron NTR-R3 monoshock at the rear and Wilbers springs up front. Last but not least, the rims were enveloped in high-performance Alpha 14 rubber from Dunlop, while TRX850’s exhaust system received a pair of MotoGP-style mufflers.

Personally, I absolutely dig Darren Taylor’s unique creature! What about you?
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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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