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Yamaha SR500 Squared Is a Custom-Made Tracker Garnished With Angular Contours

This specimen may be fairly tame in terms of power output, but it most definitely looks downright sinister.
Yamaha SR500 Squared 7 photos
Photo: Pancake Customs
Yamaha SR500 SquaredYamaha SR500 SquaredYamaha SR500 SquaredYamaha SR500 SquaredYamaha SR500 SquaredYamaha SR500 Squared
Pancake Customs is a one-man endeavor operated by Boy Janssen, who calls the tranquil Dutch countryside his home. For some odd reason, Boy’s astounding work tends to fly under the radar all too often, and that’s truly heartbreaking given how tasty most of his projects turn out to be.

The one we’re about to examine doesn’t score very highly on the practicality scale, but it totally makes up for it with great looks and a ton of personality! Revolving around a 1978 Yamaha SR500, this machine was in pretty awful shape upon arrival at Pancake’s HQ, as it had been subjected to a very questionable makeover at some point in the past.

Janssen refers to the motorcycle as SR500 Squared, and its centerpiece is a boxy fuel tank salvaged from a two-stroke Yamaha FS1 moped. Behind this retrofitted module lies a bespoke saddle wrapped in Alcantara, courtesy of a trusted collaborator based in Amsterdam.

Additionally, one may spot a revised subframe with integrated LED lighting components right below the new seat. This whole shebang rests on progressive aftermarket shock absorbers that work in unison with lowered forks to bring about a slammed demeanor.

Once the suspension-related mods had been taken care of, Boy moved on to the footwear department, where you will now find an XS400’s repurposed wheels. These seven-spoke hoops were sand-blasted and clear-coated prior to installation, subsequently receiving a set of E-05 knobbies from Mitas. Before applying the final touches, Pancake’s moto doctor wished to extract a few more ponies from the bike’s 499cc thumper.

In order to make that happen, he fitted the engine with a high-compression Wiseco piston and Mikuni’s TM40 flat slide carburetor. The top end was refurbished to keep things fresh, and exhaust gases are now spat out through custom-made pipework. A tracker-style handlebar, Biltwell grips, and a rectangular headlamp round out Boy Janssen’s build in style.
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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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