Photo: Serdar Ozturk via Pipeburn
The guys at Federal Moto (FM) are no strangers to trackers, scramblers, and cafe racer projects, but a chopper is well outside their comfort zone. Brothers Mike and Peter Muller were looking for a challenge on the shop’s 13th build, though, so they teamed up with Chris Thorn of Cult Runner and Ohio-based TC Bros. The result of this collaboration is the hilariously nicknamed Bottom Feeder.
Once a stock Yamaha XS650, this wild (and somewhat NSFW) custom chopper attained its current form in 2018 and is still worth looking at today. First things first, the motorcycle’s parallel-twin was sent to TC Bros for a comprehensive refurbishment, which saw its valves, springs, and piston rings replaced with fresh componentry. The cylinder heads were ported and polished, while the crankshaft and cam have also made room for higher-spec alternatives.
Gone are the standard carburetors, replaced by Mikuni VM34 modules topped with foam air filters. At the other end of the combustion cycle, there is now a bespoke dual exhaust system enveloped in heat wrap from head to toe. The vintage UJM gained an electronic ignition and a permanent magnet alternator, too, all hooked up to a tailor-made wiring harness.
FM had the bike’s double cradle frame cleaned up, then they amputated its rear section to fit a hardtail structure from TC Bros. Attached to the new tubing is a tall sissy bar, which holds an LED taillight and does double duty as a fender strut. The rear fender itself was fabricated from scratch, and it now lives below a generously-sized black leather seat with diamond pattern stitching.
Fronting the saddle is a replacement fuel tank that was supposedly taken from a Harley Sportster, adorned with some very cheeky graphics up top. This is where Cult Runner’s design expertise came in, but we’ll refrain from giving you a detailed description of the imagery for obvious reasons. At the front, the Bottom Feeder carries a pair of aftermarket forks, which are longer than stock and fitted with Progressive Suspension internals.
Additional stopping power comes by way of drilled brake discs and Brembo calipers sourced from a Ducati Monster. These are operated via Goodridge stainless-steel hoses, and the front setup is controlled by a Harley-Davidson master cylinder. Up in the cockpit area, one may find a chopper-style handlebar wearing Biltwell grips and discreet Posh switchgear.
Peek further ahead, and you’ll come across two vertically stacked headlamps accompanied by LED turn signals from Federal Moto’s aftermarket catalog. Finally, the guys decided to keep the factory XS650 wheels on the Bottom Feeder, but had their rims cloaked in Avon Speedmaster MKII rubber up north and a Shinko E270 tire at the back. Both of these feature retro-style tread patterns.
Gone are the standard carburetors, replaced by Mikuni VM34 modules topped with foam air filters. At the other end of the combustion cycle, there is now a bespoke dual exhaust system enveloped in heat wrap from head to toe. The vintage UJM gained an electronic ignition and a permanent magnet alternator, too, all hooked up to a tailor-made wiring harness.
FM had the bike’s double cradle frame cleaned up, then they amputated its rear section to fit a hardtail structure from TC Bros. Attached to the new tubing is a tall sissy bar, which holds an LED taillight and does double duty as a fender strut. The rear fender itself was fabricated from scratch, and it now lives below a generously-sized black leather seat with diamond pattern stitching.
Fronting the saddle is a replacement fuel tank that was supposedly taken from a Harley Sportster, adorned with some very cheeky graphics up top. This is where Cult Runner’s design expertise came in, but we’ll refrain from giving you a detailed description of the imagery for obvious reasons. At the front, the Bottom Feeder carries a pair of aftermarket forks, which are longer than stock and fitted with Progressive Suspension internals.
Additional stopping power comes by way of drilled brake discs and Brembo calipers sourced from a Ducati Monster. These are operated via Goodridge stainless-steel hoses, and the front setup is controlled by a Harley-Davidson master cylinder. Up in the cockpit area, one may find a chopper-style handlebar wearing Biltwell grips and discreet Posh switchgear.
Peek further ahead, and you’ll come across two vertically stacked headlamps accompanied by LED turn signals from Federal Moto’s aftermarket catalog. Finally, the guys decided to keep the factory XS650 wheels on the Bottom Feeder, but had their rims cloaked in Avon Speedmaster MKII rubber up north and a Shinko E270 tire at the back. Both of these feature retro-style tread patterns.
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