Photo: Bad Winners
I'm not sure how many of you now reading this remember the Yamaha XT 600. In fact, many of you might not even have been born when the Japanese bike maker stopped rolling off the assembly lines.
The model was born as an all-purpose enduro in the Yamaha stables all the way back in 1984. It was envisioned by its maker as a bike that could suit the riders' needs both on the road and off of it, being just as nimble in both environments.
It was successful enough for the bike maker to keep it in production until 2003, when the plug was finally pulled. What that means is that the model was around for almost two decades, during which time enough of them were made that some examples still roam the streets and off the beaten path today.
Not all of them are as mechanically sound as they once were, but the passion for the model runs so high that there are still garages out there willing to take a shot at modernizing them. Like the crew known in the industry as Bad Winners.
The name may sound familiar, and that's because we came across it before. It belongs to the French crew responsible for the creation of incredible two-wheelers the likes of the Wasp, Zero Gravity, or Skin Milk.
The reworked Yamaha XT 600 does not have a post-modification name, but that doesn't make it less impressive. In fact, it was made in such a way it looks brand new, kind of like one of those new electric bikes we keep seeing, despite being old and running a carburetor.
A quick look at the ride won't tell you what model year it is (and neither will Bad Winners), but it will be enough to reveal this is a ride that still uses the stock frame and engine, with the latter reworked to be in an as-new operational status.
The 600cc engine that gives the ride its name got Keihin carburetors to be able to run properly. For breathing purposes a classic cone air filter was fitted at one end, and a TEC exhaust at the other.
The wheels are supported by a suspension system supplied by YSS, and are wrapped in Dunlop tires. The finishing touches come as a motogadget speedometer, an LED headlight, and of course the mesmerizing paint job.
Now, we're used to having our custom bikes delivered as one-off, meaning the one you see is the only one you'll get. Bad Winners however does things differently, and can have this project recreated to infinity.
The cost of such a build is 8,490 euros ($9,300), and that includes the base motorcycle.
It was successful enough for the bike maker to keep it in production until 2003, when the plug was finally pulled. What that means is that the model was around for almost two decades, during which time enough of them were made that some examples still roam the streets and off the beaten path today.
Not all of them are as mechanically sound as they once were, but the passion for the model runs so high that there are still garages out there willing to take a shot at modernizing them. Like the crew known in the industry as Bad Winners.
The name may sound familiar, and that's because we came across it before. It belongs to the French crew responsible for the creation of incredible two-wheelers the likes of the Wasp, Zero Gravity, or Skin Milk.
The reworked Yamaha XT 600 does not have a post-modification name, but that doesn't make it less impressive. In fact, it was made in such a way it looks brand new, kind of like one of those new electric bikes we keep seeing, despite being old and running a carburetor.
A quick look at the ride won't tell you what model year it is (and neither will Bad Winners), but it will be enough to reveal this is a ride that still uses the stock frame and engine, with the latter reworked to be in an as-new operational status.
The 600cc engine that gives the ride its name got Keihin carburetors to be able to run properly. For breathing purposes a classic cone air filter was fitted at one end, and a TEC exhaust at the other.
The wheels are supported by a suspension system supplied by YSS, and are wrapped in Dunlop tires. The finishing touches come as a motogadget speedometer, an LED headlight, and of course the mesmerizing paint job.
Now, we're used to having our custom bikes delivered as one-off, meaning the one you see is the only one you'll get. Bad Winners however does things differently, and can have this project recreated to infinity.
The cost of such a build is 8,490 euros ($9,300), and that includes the base motorcycle.
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