Simone Conti has what many customized bikes builders try for—an immediately recognizable model. Working below the banner of Simone Conti Bikes, the Italian craftsman creates machines that look quick, aggressive and futuristic, like two-wheeled mechanical aliens. His model is so distinctive, that when he advised his buddies he was about to customise a Yamaha XS650, they scoffed.
“I had this 1971 Yamaha XS650 engine,” Simone tells us, “and I believed I might make a motorbike with an previous engine and a contemporary aesthetic. All my buddies advised me that it might by no means be stunning, as a result of the engine has completely completely different traces.”
Decided to show his buddies unsuitable, Simone got down to construct one among his wildest bikes but. Calling this a customized XS650 is definitely a little bit of a stretch, as a result of the one unique elements left are the engine, transmission, wheels and rear brake. Every little thing else was both upgraded—or scrapped and remade from scratch.
Sure, that features the chassis, too. The XS650’s twin cylinder mill not sits cradled in its unique metal body. As an alternative, it’s suspended from a full aluminum setup, designed and fabricated by Simone.
It’s a modular design; the entrance half and the subframe are tubular items, with a set of CNC-cut mounting plates tying every part collectively. As soon as Simone had constructed the person items, he set every part right into a jig and put all of it collectively, like a life-sized Meccano set.
The boxy swingarm seems to be prefer it got here off a sportbike, however it’s additionally a customized piece. It’s hooked as much as an Öhlins shock, and makes allowance for the XS650’s OEM drum brake hub.
Simone stored the Yamaha’s unique 19F/18R wheels, however upgraded the entrance suspension and brakes. The forks are from a Honda CBR600RR, and the dual brake calipers are Brembo items. For the tires, Simone paired an Avon Speedmaster (entrance) with a Dunlop K825 (rear), to combine a traditional contact into the bike’s in any other case futuristic vibe.
Metallic shaping is Simone’s forte—so this XS650 is swathed in handmade aluminum elements. The vibe is lithe and muscular, and if we needed to guess, we’d say that Simone’s temper board is roofed in footage of futuristic jet fighters and anime robots.
From the nostril cone, via to the sculpted gas tank, waspish tail part and beneficiant aspect fairings, each bit is closely sculpted and loaded with tiny particulars. We love the juxtaposition of sharp edges and visual welds, and the best way Simone has labored a plethora of vents into the design. Quarter-turn fasteners on the fairing show that he’s thought-about the sensible aspect of proudly owning a servicing a motorbike like this, too.
This Yamaha sports activities much more customized goodness, within the type of a variety of customized carbon fiber elements. However since that’s exterior of Simone’s wheelhouse, he first prototyped every part out of aluminum—after which referred to as in reinforcements.
The aluminum templates have been handed over to a pal, Ivan Motta (who additionally dealt with the bike’s placing paint job). Ivan collaborated with a kiteboarding firm, Devils Kiteboarding, to construct molds and reproduce each bit in carbon fiber. The brand new carbon elements embrace the vented entrance brake scoops, rear wheel covers, rear hugger, exhaust warmth shields, and shields for the engine’s pod filters.
Simone would have been proud of ‘common’ woven carbon, however Ivan had a greater thought. All of the elements have been formed utilizing unidirectional carbon—a non-woven sort of carbon with a singular look to it. The carbon contrasts the uncooked aluminum and sweet aquamarine sections completely.
The Yamaha is completed off with a smorgasbord of smaller one-off elements. Simone made the foot controls and heel plates himself, in addition to the dual stainless-steel exhaust system. The slash-cut silencers use a mix of carbon fiber and aluminum tubing.
Not too many customized builders would attempt to flip a Yamaha XS650 right into a neo-futuristic café racer, however Simone has pulled it off spectacularly. However do his detractors agree?
“My buddies stated that I used to be proper,” he says with a smile.
Simone Conti Bikes Fb | Instagram | Photos by Mattia Negrini
