Yard Built custom bikes are usually made to inspire Yamaha customers; to make their VMAX, SCR950, Bolt, XSR900, XSR700 or SR400 motorcycles unique. For this project, Yamaha is breaking the rules. This XSR700 isn’t a bike built for standing still, this is a bike Brice Hennebert built to be a sprint dominator. Low, long and very fast, the Workhorse Speed Shop focused on customization for speed. The engine, chassis and every point in between have been tweaked, tuned, pulled to pieces and put back together to squeeze every bit of performance from the versatile XSR700.
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As a bike built for Sultans of Sprint competition, there are class rules governing modifications and the lines a builder needs to work within. Hennebert still had room to maneuver, though, and the fully handcrafted aluminum body cuts a mean silhouette in classic Yamaha blue and yellow, a tribute to the 1985 FZR 750 Bol d’Or Sonauto ridden by Christian Sarron. The frame was dropped a full 150mm and the footpegs were shifted back. The custom-built Workhorse swingarm extends an extra 100mm and turns this beast into a low-down dragster dream.
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The XSR 700 will have the smallest engine of all the bikes racing in the Sultans of Sprint Factory Class, but it has the strong advantage of a very low weight and impressive torque. The crankshaft has been balanced, the oil circuit modified and the counterweights suppressed. With a Suter back-torque limiting clutch and a modified fuel injection body, the engine is a whole new powerhouse.
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Amongst the high-end parts putting this build into the stratosphere are a carbon battery, a full racing brake system, clutch control, a front and rear master cylinder as well as a NOS system with Max Extreme Nitrous Controller. The custom paint was applied by Matthias Van Brussel, and the custom seat is straight from the mind of Jeroen Bauwmeister from Silver Machine.
“What can I say about this bike?” commented Antoine Clémot, Yamaha Motor Europe Motorcycle Product Manager. “It’s fast, it’s low, it’s mean, it’s a lot of fun and we think it’s a winner. Events like the Sultans of Sprint really bring new vibes to the Sport Heritage segment with a subtle mix of fun and performance.”
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Clémot continued, “We love to see these amazing bikes getting outside of static shows to race full throttle. They’re all about individual expression and making crazy designs and then getting together and sharing them. The Workhorse bike, it’s got that old-school Yamaha feel with the FZR750 Suzuka style body, it has bespoke everything and it just looks really unique. I’m excited to see what it does, but I’m already proud to be a part of the build.”
Each year, hundreds of like-minded drag racers get together to go fast at Sultans of Sprint competitions. The events revolve around fine design, speed and, more than anything else, fun! The Sultans of Sprint will be held at The Reunion in Italy from May 19th to the 20th; Biker’s Classics in Belgium from June 29th to July 1st; Glemseck, Germany from August 29th to September 2nd; and finally, the Dandy Riders Festival in France from the 23rd to the 24th of September. If you are lucky enough to attend an event you will see some outrageous designs put forward by passionate people.
The Workhorse Speed Shop Yamaha XSR700 custom dragster will be piloted by a different guest rider for each event. The first round will feature the legendary Niccolò Canepa, who became the first Italian rider to win an FIM Endurance World Championship title after claiming the 2016/2017 title in just his second season with the GMT94 Yamaha Official EWC Team.
If you want to join the adventure and discover who the riders will be for the upcoming races, make sure you are following the team on https://www.facebook.com/YamahaMotorEU/.
To learn more about the Workhorse Speed Shop Yamaha XSR700 Yard Built motorcycle, visit: https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport-heritage/pages/yamaha-yard-built-xsr700-by-workhorse-speed-shop
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