Project Yamaha 3-Way - Part 2/2

Project One - The Stunt Bike

Baseline: 1999 Yamaha R6 / Budget $3,000

In the first installment of our project bike build, the 1999 Yamaha R6 resembled a cross between a streetfighter and an insurance claim. We started the project by adding all the necessary hardware under the bodywork such as a 12 o'clock bar from Powers Stuntworx, a Full Throttle handbrake kit, Racing 905's fairing stay and a few labor modifications like the kill switch and denting the tank.

Like sweeping dirt under the rug, the next step was to add our old race bodywork to cover up the years of track abuse on the former racebike. The bodywork left over from Zamora's old racing days was full of dust and scratches, but it was brought back to a solid color after applying an air hose, spray paint and a paint pen (the goal was to make the bike presentable from 50 feet away).

We next thumbed through the Lockhart Phillips catalog and the thousands of accessories that can aid in any project. During the years the bike was in storage in the back of a garage we had lost all of our mounting hardware, and LP's aluminum bolt kit kept us from having to dig through the can of miscellaneous bolts. The kit also added red accents to the black bodywork that give it a slight custom touch.

After the bodywork was installed, we bolted a Lockhart Phillips Speedscreen to the aftermarket skins. We chose a smoke-colored stock replacement screen for its extra durability and thickness, and mounted it easily with a Lockhart Phillips windscreen bolt kit (also anodized in red).

The addition of the Full Throttle hand brake created the dilemma of finding a place for the manual choke. Since the 1999 R6 was before the days of fuel injection, keeping the choke is essential for cold-morning starts. To solve the problem, Adrian Celiceo from Racing 905 cut a section of metal tubing to act as a bar end and then relocated the entire unit inside the fairing to retain the functionality.

Stuntbikes require a good steering stabilizer, and GPR supplied us with a new unit. It replaces the worn-out stabilizer that the R6 had, and not only looks better but will actually function.

Learning new tricks results in dropped bikes, and a broken case cover can bring a practice session to a screeching halt-so the addition of a crash cage is a requirement. A Racing 905 crash cage was installed after the bodywork was bolted in place, and holes were cut to accept the mounting hardware. Using the feedback received from customers and sponsored riders, the cage's new design features increased clearance for shins and plastic sliders for another level of bike protection.

Next Month: We add a huge 60-tooth Vortex sprocket, RK chain, custom vinyl graphics and more.

The Builder's Box
Adrian Celiceo
Racing 905
www.racing905.com
(619) 210-4777