Thanks, but please only post in the discussion thread: so we don't get all cluttered up in here.
Oi Oi Oi! A Yank Builds Hisself a Proper Motorbike out of the Feckin' Ugly MT-07
Howdy mates!
I'm here in the States and have recently discovered the joys of "built not bought," and though I've never really been a streetfighter kind of guy, I've always admired the aesthetic and even built a few...well, not really streetfighters but what we call "ratbikes" here in Northern California.
Anyway, I've always loved middleweight Twins--I've owned 4 SV650s--so when I got a ride on the FZ-07 back in 2014 (MT-07 across the pond and here now as well, after 2018 I think) I was like, "Man! I gotta get one of these!"
So fast forward to 2019, and I decide it's time to sell my EBR 1190SX and get an FZ-07. It's pretty pristine, and since I bought it I added a few doodads, fixed the front end with cartridge emulators, added a K-Tech shock and enjoyed it...but the problem is...
-Not the cheesy front end and low-tech brakes
-Not the flimsy, plasticky build quality
-Not the midrange flat spot
![148489]()
It's motherfucking ugly as fuck, that's the problem! A face only a mother could love. The FZ-07 looks as if Matisse dropped acid, got food poisoning, threw up and then sketched his vomit. Not one single angle or line flows into the next with any grace. It's awful. Everything else I can live with, but jeez...I want a bike that I can look at without making excuses. "Sure it's ugly, but it's so much fun to ride!" can be said about a lot of things. We don't have to go into specifics.
So what to do? Well, the nice thing about the FZ (should I call it an MT to avoid confusing you?) is it has good bones. A slim, light and minimal frame with a very narrow, compact motor. Here it is nekkid:
![148490]()
I mean, it's pretty much ready to rock, right? So here's the plan:
![148491]()
![148492]()
![148493]()
![148494]()
I'm here in the States and have recently discovered the joys of "built not bought," and though I've never really been a streetfighter kind of guy, I've always admired the aesthetic and even built a few...well, not really streetfighters but what we call "ratbikes" here in Northern California.
Anyway, I've always loved middleweight Twins--I've owned 4 SV650s--so when I got a ride on the FZ-07 back in 2014 (MT-07 across the pond and here now as well, after 2018 I think) I was like, "Man! I gotta get one of these!"
So fast forward to 2019, and I decide it's time to sell my EBR 1190SX and get an FZ-07. It's pretty pristine, and since I bought it I added a few doodads, fixed the front end with cartridge emulators, added a K-Tech shock and enjoyed it...but the problem is...
-Not the cheesy front end and low-tech brakes
-Not the flimsy, plasticky build quality
-Not the midrange flat spot
It's motherfucking ugly as fuck, that's the problem! A face only a mother could love. The FZ-07 looks as if Matisse dropped acid, got food poisoning, threw up and then sketched his vomit. Not one single angle or line flows into the next with any grace. It's awful. Everything else I can live with, but jeez...I want a bike that I can look at without making excuses. "Sure it's ugly, but it's so much fun to ride!" can be said about a lot of things. We don't have to go into specifics.
So what to do? Well, the nice thing about the FZ (should I call it an MT to avoid confusing you?) is it has good bones. A slim, light and minimal frame with a very narrow, compact motor. Here it is nekkid:
I mean, it's pretty much ready to rock, right? So here's the plan:
R6 front end (I already have the parts: 2007 YZF-R6, same as in the photo above, but with 2005 triple clamps for a little more rake)
Race tank cover (which I already have)
Race or street tailsection...I'm not sure where to go with this. Could be:
...the race glass designed to fit with the tank cover, or...
Buell XB9R tail...
...a generic race or vintage-bike tail.
Another idea I had was something like what Oberdan Bezzi posted to his website (I'm a big fan of his!)
Pretty sweet, eh? The plan here--if it's possible--is to order a fiberglass tank from Airtech Streamlining and have them mold it without the bottom, so I can use it as a tank cover. I'm not sure what we'll do for the rest of the bodywork.
Anyway, my build partner is my good friend Al, who's also on this forum, who has already helped me build a custom DR650 street-tracker-supermoto thing, and who has designed and built some crazy-amazing shit in his basement.
Also consulting/possibly assisting is a new friend, Jerry, who has built some incredible custom bikes in his garage.
So chime in to the discussion thread and give me your thoughts, feedback and critiques.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
So it's now rideable! Now that I've got the tank cover on, the bike doesn't look so shitty...so I think I'm going to keep it like this for a while.
![149000]()
The JvB Moto parts arrived...and now I'm thinking, do I really need them? Which is a bummer, as I shelled out almost $900 for this stuff (which is very nicely made, but still...)
![149001]()
Since I didn't read the contest rules and failed to upload a pic of my bike pre-contest, I can't really enter, so I'll probably not post much here for a while.
The JvB Moto parts arrived...and now I'm thinking, do I really need them? Which is a bummer, as I shelled out almost $900 for this stuff (which is very nicely made, but still...)
Since I didn't read the contest rules and failed to upload a pic of my bike pre-contest, I can't really enter, so I'll probably not post much here for a while.
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
