Yamacent

This was my first venture into motorcycle customizing and building.  I had owned two 1982 Yamaha XV750J Viragos previously and they performed beautifully, well, except for that time the drink driver hit me head on.  This 1981 Yamaha XV920RH had the same engine setup, but with a larger capacity, a much more European touring look and a fully enclosed chain drive.  I do like the look of the British motorcycles and the Vincent was tops.  I kept seeing the Vincent hidden in the XV920RH.  So I bought a used one and went to work.

My modifications included a one size wider aluminum wheel rim laced to a Yamaha XS650 hub on the front, an aluminum wheel rim laced to a Honda CB750 hub on the rear, stainless spokes, stainless Norton fenders, and rubber fork gaiters.  I fabricated the exhaust pipes which connect to an aftermarket Vincent muffler.  I cut the muffler in two and added a removable and re-packable fiberglass baffling section.  The stock tach and speedo faces were covered over with faces from a Chrysler 300M and new cases were made which fit into a custom instrument housing.  On the right side the battery was exposed and, on the left, a 1982 Yamaha XV750J Virago side cover was added and configured with a faux filler cap (from a BSA 441 Victor) and a faux oil line to look like a dry sump engine.  A tail light was fabricated, consisting of a 4 inch LED trailer light in a PVC drain pipe cap, supported by a Yamaha XS650 bracket.

I had a custom color mixed and Dale S. did the honors of applying it.  

When I sold this motorcycle I had ridden it for 42,683 miles. (And just for the record, between this 1981 920cc Yamaha and the two almost identical sister , but smaller, 750cc engine 1982 Viragos, those engines have transported me down the road for 70,816 miles.)