Yamaha XJR 1300 Yard Built -Big Bad Wolf- 2015 — Specifications

When an urban legend meets passionate customizers, the result is bound to spark something. Yamaha had the good idea of entrusting its large touring machine, the XJR 1300, to the Spanish wizards of El Solitario to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary. The result is no longer called a motorcycle, but a manifesto on wheels, named "Big Bad Wolf." This creature, unveiled at Glemseck, didn't come to play a cameo role: it dethroned the reigning champions on the eighth-mile, sweeping everything in its path like a true predator.

The challenge was daring: to transform a 1251 cm³ engine block, designed for the road, into a dragster beast without touching the original frame. This is the whole spirit of the Yard Built program, which proves that with genius, anything is possible. The diet was radical, with a dry weight that sheds 57 kilos, displaying a featherweight of 183 kg fully fueled. The engine, this indestructible inline-four, has undergone a complete rejuvenation. The intake was optimized, combustion chambers were reshaped, reinforced connecting rods and a rebalanced crankshaft were installed. Lectron carburetors and a Dynatek programmable ignition complete the package, delivering a raw power of 148 horsepower at the rear wheel. This is far from the placid production touring machine.

The chassis is not to be outdone, with an armada of specialists mobilized. Dymag for the carbon rims, ISR for the machining of the triple clamps and the incredible rear caliper, K-Tech and Novatech for the custom suspensions. The titanium exhaust signed Asahina Racing is designed to scream enough to make a MotoGP pale, while the semi-circular oil cooler comes from a supplier to the world championship. Every part is a piece of jewelry, from the Over Racing swingarm to the Motogadget wiring harness, to the sublime paintwork realized by Death Spray Custom.

At €14,000, this is obviously not a motorcycle for everyone. It is a mechanical work of art, a demonstration of force intended for the discerning collector or the pure racing enthusiast who wants a unique machine, ready to swallow anything on a sprint. Compared to other Yard Built customs, such as the Skullmonkee or the Botafogo, the Big Bad Wolf stands out for its radical, almost brutal orientation. It has only one goal: pure performance. This is both its triumph and its limit, as it sacrifices all versatility on the altar of speed. A magnificent showpiece, but reserved for a handful of tamers.