We’ve seen our fair share of customs here at RideApart. Whether it’s a big-bore cruiser transforming into a futuristic dragster or a custom motard that started out as a full-size ADV, today’s top custom builders possess more than enough genre-jumping skills.
Lucky Custom’s Lucas Layum is one such builder, and the Argentinian shop’s Yamaha FZR600 Genesis project puts Layum’s technical talent and creative prowess on display. Now, the gap between sportbikes and café racers may not seem difficult to bridge, but Layum doesn’t make the build any easier on himself either.
Yamaha offered the YZR600 between 1988 and 1995. The sportbike harnessed a liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve, 599cc inline-four engine. The four-stroke mill pumped out 89.6 horsepower along with 48.5 lb-ft of torque and mounted to Team Blue’s Deltabox frame. While the 600-class supersport adopted the Deltabox for rigidity, the steel construction proved heavier than aluminum units found on the FZR400.
Gallery: Lucky Custom Genesis: Yamaha FZR600
On the flip side, custom work is much easier with steel (compared to aluminum), making the FZR600 an excellent donor bike. Layum didn’t waste that potential either, cutting away massive sections of the Deltabox frame to make way for a trellis chassis. The new construction doesn’t just do away with the Deltabox’s prominent beam, it also consolidates the main frame and subframe for more compact proportions.
To match the new trellis frame, Layum fashions a custom box-tail seat and flat-bottomed tank cover. The Lucky Custom team highlights that cover’s dual purpose by integrating a transparent section, allowing enthusiasts to peer at the FZR600’s airbox. While the Yamaha underwent considerable modifications, Layum didn’t scrap the original front fairing, opting to adapt the stock unit with an offset single round headlamp instead.
The team tops off the custom build with a 4-into-1 exhaust system that snakes around the chassis and terminates under the tail unit. Transforming a bike into a newsworthy custom is no simple feat, and Layum doesn’t take the easy way out with the YZR600 Genesis. However, the end result seems well worth the challenge.
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Sources: Facebook, Timeless 2 Wheels