The Yamaha XJR 1300, much like the VMAX, is one of those wicked motorcycles that is all about brute strength, hairy-chested attitude and a no-compromise persona. Treat it with anything less than the utmost respect, and it’ll ensure you end up with a bag of broken bones. Mythical monster it is, then. Its predecessor, the XJR 1200 debuted in 1994, and amassed a cult following of its own, which grew much bigger with the release of the badder XJR 1300 in 1999.

The custom Yammy you see here is the work of New York City-based Japanese custom motorcycle builder Keinosuke “Keino” Sasaki and Yamaha as part of their Yard Built project. The former stripped down the donor bike to its bare essentials before setting off on a complete rebuild, starting with a new front suspension set-up with a custom, adjustable mono-springer, which was mated to a pair of adjustable rear springs. Brembos are employed front and rear to improve stopping power, the stock fuel tank was swapped in favour of a lower and slimmer version, the rear sub-frame was also replaced with a custom rear cowling and single seat.