Build of the Month - Virago Café Racer by Brett A.

Nahim Isaza    Dec 9, 2019

Welcome to our very first ever BUILD OF THE MONTH! Featured this issue is a 1982 Yamaha Virago XV750 built by 34-year-old Brett. Anyone would agree that this Café Racer is beautiful. The clean lines and meticulously planned details have helped it stand out amongst the crowd. It is plain to see that lots of hard work and energy have gone into creating this masterpiece. We invited Brett out for a photo shoot so he could tell us all about his trophy bike.

 We chose to shoot at an industrial complex in Carlsbad to compliment the down and dirty street feel the bike has. The LED headlight and bar end lights, along with the Black, Gold and Red highlights on the bike contrasted well against the loading docks and flood lighting. We shot at night, so it took some time to get things together. While we set up his bike, he began to tell us how it all started:

 After moving back to California, he immediately started looking for a sport bike to buy. Unable to find a bike for sale he loved, Brett decided to try his hand at building one of his own. Café Racers have always caught his eye and wanting something different pulled him away from sport bikes and started him down the path of the custom-built world. His father owned a Virago when he was younger so when he came across the original 82 for sale online for a great price, it was obvious to him what needed to be done. Drawing inspiration mostly from the internet, he began working on his project. 

 From the start, he knew it would be a challenge but, Brett told us that there were several roadblocks he faced that made him think twice about completing the build. From electrical wiring, tuning carburetors and welding components, Brett learned plenty of lessons along the way. Not to mention the several tank/subframe combinations he tried before getting the lines of the bike looking just the way he wanted. Brett admitted that the most challenging part of the build was the engine. Wanting to take advantage of the lighter frame the XV750, he bought a 920cc engine to raise his power to weight ratio. Unfortunately, after spending weeks rebuilding and detailing the new engine, he discovered there were issues with its power plant. So, he scrapped the idea and went back to the original 750cc engine. After completing all the major parts of the project, he says the rest of the build fell into place. 

 After just over a year of wrenching on and off, his build was complete! Brett claims that he still has minor tweaks to make and is only 99% finished with his build but, to us, it looks 100% amazing. Currently, he is working on a Honda CX500 Cafe Racer build for his wife so they can cruise together in style.

 As we wrapped up our photo shoot, we asked him what advice he would give to someone considering to undertake a project build of their own. He chuckled a bit and pulled no punches:

“Expect to sink a large chunk of time, money and effort into the bike. I didn't really understand the level of commitment a build like this takes until I dived into one myself. I'd say the most important thing is to stay dedicated to your build and goals.”

Want your build featured in our newsletter? Stop by RideNow SoCal and speak with Nahim. You can also email us at bcrawford@ridenowsocal.com for a chance to be featured!