It is one of the most interesting and exciting periods in all of motorcycling and will go down as one of the greatest successes in business history. When the big four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers turned up the wick, took on the world and seized control of the motorcycle industry. Their triumph was not achieved by seeking to reinvent the wheel; instead, bikes like the Yamaha SR400 were built with the simple design ethos of “easy to use.” For master builder Takashi Nihira, the SR has been a huge part of his business’s fortunes, and when you combine the two Japanese legends, it’s no wonder the end result is this wicked Wedge Motorcycle Street Tracker.
In addition to that “easy to use” ethos that fuelled the design brief of the Yamaha SR400, the engineers involved in the project wanted it to be bulletproof reliable and to have some of that classic and timeless styling of earlier British singles. It was an ethos they took incredibly seriously too: “When Yamaha’s Technical Director wrenched his ankle while testing a prototype, easier starting became a priority, and Yamaha developed a decompression lever and sight glass system.” Simplicity is also at the essence of what Nihira-san does; there is no bolting on a million parts, just a handful of superb changes, all done to the highest quality to achieve an incredible result.
For this street tracker build, Nihira-san chose a 2005 model to ensure he had a solid base to work from, which was in good condition and wouldn’t require endless rust removal. He didn’t want old tech on what is already a simple machine either: “We were looking for a model with disc brakes on the front, not drum brakes.” The bike would be built by the workshop and then go into their showroom for sale, so wisely, “It incorporates the image of a flat track bike, but it also comes with all the safety features so that owners can ride it on everyday city streets.” If you do an urban commute, it’s hard to think of a better way to get to work.
To get the foundation of the build right, the frame has been heavily modified, with everything under the seat and back cut off. This wasn’t done simply to add in the hooped tailpiece with a neat up kick; with the frame finished in a silver coating, it means all the welds and joins are far more exposed. So, starting this section from scratch meant the Wedge team could get it all spot on, with the seat rails perfectly parallel to the ground, the shock mounts beefed up, and a nicer transition where the subframe meets the lower centre posts.
Over the new rear frame, a seat base was shaped to fit between the rails and also to provide some additional lateral stiffness. But the big change is to the fuel tank, with the iconic SR unit set aside for another project, and a one-off piece crafted from scratch. It’s all handmade from aluminium, and the log shape provides the uber-minimalist look expected on a tracker. Part of the skill in its fabrication is that no single seam is visible from any angle; it’s smooth as silk! A new set of mounts was required to get the alloy tank sitting over the frame, and a custom filler completes the task.
The rest of the bodywork is pared back, with the front not featuring so much as a fender but a fork brace that provides a little cover. The rear fender is another in-house aluminium piece, perfectly rolled to match the profile of the tyres to be used. Committed to the tracker look, Nihira-san decided to go with a front number board that he fashioned from aluminium, which sports a cut-out for a small LED headlight to keep things legal. For the sides, with no vast amount of wiring to be hidden from sight, the decision was made to use a single number board, which helps to keep the look clean and uncluttered.
Of course, being a paint shop, the colour was all laid down in-house, and the muted tones and simple graphics are all class. Keeping things understated, a black leather seat with some extra cushioning for the commute is used and matched to black grips. Then to keep that theme flowing, black is used for the new wheel combo, with the spoked items perfect for the tracker vibe, and the aggressive Dunlop rubber certainly makes a statement. The front forks have been rebuilt and the lower legs polished, with a Brembo caliper fitted to improve braking. Meanwhile, the rear end is slightly raised and benefits from a set of adjustable YSS shocks.
Being a bike that is sold straight from the Wedge showroom floor, the solid running engine was still stripped back and completely rebuilt to ensure that its new owner will have years of trouble-free motoring. But to put some pep in its step, the single-cylinder engine now sports a big Keihin carb that draws air via a large K&N filter. A mix of black and polished metal decorates the powerplant, and Nihira-san fabricated a full exhaust system, which is finished in heatproof paint and barks out of a SuperTrapp muffler. A vintage taillight and tiny indicators go on to keep the fuzz happy, and it’s simply remarkable that, with a select few modifications, Wedge Motorcycles turns the “easy to use” classic into one stunning street tracker for daily blasts on the city streets.
[ Wedge Motorcycle ]