Yamaha Motor Europe has teamed up with custom motorcycle builder Keinosuke “Keino” Sasaki for a unique project to create a concept motorcycle to showcase the Sports Heritage vision from Yamaha. The joint project will see Keino creating the concept bike using an inline-4 engine taken from the Yamaha XJR1300. The build is taking place right now in his Brooklyn, New York workshop, ready for a grand unveiling in the summer. The project builds on Yamaha’s Sports Heritage theme, motorcycles inspired by the past, built for the future.
The powerful 98HP, classically designed, air cooled in-line 4 power plant will be a big change for Keino as he has traditionally customized American V-twin bikes. Knowing Keino, the challenge of something new, heavily influenced by a classic Japanese superbike heritage should result in a truly stunning concept creation.
Keino and Yamaha have planned a clear direction for the build; to create a retro vintage meets performance’ themed concept machine. “Our direction and focus is to emphasize the look of the beautiful air cooled engine,” says Keino. “Key chassis components such as the frame, gas tank and front end will be designed and customized and modified. The build will follow the Sport Heritage vision of Yamaha, whilst blending my personal bike building philosophy. Incorporating vintage elements into Yamaha’s historical brand of performance is a unique opportunity for me. I will also be focusing on bringing out the mechanical beauty of the motorcycle.”
Yamaha recognizes that many motorcycle enthusiasts dream of building their very own custom motorcycle. To turn this dream into a reality, Yamaha has spent the last couple of years working with the most iconic and talented bike customizers in the scene, making motorcycle alchemy by transforming modern Yamaha models into ‘Yard Built Specials’. For some of the bikes the builder even produces unique aftermarket kits that are available for Yamaha customers to purchase to satisfy their dreams of customising their own motorcycles. Yamaha have already added stunning machines to the Sports Heritage ‘Yard Built’ project after collaborations with customizers including Deus and Wrenchmonkees, working on bikes such as the XJR1300 and the SR400.
Keino was destined to work with Yamaha on a custom bike project at some point, especially considering the custom bike builder’s first motorcycle influences as a child were all Yamaha. “It was an honor to be asked,” said Keino, “especially by the brand that made my very first motorcycle, my TY125 all those years ago.”
Born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan, Keino’s first motorcycle memories were of his father’s Yamaha 650 machine. His first custom motorcycle drawings were of this Yamaha 650, with handlebars and seats re-positioned so that the child Keino could fit on the bike and reach the controls! By age 11 he became the owner of his first Yamaha, a TY125cc dirt bike.
After a period of mentorship under Indian Larry and Paul Cox at Manhattan based custom shop American Dream Machine, Gasoline Alley and finally Indian Legacy, Keino went on to found Keino Cycles in Brooklyn NY.
Kool
Nice to hear about Keino. Like many builders seemed to have disappeared.
Cyril. Want to see it completed.
Regardless of the result (which I think will be very good), this is the bike that Yamaha had to throw in the U.S. market – would I buy at the time (Honda should throw the CB1300F)
True craftsman….
Rock on Keino….
Keino hasn’t disappeared. He still does custom builds, but unlike many, to keep paying his bills, he also does plain old motorcycle service work out of his shop. The big problem is, if they aren’t on TV, people don’t look them up. Keino offers everything from builds to parts to merchandise to repair
Brett is correct,just like Steve Iacona on the other side of Brooklyn.
I like what i see so far
Be interesting to see him sit on it with the header in place (and warmed up to operating temp).
-nicker-
Are you kidding? It’s set well behind the rearsets, and it has a shield. Unless you’re donning parachute pants, you’d be ok.
I’m impressed, I’d burn through enough stainless, not to mention how hard it would be to pull off mandrel bends that smooth.
need looking bike so far, looks like a YZF1000 rear swingarm with shock bracketry welded on, nice bike so far, I like the direction this one is going.. Purdy!
Hey mate kl. bike. Just got an xjr1300 2001 and looking to remod my. I would like to follow your progress. How I can sort that ?
Regards. Anthony