CLASSICALLY TRAINED: ‘The Deuce’ Yamaha RD350 by James Berreau
Written by Martin Hodgson
It’s easy to look at big workshops full of the latest tools and be envious, imagining if only you had them at your disposal. But as MacGyver showed us on TV, if you really know what you’re doing you can save the world a thousand times over with just a Swiss Army knife and some miscellaneous objects. Working out of his garage in Minneapolis, James Berreau brings that sort of attitude to the custom bike building game. With just his second build he’s whipped up this stunning 1974 Yamaha RD350 nicknamed ‘The Deuce’ that is oozing classic cool.
Just like ‘Mac’ on the TV show, James has military training having served as an aircraft electrician for six years in the US Air Force, before attending the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Phoenix, AZ. Now having spent 15 years in the R&D division of a major company as a senior test technician, he brings a wealth of skills to the table as he launches his custom bike building career. And in his home garage sits just one bike lift, a TIG welder and his Grandpa’s vintage WWII era lathe.
Picking up the donor bike that had sat idle in a garage since 1978, James quickly set about putting his talents into action, stripping the bike, then ?I cut the tail off the frame and added a hoop. Then drilled holes and added tubes in the rear hoop to integrate the LED tail/brake lights.? The stock seat pan was shortened 5in before being topped with the same distressed leathe...
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May is Motorcycle Awareness Month
07-05-2024 08:33 - (
motorcycle )