CREAM OF THE CROP: Yamaha XT550 by Zombie Gelato
Written by Martin Hodgson
Wherever in the world you go, it’s not long before you find a kindred spirit who shares a love for motorcycles; it’s a truly universal language. But while that passion burns deep across the globe, nowhere is it so heavily ingrained in the national psyche than in the home of road racing, Northern Ireland. So it should come as no surprise that Chris Martin of Belfast got his first bike from his Granny when he was just a wee boy, went to the races with his Dad and now has turned his attention to hand shaping metal and building custom creations. His latest, a Yamaha XT550 will hoon up any hill, haul along on any highway and looks mega doing it.
?I?ve had a passion for motorcycles since I was given a hand me down Honda Chaly from my Granny when I was 7, I rode it in the field behind her house as often as possible,? Chris tells us. The love of two wheels was one shared with his Dad, attending the classic bike shows and sitting on grass banks watching the road racing. For a while, skateboarding took over, but when his Dad passed away in 2009, the Suzuki GT250 he inherited needed some work and the bug bit again. After the little ‘Zuk, things progressed to a BMW R80 that was beautifully transformed, aided by his graphic design background.
But like with any addiction things began to spiral and not content with bolting on bits, Chris bought a cheap English Wheel and started shaping parts. So good were the results, his XS Yamaha with hand ...
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May is Motorcycle Awareness Month
07-05-2024 08:33 - (
motorcycle )