Written by Marlon Slack
The Red Clouds Collective are a Portland-based outfit that make bomb-proof waxed cotton moto gear. They make pants, shirts, bags, panniers and tool rolls that are harder wearing and longer lasting than their owners could ever be. And luckily for us Seth and Casey Neefus, head honchos at Red Clouds, also use the business as a front for making gorgeous custom bikes, like this pair of incredible Yamaha XT500s.

?We were at a swap meet at the Portland International Raceway, talking about how we passed on a recent XT500 on Craigslist,? Seth says. ?As we were talking about this and walking around we saw the front end of an XT500. We started walking faster and then practically started running to the bike. But we had to act calm or else we wouldn?t be able to get a good deal.?
?After many attempts of bump starting it we got it running, agreed upon a fair price and took her home ? making our dreams of owning an XT500 come to life.? After a clean up the brothers started belting around on the old chook-chaser*, exploring the logging trails and single tracks that surround Portland. And they also found that the ol? XT could be a blast in town.
*(n.) INFORMAL?AUSTRALIAN A clapped out trail or motocross bike. Taken from bikes used on farms to chase chickens, or ?chooks?.
You had us at ?XT?…
?Nothing compares to riding a motorcycle that can rip through the woods and catch air and slide around turns but also roar through city streets, popping wheelies and jum...