Written by Martin Hodgson
The 1980s sure was a different time, and in an era of minimal rules and regulations motorsport was full of radical prototypes and financed largely by big tobacco. Greed was good, there were gnarly designs and Gurney flaps, and companies like Gitanes and Marlboro were branded everywhere. Turns cigarettes will kill and those funky shaped cars and bikes could be lethal too, with the motorcycle GP circuit claiming 14 lives in the ten years. But Spain’s Russell Motorcycles have found a way to have all the fun without the fatalities, building this stunning tribute to the dazzling decade from a new Yamaha XSR700.

It all makes even more sense with the bike built as part of Yamaha’s Yard Built program with the latest collection of bikes themed ?Back to the Future?. Knowing other builders would probably lean towards a Marty McFly looking contraption, Eduardo and Dani took the opportunity to recreate one of the classic racing liveries of French tobacco brand Gauloises, with a decade correct outrageous design. Understandably the two-man operation is ?very proud that Yamaha would think of us for this project.?
Knowing the general look they had in mind they then had the decision of just how far to go with the build, display piece, a full on show bike but not street legal ?or something that we can ride with it radical but having the opportunity of passing all the technical controls required to ride it on the roads. This was it!? exclaims Eduardo...