IMPERIAL TRANSPORT. The ?Rogue Shadow? Yamaha XV750 from Cardsharper Customs
Written by Martin Hodgson
To the casual observer, the custom motorcycle industry must look like a glamorous place to be: cool bikes, big brands and beautiful women. But ask any workshop owner and they’ll tell you about long days, big bills and those customers sent straight from hell. For Jacek Mulak, head of Poland’s Cardsharper Customs and the sole employee, it all falls on his shoulders and yet despite the odds he keeps on coming up trumps. His latest client turned up with a barely rolling bike and an obsession with all things Star Wars. Just months later, he sent him on his way with a stunning 1983 Yamaha Virago XV750 Cafe Fighter, the perfect Imperial transport, known as ?Rogue Shadow.?
Despite the obvious temptation to create a Star Wars themed bike, Jacek was wary of going down a path where motorcycle becomes geeky promotion piece. In fact so careful was he to avoid anything that was American Chopper-esque, that he repainted the bike having first laid down ghosted-in characters from the Lucas Saga. Instead, he tried to draw subtle inspiration. ?I spent whole nights searching and reading stories about Dark Side spaceships with good stories and badass names.?
But before he could begin to create a custom worthy of wearing the Rogue Shadow name, the personal transport of choice for Starkiller, the secret apprentice of the Sith Lord Darth Vader, he had to get the Yamaha functioning. What the client had rolled into his shop was a basket case, rusted bolts, pe...
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