So he sourced a 1981-model, ex-flat track XS650, and shipped it off to Kevin McAllister in Austin, Texas. Kevin works in commercial construction, but he’s also a total moto-nut?so he spends most evenings in the garage.
He had his work cut out with the old Yamaha. ?It had a broken steering stem, burnt valves, a shattered clutch basket and bent wheels,? he says. ?This bike took the phrase ‘rode hard’ to another level.?

The most obvious cue is the fuel tank: It?s an actual XT500 unit that’s been tweaked to fit the frame. It took Kevin a while to settle on it though: ?This project added another three fuel tanks to my ever growing collection.?
?Sometimes you have to try on a few tanks to get that vision correct. The XT500 seems to be the ideal fit?it slims the bike, and makes for a smooth transition to the seat.?
He used aluminum for the pan to keep the weight down, and sent the final unit off to Working Man’s Customs to handle the leatherwork. Underneath the seat, the frame’s been cut, looped, de-tabbed and powder coated.
The front forks were treated to stiffer springs and a Tarozzi brace, with Redwing shocks fitted at the rear. The stock wheels were restored with stainless steel spokes and new bearings. They’re wrapped in Dunlop K70s to strike a balance between vintage looks and performance?both on and off-road.

And he tucked all the electronics away under the fuel tank tunnel, to keep everything as tidy as possible. ?A persona...