Written by Martin Hodgson
When you embark on the journey of building a custom motorcycle half the battle can be in simply picking the base you choose. Like a good pizza it sets the foundation and with the availability of all the right ingredients, it can be almost impossible to go wrong. But choosing to start with an ’80s sportbike immediately sets the builder a challenge; they’re usually ugly, rarely modified by others and almost always in terrible condition. Totally undaunted Markus Klett of Motopola chose a 1985 Yamaha XJ600 and custom-crafted all the right toppings for this tasty treat.

With its dated looks that certainly haven’t aged like a fine wine, saggy suspension that’s all too soft and fixtures from the Yamaha parts bin to make the price an entry level bit of kit, the XJ600 won’t be featured in any coffee table books on the best bikes of the 20th century. But for a number of reasons it remains an important part of motorcycle history. The first Japanese 600cc inline four-cylinder engine would become the blueprint on which all Supersport racing has been based for more than 30 years and the adjustable Mono-shock rear brought Yamaha into the modern era.
But the example that Markus hoisted onto his workshop lift in the beautiful city of Rosenheim, Germany, was simply stuffed. Tuning bikes since the age of 16, Markus has gone from hotting up Vespas to full one-off customs as his career has evolved over the past 20 years. Now with his go...