It?s just over three years since Yamaha launched the XSR700, and sales have been slow. That?s almost certainly down to the awkward styling, because the XSR700 is a good bike to ride?and the 689cc inline twin (with crossplane crank) is an absolute peach of a motor.
The obvious visual flaws have prompted many builders to have a crack at the XSR700, with varying degrees of success. The latest to attempt the silk purse treatment is Arjan van den Boom of the Dutch shop Ironwood, and he?s hit a home run.

?The customer asked me for something cool,? says Arjan. ?Different, high-end, drivable either in Amsterdam or Ibiza, and inspired by the Yamaha TW.?
Arjan is a fan of the XSR700. ?It’s a fun bike: compact, enough power, playful handling and just made for aesthetic adjustment.?
The customer wanted a bike that looked ?brutal? but was also great to ride. ?He was inspired by our XSR700 TW Steel café racer, and wanted something similar?but with an upright riding position and better handling.?
?The Enforcer? has similar DNA?on the general lines, the tank and the ?Brat? seat?but with different bars and bulky wheels it has a more of a scrambler/tracker vibe.

Amazingly, no welding or cutting was involved. Instead, the Ironwood crew have grafted on an entire Yamaha YZF-R1 front end, including the brakes, which should elevate the handling to a whole new level.
The setup is finished with a custom brace holding an integrated Motogadget Motoscope Pro digital speedometer. Motogad...