Beyond Normal, There is Custom
The new INTERMOT custom Yamaha Dragster by Marcus Walz
To herald a growing side of the custom bike industry, and therefore an expanding show within a show, or boutique show if you will, INTERMOT customized, first introduced in 2016, has commissioned a custom build of its own as the show ambassador and to compete in Essenza Sprint races.
“We aim to develop INTERMOT customized into an international meeting place for the bike scene. This is only possible if we recognise that we are part of this scene and play an active role in its events. Our new bike, a Yamaha XV950R drag-style bike converted by Marcus Walz, will represent us at festivals and Essenza Sprint races as an ambassador for INTERMOT customized. I am already
looking forward to our appearance at Glemseck, where I’ll be on the starting grid as the rider of the INTERMOT bike”, says Christoph Werner, member of the Executive Board and Vice President of Koelnmesse.
Following on from the Ducati Scrambler he converted into a café racer, Marcus Walz is now responsible for the INTERMOT bike for the second time. On this occasion, Marcus and his team worked on a Yamaha XV950R and built a new bike in two months, and the result is breathtaking. After being stripped down, trimmed back and tuned by Walz, the original machine has evolved into a hot piece of kit, or better still: a drag-style bike. So, what are the bike’s most remarkable features? In terms of extravagance, definitely the modified Yamaha fuel tank and the completely redesigned “drag-style” tail section. The fuel tank has been handcrafted from steel and the team formed the all-important tail section entirely from a single piece of aluminium sheet. Sc-project was responsible for giving the exhaust a sound worthy of the machine, producing a very lightweight custom system from titanium for the Yamaha. And whilst we’re on the subject of custom-made parts, both of the rear shock absorbers were also oneoffs, made by Touratech Suspension. The critical part of the fork came from German suspension experts, Wilbers. So that the bike is also competitive in sprint events, the team also worked on the performance of its engine. Instead of 60 hp, it can now draw on 70.
To match the customised Yamaha’s gold-coloured fuel tank, the rider will wear a helmet designed by Danny Schramm, naturally also in 2/3 INTERMOT customized’s gold metal flake-look!
The Yamaha drag-style bike has already enjoyed its first public appearance, taking part in the Essenza Sprint series at the Café Racer Festival in Montlhéry, France. The rider competing at this event was famous stuntwoman, motorcycle acrobat and model Mai-lin Senf, who was thrilled by the bike’s look and feel.
In the Essenza Sprint series, it is not only the first rider to see the chequered flag who is declared the winner, but also the bike with the best styling, the hottest design, the most impressive overall package. The INTERMOT bike made by Marcus Walz is in with a good chance of claiming victory.