Tr iple treat
Southend’s Auto Fabrica take Yamaha’s Yard Built to the next level…
Exquisite isn’t a word normally applied to custom motorcycles of any flavour, but in the case of the latest creation by Southend-onsea’s Auto Fabrica it’s certainly justified. Established in 2013 by Gazmend ‘Gaz’ Muharremi and his brother Bujar – both have backgrounds in product and automotive design – Auto Fabrica specialise in meticulous design and painstaking engineering for demanding clients, which in the case of their just unveiled Type 11, was Yamaha Europe. Known for their Yard Built series of custom bikes, created by some of the world’s most gifted builders, Yamaha invited the brothers to apply their talents to the XSR900 triple, and at the Muharremi’s behest threw in an example of their first triple, an XS750 which would provide inspiration. Perhaps not ironically, it was another Japanese shaftie, Kawasaki’s GT550 which motivated the brothers’ to set up Auto Fabrica in the first place and which became their caféracer styled Type 1. The lineage between the Type 1 and their XS750 and the XSR900 Type 11s is clear – a forceful, forward-leaning stance and uncluttered design. The ‘Prototype 1’ (main picture) exemplifies this in its purest form with the Cad-designed, flat-out gorgeous alloy tank/fairing/ seat unit, hand-crafted in alloy by Gaz using an English Wheel. Then there is the inset speedo/tacho and Alcantara seat meeting a chisel-straked rear lamp. Shortened Öhlins USD forks and STX45 rear shock, plus BST carbon wheels sit in the mostly stock chassis. The curvaceous 3-into-3 exhaust was fabricated using Auto Fabrica’s sand-filled pipebending technique. To deliver a bike that’s truly road-going the XS750 was used as a test bed (below, right) which resulted in the Prototype 2 (below left), which will be available to order later this year.