Meet Maxim Zverovich, a rising talent in the world of motorbike customization. Although he developed an interest in bicycles from an early age, he didn’t start riding until completing his engineering studies at university. His initial passion was a ’97 Suzuki GSXR 600, but after a few years of riding, he began seeking something more innovative.
In the heart of Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, Maxim has set up his own workshop under the name ZM Customs, serving as a hub for creative innovation. To aid in the development of his craft and refine his skills, he has successfully completed his inaugural build – a bespoke Yamaha XJ600 cafe racer from scratch.
Maxim explains his decision to choose the XJ600, citing its durable metal body and reliable air-cooled engine design. While test-driving a donated bicycle on a website, I was thrilled to find that it exceeded my expectations with its impressive performance on the road.
Maxim stripped down the Yamaha to its bare essentials and began conceptualizing his cafe racer project, initially drawing inspiration from the bike’s exposed frame. He designed with a singular focus on capturing the quintessential essence of the iconic cafe racer aesthetic. The outline defined the longitudinal extent of the vehicle’s fuel tank, extending from its point of origin at the gas tank opening to its terminal end near the rear of the car. By incorporating the principles of the golden ratio into his engineering research, Maxim aimed to ensure a well-balanced and harmonious outcome from his innovative idea.
The commencement of the construction project unfolded with the familiar rhythms of planning and preparation. With a renewed sense of purpose, Maxim dismantled the XJ600, stripping it to its essential components before bestowing upon it a revitalizing makeover. The newly refurbished wheels have undergone a thorough transformation, with their original surfaces stripped away to reveal a pristine canvas, subsequently repainted to perfection, and finally clad in a modern, high-performance tire wrap. The engine has undergone a thorough cleaning and repainting process. The suspension was thoroughly rebuilt and meticulously adjusted to ensure optimal alignment, thereby achieving a perfectly balanced stance and compensating for any variations in weight distribution. Maxim has refined his design by streamlining the Yamaha’s undercarriage, judiciously excising unnecessary brackets to optimize the structure.
Since the bike arrived once more, Maxim also tackled the XJ600’s performance collectively. The braking system has undergone a comprehensive upgrade featuring high-performance brake pads and ventilated discs. The consumption freed up because of Okay&N filters. The exhaust is a bespoke 4-into-2 setup that showcases the owner’s dedication to detail. He further refined his work by porting the manifolds and re-calibrating the carburetors to maximize the benefits of these modifications. With its standard 72hp, the XJ600 is no slacker; yet, thanks to Maxim’s tweaks and a noticeable reduction in weight, this motorcycle has gained significantly more vitality.
Although relatively inexperienced in customizing bicycles, Maxim boasted about having fabricated 90% of the components himself, a remarkable achievement. To amplify the cafe racer aesthetic, he’s paired his XJ600 with a bespoke triple clamp featuring integrated clip-on model handlebars, seamlessly merging form and function. Vintage cafe-style mirrors hang precariously from the top of each bar, while a utilitarian aftermarket gauge occupies the left-hand corner. The newly revamped lighting system features a versatile dual-functional LED headlamp and precision-crafted LED strips seamlessly integrated within the rear assembly.
Undoubtedly, the most formidable challenge we faced was the meticulous process of refinishing the vehicle’s exterior and interior surfaces. From the outset, Maxim undertook the painstaking task of fabricating the vehicle entirely by hand, relying on his skilled use of sheet steel, hammering techniques, and an English wheel to shape its framework. The novice instructor found himself grappling with a subject matter that was still unfamiliar, causing far greater challenges than he had initially envisioned. The finished motorcycle proudly dons a meticulous replica of a BSA Goldstar tank, carefully proportioned to harmonize with the XJ600’s dimensions. The wasp’s tail rear end finishes flatly against the body rails, tracing the entire length of the tank’s curvature. To give his custom motorcycle a nostalgic flair, Maxim retained the original Yamaha XJ600 fuel tank, while substituting the stock plastic front fender with a uniquely designed metal variant of his own creation.
Considering the entire construct took two years to complete, this timeframe aligns with Maxim’s relentless pursuit of perfection. Perseverance ultimately pays off as I rewired the motorcycle’s physical appearance three times before achieving my desired outcome, illustrating the age-old adage that ‘third time is a charm’ holds true in this instance.
