Source: Bike Bound
The Brute: Virago 920 Street Tracker by Bueno Co…
In the early 1980s, Yamaha unveiled their first V-twin — a SOHC, two-valve, air-cooled 75-degree twin that found its way into bikes such as the Yamaha TR1, XV920R, and the Virago series. It has to be said the Viragos were slightly strange machines, intended to appeal to the American cruiser buyer but vastly different in design and engineering from the Milwaukee-built machines that dominated the market.
Yamaha’s V-twin engine served a stressed member in a pressed-steel box-type backbone frame that remained all but concealed, and there was only a single shock absorber in the rear. The stepped seat, mini ape hangers, and small rear wheel didn’t make for the most attractive machine, but the Virago — the 750 especially — was a sales success.
“Buyers loved the package. It was a good deal cheaper and a lot more comfortable than a Harley Sportster, even if it did have a slightly odd appearance to the American eye.” –Rider
Fast forward more than 40 years, and these air-cooled Yamaha twins are being reborn in the hands of contemporary bike builders like Nick Ghobashi of Virginia’s Bueno Co. Nick left his DC-based photography career to pursue bike-building full-time just one week before the pandemic struck, cutting the legs out from under his first two big projects. However, the young man persevered, and more and more clients began trusting him with builds.
“I have all sorts of ideas ready to be brought into reality in the coming year and am pretty pleased with the direction of Bueno Co.”
Last week, we featured Nick’s Kawasaki KZ400 scrambler project — more of a budget build compared to the all-out Virago 920 street tracker you see here, commissioned by a client in Indiana.
“The idea was to design and build a sleek, hot rod-inspired high performance street tracker centered around the Virago’s V-twin. I took inspiration from vintage truss frames, choppers, vintage race cars and bikes, and threw in a bit of my own style to the mix.”
Nick put an incredible amount of work into the project. To begin, he overhauled the engine with new gaskets and stainless hardware, repainted it black, and welded up a custom subframe for the rear part of the chassis backbone. The bike now rolls on a set of GSX-R600 forks with custom Excel rims laced to a custom CNC hub up front and a later model Virago hub out back — a lot of machining was required to make everything line up.
The fenders are handmade aluminum pieces with chopper-inspired stainless struts, and the bike boasts custom-made foot controls, a custom Kevlar and fiberglass seat pain, custom stainless steel under-seat electronics box, hand-shaped dual foam saddle with Bueno Co.’s chevron-style pleating, custom wiring, and much more. We’re especially partial to the exhaust, which is inspired by the side-pipes from one of our favorite cars.
“The exhaust is handmade polished stainless steel, taking inspiration from the Shelby Cobra and other vintage race cars with near 90-degree turnouts on the end.”
The bike is also running Mikuni flat-slide carbs and an aftermarket CDI, with everything properly tuned for more punch. The paint is an “insanely overpriced” BMW M green that looks almost black depending on the light.
All in all, this “Brute” (as Nick calls it) looks amazing, pulls hard, and is actually quite comfortable to ride.
“It’s surprisingly nimble and ergonomic. It’s pretty comfy actually, but it’s also a quick bike. It almost feels like a sportier modern Harley.”
Below, we talk to Nick for the full story, specs, and details on this Virago “sleek tracker.”
XV920 Virago Street Tracker: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
It’s a 1981 Yamaha XV920 Virago.
• Why was this bike built?
It was a commissioned build by a customer in Indiana.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The idea was to design and build a sleek, hot rod-inspired high performance street tracker centered around the Virago’s V-twin. I took inspiration from vintage truss frames, choppers, vintage race cars and bikes, and threw in a bit of my own style to the mix.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Oh man. So so so much work. I gave the engine a full overhaul with fresh gaskets and stainless bolts and a new coat of satin black paint. A custom frame section was welded up and grafted to the engine section of the frame.
Up front the suspension was switched out for a GSX-R600 front end and a custom Excel rim laced up to a CNC’d hub via stainless spokes. The front fender and fender struts are handmade out of aluminum and stainless steel respectively. A 4.5” headlight from Purpose Built Moto is bottom-mounted to the front end via a custom stainless steel mount. The bars are Renthals, with inlaid minimal buttons, a Brembo master cylinder and new aluminum controls, capped off with Vans grips.
For the rear end, I mated a later model Virago hub to a custom Excel rim via stainless spokes and machined custom spacers / switched out carriers and machined the brake drum and swingarm a bit to make everything fit to the final drive while being centered. The fender is again handmade aluminum with chopper-inspired stainless steel struts supporting it and a hidden front-mount on the swingarm.
Under the seat is a handmade stainless steel dual tail light mount / cover plate powder-coated satin black. It’s able to be bolted and unbolted to the frame for servicing. Dual Purpose Built Moto LED tail lights disappear up under the seat. The seat is a hand-shaped dual foam piece set on a custom Kevlar and fiberglass pan and upholstered in our chevron-style pleating. The custom-made battery box also hosts a starter solenoid and the reg/rec and is mounted down under the swingarm. All the wiring is custom.
The exhaust is handmade polished stainless steel, taking inspiration from the Shelby Cobra and other vintage race cars with near 90-degree turnouts on the end. The air intake is also handmade and fitted with a pancake filter for both looks and correct airflow. The foot control mounts were customized for a good mid stance and powder-coated satin black, with a custom brake pedal being made along with linkages and a shift pedal being made for the left side. All the bodywork is finished in an insanely overpriced BMW M green. After the bike arrived to the customer it was additionally fitted with Mikuni flat slides and an aftermarket CDI and tuned for a nice additional boost in performance.
• Does the bike have a nickname?
I dunno. I just called it the Brute cause its loud and torquey and pretty damn fast, all while being skinny and relatively light.
• Any idea of horsepower, weight, and/or performance numbers?
I shaved a ton of weight off of it and the CDI and flat-slides along with correctly sized and length headers certainly added HP. It pulls hard.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?
It’s surprisingly nimble and ergonomic. It’s pretty comfy actually, but it’s also a quick bike. It almost feels like a sportier modern Harley.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
I’m definitely proud of the frame, as that was the first full frame section of that kind that I’ve ever made. And the dual recessed tail lights. I also had to make literally everything and attempt to make the awkward Virago a sleek tracker. I think it worked.
• Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Thanks to Matt (my customer) for going with all my wild design ideas enthusiastically and letting me get creative on the build.
Follow the Builder
Web: www.buenomoto.com
Instagram: @bueno_co
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