Search
When the Barcelona-based studio Vintage Addiction Crew was asked to build a Cafe Racer based on a custom Yamaha Virago 750cc, they first needed to find a darling to sacrifice. After an exhausting search, the beauty came in the form of a 1994 Virago in the Catalan wine region of El Penedès, which the owner sold to the studio on the promise that they care for it as well as he had for so many years. If he knew what the bike was in for he may have reconsidered, as the designers tell it; “probably, if he saw it now, he would have never sold it to us.” Disassembling the bike completely, the team needed to do a major overhaul of the chassis to achieve the vision shared by them and their client. Building a new sub-chassis from scratch as well as a handmade seat, they were able to make key changes to the inherent bike that later let them attach new adaptations in the Café Racer style.
The heavy stock wheels were replaced with lighter and smaller spoked wheels, and a new tank was made based on the renowned Benelli Mojave 360 tank to complete the look. It’s incredible to witness the transformation that occurred here, as the Virago XV 750 looks almost nothing like its namesake. Its whole body has been condensed, giving the biker an electrifying ride, letting you feel the road. Its metallic and black color scheme breathes of its bespoke nature, a blend of coarse and smooth that lends itself to the track as well as the dirt road, just as a Café Racer should. Though it took a bit of elbow grease to crack this pearl of a Racer from the oyster of a Virago 750cc, the dedication shown by the Vintage Addiction Crew proves that a little faith can go a long way.
