team at auto fabrica push their boundaries to shape the type 6 motorcycle

team at auto fabrica push their boundaries to shape the type 6 motorcycle
all images courtesy of julien brightwell and bujar muharremi

the ‘type 6’ has been an evolving project since the very beginnings of auto fabrica. one of four yamaha ‘XS650’ bikes rescued from a farm in the depths of rural cornwall, UK effectively kick-started the company. from hand sketching through to photoshop renderings, the team understood what form they wanted to achieve. this form was designed in 2D to test and push themselves in the physical panel beating and abilities. they spent much time trying to balance clean graphics with highly complex and organic surfacing to achieve a clean yet interesting design.

coming from a yamaha ‘XS650’ 

within the design, riders will notice a sloping gas tank detail which started to define the form of the entire bike. even though now just an embellishment, the original design idea was to use the opening as a RAM Air inspired intake, further learning of the bike and due to structure of the frame and compromised the simplicity of the design.

stripped and gutted, with only the bare necessities 

something auto fabrica pride themselves on are the hand made stainless exhaust systems. the design was classic and organic; sand bent curves, looking like straight through pipes but with custom baffles hidden inside. we could have kept them straight through and raw but with the refinement of the bike as a whole dictated it needed a more refined note as well as give the correct pressures.the engine has been fully rebuilt with 0.5 oversize pistons. the block is painted with a textured finished to the top and a silver bottom. with a particular love of the matte finish that aqua blasting gives bare metal, we gave the castings and all aluminum the treatment. 

the elongated gas tank 

for auto fabric ‘type 6’, the team focused on pushing their own boundaries to achieve a bike which was executed perfectly and epitomize what they see as a real custom motorcycle; simplicity in form, complexity in detail. 

the front drum brake

the long wheel base for cruising 

curved handlebar

the exposed engine

finished with matching stainless steel suspension springs