Dan Collins picked an odd duck for his last project. It's pretty easy to build a good looking panhead. It's a slightly different ordeal to take a homely old dirt bike and turn it into something neat. Dan pulled it off though, the Scarab is unique machine that looks like it'd be a blast to ride.
Owner/Location: Dan Collins, Old Gold Garage, Ventura Ca.
Bike name: The Scarab
Engine, year and make, model, modifications: 1976 Yamaha XT 500 rebuilt by Dan, bead blasted covers, handmade exhaust, otherwise stock
Frame: 1976 Yamaha XT500 with XS650 swingarm, cut and modified rear frame section and monoshock from Buell Blast(Showa). Frame and swingarm are Ceramic Coated bright silver
Fork: 1979 Honda XR500 (lowered) with modified triple trees and neck stem. Hand made headlight nacelle with speedo from 1960s Honda Benley
Tire/wheel size and style: Front 23" Honda aluminum with Buchannan stainless spokes, magnesium brakes, rare Czechoslovakian speedway tire(2.75x23) Rear is 21" Yamaha aluminum rim with Buchanan stainless spokes and stock brakes. 21"knobby tire
Favorite thing about this bike: built on a small budget and short time frame. And getting to ride it in Japan
Next modification will be: It's done.
Other mods, accessories, cool parts, etc: Kung fu grips from Biltwell, handmade seat pan and seat cover. Frame ceramic coated, pegs and controls ceramic coated, exhaust ceramic coated, clip on bars, cloth wiring, Coverted to 12 volt system, halogen headlight bulb LED taillight, O-ring chain, gas tank from Honda monkey bike(modified), white gold leaf panels on tank
Thanks: John Glaspie (lettering, gold leaf) Biltwell, Lowbrow Customs, Brian Forbes who helped with the rear wheel assembly and swingarm and paint, and The Polishing Shop in Oxnard for the Ceramic Coating and powdercoating and Williams Machine in Ventura for machining the engine parts.
See more of Dan's work on the Old Gold Garage website.
deadcityrider
Demoto
JeddarCheeze
rhythmOil
brenderson
OldGoldGarageCo
gigastatt
You are the king of the day today 1 bike featured here on Chop Cult and a pencil drawing of you and the Velvet Hammer all over the interweb! Rock on! Tim
ElekVins
The design is so fresh, it's a pleasure to watch a bike that looks so original, fun and functionnal !!
Bravo Dan, you give motivation to thousand of young poor builder around the world.
The details are amazing too.
Tito
TwoShoes
FlyingDutchMan
jstein
240punk
KIRK
tinyphil
cros36
KevMoore
KevMoore
TemeculaTerry
JPWilliams
coryhebert
GreaserMike
Sighless
Nori
originalrumrunner