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.