As many know and even more have yet to find out, DIY garage builds are a fun idea, but often end with a pile of parts, a chunk of money down the drain and countless hours spent scouring the internet for tips. Though the learning process is steep, if concurred it’s endlessly rewarding. Just as French architectural draftsman Dimitri Chaussinand, the man behind this badass Honda XR600R tracker. His first build, a Yamaha TW125 of similar styling, was completed in his Lyon apartment block parking garage. So was this one. You gotta love it.
With large wheels and a stock stance, the ’95 XR donor was already a take-no-shit bike from the get go (the model won the grueling Baja 1000 race four times after all), but Dimitri’s alterations made it even more so. A fuel tank from a 1980 Honda XL125S was added as a centerpiece and design driver, which informed the rest of the budget build. He hacked and looped the subframe to accommodate a perch-friendly seat—with integrated LED rear brake light and turn signal strip—and removed the airbox to further cut down on the visual weight. Wraparound LED strip lights were fitted to the forks and the exhaust was rerouted to hug the engine, to maintain the slimmed down aesthetic. A rad handle bar pad, minimal speedo, and off-center headlight make up most of the remaining design updates.
Sure, it’s not the most practical bike, but who cares? Beauty is in the eye of be beholder—or in this case, the builder. And besides, have you ever been to France? The damn country is nothing but cobblestone roads, tight corridors, and rolling countryside. What better place exists to own a badass all-terrain bike like this?
