A Garage-Built 1999 Yamaha Vicla

A motorcycle is something Adam Perez is very familiar with. As the owner of several street bikes, he wanted to keep riding two-wheels but he also wanted something that would slow him down so he wouldn’t kill himself. That said, he decided his next motorcycle should be a cruiser. “I wanted to go with a Yamaha for its reliability. I ride the hell out of my bikes so I need that dependability,” Adam says. In turn, his search led him to this 1999 Yamaha Roadstar that was posted on Craigslist.

True to his word, Adam has taken his Yamaha on a trip most other motorcycles would envy. In just two years since owning the Yamaha, Adam has racked up over 40,000 miles while most other comparable bikes collect dust in the corner of the garage.

Six months after buying the Yamaha, he saw a fully done Yamaha and that was enough to act as a tipping point to build his own. Seeing that bike inspired him to do his own buildup and this is when the build began. Unlike Harleys, which have a host of readily available parts, Adam had to get creative and modded plenty of parts to make the magic happen.

With the help of his family and friends he began customizing the Yamaha. His uncle, Rafael Montes, laid a gold base on the bike before adding the pagan gold candy. His friend, Rico, then came in and added the leafing and ‘striping, while the seat was sent out to be molded by Gabe’s Custom Upholstery. The seat was wrapped in brown and beige caiman crocodile and he enlisted the help of his cousin who wired up the audio system.

When it came to getting a new set of diamond-cut wheels, Adam had to have an adapter machined out to fit the Yamaha. In all, the Yamaha’s complete transformation may have happened in the garage or under a tent but it never spent a single day in a shop, and that’s definitely something to take pride in.

With the motorcycle finished, you can always catch Adam riding around the 209 or hitting up runs and rallies like Street Vibrations, Virginia City, Hollister, and Reno every year. It’s a bike built to show and ride and a great example of how a daily driver can have enough charm and personality to double as a full show bike.

1999 Yamaha Roadstar

Vehicle Nickname
Garage Gold

Owner
Adam Perez

City/State
Merced, CA

Engine
V-twin 1810cc with Barons big air kit, Curts Ported intake, Mikuni Spedstar carb, and Bub Big Willy exhaust

Body/Paint
Streetglide bags, suicide shifter, Carlini gangster apes, Barnett cables, and shaved fenders. The paint used was House of Kolor pagan gold with a gold base.

Suspension
Progressive suspension springs