The yellow Royal Star, named Yellow Fever by the folks at MotoPro, received a different treatment to achieve slightly different goals. Believing that having custom bikes in the showroom sells stock bikes, Vaughan-Chaldy created a bike to show what a motivated owner could do with a Royal Star. The look--fat, muscle-bound, and squatty--comes with a somewhat more attainable $25,000 price.
As a starting point, Vaughan-Chaldy turned, once again, to Prayther for an eye-catching paint job. Since the goal for this bike was to see it roll out the showroom door with a proud new owner, a bright yellow paint scheme with the ever-popular flames was lavished on the bike. The flames are candy blue fading to pearl green and outlined with dark magenta pinstripes. The calipers, disc hubcaps, radiator shrouds, upper fork covers, and the switch gear all display themselves in yellow. The engine's fins received a coat of satin black for a subdued shine, and the fin edges were polished.
Many of the basic modifications of Green Dream are reflected in Yellow Fever. The handlebars were changed to Beach Bars supported by Aeromach Eight Ball risers which were machined to fit the stock Royal Star triple clamp. The cables received the same braided-steel slip covers as Green Dream. Ness grips give the rider something to hold on to. Corbin's Gunfighter seat bolts on with the subtle touch of black flames sewn on the black leather. The pretty but loud MotoPro pipes make an encore performance. Yamaha's billet breather cover reappears but without the ball-milled grooves in its surface. Most bolts and other mounting gadgets were chromed.
Yellow Fever stands out in the headlight department. Vaughan-Chaldy had Ray Neff, Jr., whose father fabricates custom frames for famed Harley builder Pat Kennedy, form two stock Royal Star headlights to create a custom headlight that builds upon the stocker's appeal. The front piece, including all the mounting bracketry, was cut off the bucket, and 1.75 inches of steel was welded to the front of the bucket. The front was cut out of the second headlight and welded onto the newly lengthened bucket. A hood was welded on the rim before the whole assembly took a dip in a chrome bath. Although the stock lens could have been used, a seven-inch Headwinds tribar lens was dropped in for a unique look. Finally, a yellow 55/65 bulb completed the yellow motif.
Like Green Dream, Yellow Fever had its gas tank cleaned up but in a much tricker way. While the tank's center was being welded out to give the smooth finish Vaughan-Chaldy wanted, the gas-filler mouth was cut out, and a Dew flush-mount gas cap was installed. The result is an almost unblemished surface for Prayther to work his magic with the flames. Only the polished tab used to open the tank calls attention to the cap.
Prayther influenced several other parts of Yellow Fever's look. He shortened both the front and rear stock turn signals about two inches each. In the rear, he had the license plate moved 0.75 inch higher on the fender and moved the taillight 1.75 inches higher. Shortening the distance between the plate and the taillight and moving the light higher makes the pieces look smaller and the fender look bigger and longer. Under the stock fenders, the stock cast wheels hide behind prototype Yamaha wheel disks, giving a solid-wheel look without retiring the stock rims. One of three planned styles, the wheel covers should be publicly available by the time you read this. Of course, Vaughan-Chaldy wasn't content with leaving the wheel covers as is. He had them chromed.
By keeping most of the lines of a stock Royal Star, Yellow Fever looks familiar at first glance, but a closer look reveals more than just a nice custom paint job. The changes to the bike are subtle and create an air of distinction. Since Yellow Fever was sold to Jerry Gravo of Jerry Gravo Construction while this article was being written, Vaughan-Chaldy says the bike is a success in his book.
When asked what he would do differently with these two bikes, Vaughan-Chaldy replies, "Nothing." He then laughs and adds that maybe he wouldn't cover all of the hoses and cables on the carburetors with braided steel since they're completely hidden from view by the tank. But his mind is already puzzling over a custom Valkyrie. With a gleam in his eye, he talks of building one custom a month on a per-order basis. From the way Green Dream and Yellow Fever look, you better get your order in soon, or you may have to wait in a vefry long line.
Editor's note: Since this was originally printed, John Vaughan-Chaldy has gone on to found Baron Custom Accessories, which specializes in custom Yamaha cruisers. It is listed in the Resources section.
Aeromach
11423-B Woodside Ave.,
Santee, CA 92071
(800)990-9392, (619)258-5443
www.aeromach.net
Baron Custom Accessories
311 Suite 1 Industrial Way
Fallbrook, CA 92028
(888)278-2819
www.baronscustom.com
Corbin
11445 Commercial Pkwy.,
Castroville, CA 95012
(800)535-7035, (800)223-4332
www.corbin.com
Dew Manufacturing, Inc.
1970 Peacock Blvd.,
Oceanside, CA 92056; (800)47-CYCLE
Headwinds Cycle Products
P.O. Box 66-1213
Arcadia CA 91066
(818)359-8044
www.headwinds.com
Jim's Aero Glide Racing, LTD.
8086 Alexander Rd.
Delta, BC, Canada Z4G 1C6
(614)946-3993
Landmark Manufacturing Inc.
4112 Avenida De La Plata
Oceanside, CA 92056
(800)497-0312
www.landmarkmfg.com
MotoPro, Inc.
1425 S. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054
(619)433-4333
Prayther's Watercraft and Motorcycle Repair
2115 E. Valley Pkwy., Ste. E
Escondido, CA 92027
(619)741-7276
Evans Brasfield is the former Associate Editor of Motorcycle Cruiser. You can find his website at www.EvansBrasfield.com.