The popular Wheels and Waves festival returns to sunny Biarritz next week after a two year hiatus. So it’s safe to assume that some European workshops are frantically buttoning up their bikes to show off at the event—or to compete in the infamous Punks Peak hillclimb.
Newcomers Wayders are ahead of the curve though. They’ve just completed their first custom bike, a Yamaha MT-07 café racer, with time to spare. And it’s a knockout debut performance from the Belgian outfit.
Wayders is a two man crew, made up of friends Olivier Nadrin and Didier Hermann. Didier is the technical whizz; he owned the European chip tuning company, Tuning Box, for thirty years. Olivier’s background is in photography and videography, so he props up that end of the business.
The guys first connected when they helped each other customize their personal bikes. They eventually launched Wayders, then cranked things up a notch earlier this year with a new 1,900 square-foot workshop, packing everything from heavy tools to a photo studio.
The Yamaha MT-07 is the first custom to roll out of the new shop, and was built purely to show off the company’s abilities. We’re more used to seeing XSR700 customs around here, but the guys specifically had the MT-07 in mind as a donor.
“We chose this model because it is in the top three of the most sold bikes in Europe,” says Olivier, “probably because of its affordable price. We like the peculiarity of the bike’s frame, and there aren’t many custom MT-07s around.”
Wayders started by grafting on a set of 41 mm upside-down forks, borrowed from the MT-07’s bigger sibling, the MT-09. They used the MT-09 yokes too, but shaved off the OEM speedo and ignition mounts. A small Daytona speedo now sits in a 3D-printed bracket, with the ignition located on the left side of the motor.
Mounted to the forks are a set of adjustable clip-ons, fitted with Brembo brake and clutch controls. Wayders kept the original switches, but installed new Ariette grips and Motogadget bar-end turn signals.
A new Wilbers shock was wedged in at the back to complement the upgraded front suspension. But since the stock brakes were left alone, since they cope just fine with the MT-07’s 74.8 hp output and relatively low curb weight.
Wayders also kept the 17” alloy wheels, but wrapped them in chunky Pirelli Rally STR tires. And if the idea of scrambler tires on a café racer gnaws at you, rest assured that the guys are considering a switch to racier rubber.
Yamaha’s entire MT range is known for its Neo Tokyo-inspired aesthetic. It’s cool in its own way, but it’s also far removed from the style that Wayders was after here. So they ditched the MT-07’s stock plastics and hacked off its subframe to refine its silhouette.
The result is a machine that plays on both sides of the fence. Look at the bottom half, and the unapologetically modern vibe of the 689 cc parallel-twin engine dominates. Isolate the top half, and the classic lines of a textbook café racer shine through.
To pull this off, Wayders sourced a replica Benelli Mojave fuel tank, then modified it to fit the MT-07’s quirky frame. The original fuel cap was repurposed up top, and a stealthy box was fabricated to host the battery and electronics underneath.
The livery was executed by Couleurs Ardentes, and takes inspiration from one of Bell’s carbon fiber Bullitt helmet designs. It features a ghosted checkered flag motif, applied using a hydro-dipping technique. Finishing touches include milled aluminum tank badges, and gold striping to match the suspension components.
Out back is an all-new subframe, designed to mimic the design language of the rest of the Yamaha’s frame. A custom seat sits on top, featuring upholstery by Atelier Sellerie & Garnissage.
The seat is secured by sliding the front in under the edge of the fuel tank, and snapping the back in place with a magnet. Removing it reveals a 3D-printed tray, complete with a handmade leather wallet from Trip Machine Company. There’s a tiny LED taillight integrated into the underside of it.
Other 3D-printed parts are the radiator shrouds, sprocket cover and chain guard. Wayders also installed an LED headlight on custom-made brackets, rear-sets with custom-milled foot pegs, and a new rear brake master cylinder.
The airbox was ditched for a pair of mesh-covered velocity stacks, while the exhaust muffler was swapped for a blacked-out SC Project unit.
Olivier and Didier are days away from loading their MT-07 up and heading down to Basque Country for Wheels and Waves. We’d be shocked if they didn’t come back with a full order book.
Wayders | Instagram | Images by Olivier Nadrin
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