Most of the electrics have to live under the seat

Work in progress. Most of the electrics live under the seat

A high quality left bar switch from Allens Performance

The hinged left bar switch from Allens Performance

Trick Mikuni flat slides fight for space with headlamp relay and front end connectors

Work in progress. Trick Mikuni flat slides fight for space with headlamp latch relay and front end connectors

ETTO Motorcycles TRX850

Ian Davis set up his custom shop ETTO Motorcycles in late 2016 and this is his first show bike. It’s a Yamaha TRX850 featured in Built magazine (out June 21 2017). Ian’s an ex racer as well as a fabricator and likes to build bikes that handle. He needed a new loom because he’d moved all the components from their original positions.

The switchgear (from Allens Performance) is really neat but the high/low beam switch is a simple button that makes momentary contact. To work as a dipswitch it needs a latch relay, which is the item in the middle behind the headstock.

I got to ride the bike near Ian’s workshop in Nottinghamshire. It steers like a club race bike, and the carbs are perfectly set up by TT racer Dan Hegarty. The exhausts, built by Nigel Parker at NRP to Ian’s spec, are unbelievably loud – almost MotoGP level.

The bike’s soon going to get a fairing, and a new seat and paint job. But it’s already a real example of a bike built by a guy who knows exactly what he’s doing.

If you ever wondered what a half-formed loom looks like...

The wiring diagram made into wires. Carpet is model’s own

The Koso speedo/tacho works nicely

The Koso speedo/tacho works nicely

Ian and I discuss the price of fruit cake in the obligatory lifestyle shot

Ian and I discuss the price of fruit cake in the obligatory lifestyle shot

Cool bike, huh? The swing arm is from a YZF750 with an aluminium skin

Cool bike, huh? The swing arm is from a YZF750 with an aluminium skin