Cheney frames are handmade specialty frames from the UK. Finely crafted tubing. The frames are perfectly optimized in their geometry for every application. Steve's version was manufactured around 1978/79 specifically for Yamaha's XT/SR500 engines.
The frame kit on display here is a chance find from Hesse—discovered in classified ads and revived after many hours of research and searching for the right parts.
Eric Cheney, himself a successful motorsportsman and founder of Cheney Racing, was a pioneer of handcrafted frame construction. Under the leadership of his son Simon, motorcycle frames for racing on asphalt, MX tracks, and ovals are still being produced today, 60 years later. www.cheneyracing.co.uk
Steve and his brother have been riding two wheels since early childhood. Their father Tollmann made a wise decision. Riding motorcycles and a love of technology were awakened and encouraged at an early age.
Today, we can only marvel.
It was really worth it here. Steve is a top driver and has also become an engineer.
He builds his vehicles himself and likes to choose specialties from the KEDO shelves.
The kit, which Steve found by chance in 2023, was designed specifically for use with Yamaha XT/SR500 engines around 1978/79.
Steve put the bike on wheels with a TT500 wheel set and a YZ490 fork. The rims came from a TT500 at the front and a TT600 at the rear. Perfect fit. Stainless steel spokes and YSS shock absorbers are just some of the countless small parts from the KEDO range. The rear fender comes from the USA – from Preston Petty. The front fender is a Yamaha replica. Many details, such as the specially assembled racing chain set, the brake actuation, and the carburetor/air filter unit, had to be built and tuned.
The Cheney engine packs a lot of Steve's experience and many goodies from the KEDO refrigerated counter. It is based on an SR500 housing with an XT clutch cover. The head has been flow-optimized and equipped with a special „top performance“ camshaft. The cylinder has been given strain relief, which is advisable with the new power. Together with the PME Racing ignition from England and the 10:1 piston kit, the engine delivers impressive performance. Mikuni TM36 and racing air filters are of course also responsible for this.
What's more, a Cheney weighs significantly less than an XT in its original frame. You can see Steve flying around quite often in the video.
Steve built the exhaust system entirely by himself. The materials: KEDO performance manifold, KTM LC4 muffler. Sometimes you have to take something apart completely and put it back together again to make it really good. Like almonds in marzipan, for example. Or, as in this case, an XT manifold for a special frame.
Out of the barn and into the competition. Steve doesn't build for museums.
This is what it looks like when someone really gets into it and brings a real gem of motorsport history back to life.
And expertly directing the race along the route.
We are thrilled and hope that here passed on.
Video and images: cool-motion-pictures for KEDO
