Article By: Daniel Donley
Photos By: Marcus Cuff
Originally Published In The February 2020 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Bogart is a 56-year-old hairstylist, lead singer in a rock band, deep-sea fisherman who grew up in Minnesota and also the owner of the fine machine you see on these pages. Michaels has been riding since he was old enough to drive.. legally. Right after Bogart got his driver’s permit, he didn’t have enough money for a car, but he did have enough for a bike. At the time, he really wanted a new Triumph, but being a teenager, funds were a little slim. So off he went to buy his first bike, a stock 1978 XS650. Minnesota riding season is short..too short, but all through high school, he rode the “Sweet 69” back and forth to school and to his band gigs. He also used to ride to get groceries and do other errands for his family. As a young adult Bogart to California and traveled quite often to Japan. Those trips blessed him with a beautiful daughter of Japanese descent, which thankfully allows him many visits to Japan. He fell in love with the culture and began going to several car and bike shows where Michaels immersed himself into the custom scene.
Bogart has a vast variety of hobbies and has done many different things and has seen many different places. He was a Captain on a Deep-sea fishing boat named after his daughter “Tiger Lily.” During that time, he lived in Puerto Vallarta Mexico. He has been in several different Rock bands over the years and is still today the lead singer for “The Bikini Killers.”
Among his many different passions, he decided that it was time to build a bike like he truly wanted. This began the five year journey of building the “Saki Bomb.” He said the hardest part of this build was not knowing anything about metric bikes and not being a mechanic at all. Everything about the entire build from top to bottom he learned along the way. Bogart said that with the help of technology today he was able to learn everything he needed to know about building his perfect motorbike. With the will and desire and todays technology, you can do about anything you want.
Bogart will tell you that being a hairstylist, he looks at shapes and colors and that’s how he knew what shape he wanted the frame and the overall aesthetic of XS to be. Needing to start somewhere and knowing what he wanted, he scribbled down the shape and took it to an engineer to have it officially drawn up and blueprinted. Michaels was adamant that he didn’t want this bike to look like all the others and wanted to give it his own little twist. The gas tank lines and shapes draw your eye down the tank to the seat. Bogart painted the bike in his backyard in a homemade paint booth to ensure that the lines and shapes of the bike were accentuated.
This bike is very unique in many ways, from the rear fender to the Cannondale bicycle shock under the seat. The exhaust that has side exits and a big LED light on the end. It even has a little key stash box from a vintage train which houses the electronics under the seat. Those are just a few of the little pieces that give the Yamaha it’s uniqueness. Bogart wasn’t after a highway cruising bike; he just wanted something to bomb around the California streets on;hence, the Saki Bomb was born. During the process of building the Bomb, Bogart discovered through all the desire and hard work that he created more than a hunk of metal on 2 wheels. It became part of him; it has meaning and soul. Michaels said that there is no amount of money that would make him give up this motorcycle. Bogart can feed you fresh fish, rock out with the best on stage, style your hair and can now add bike building to his resume. He now has a five-year-old toolbox full of tools just waiting for him to dream up his next project. We’re looking forward to it too!
SAKI BOMB TECH SHEET
Owner: Bogart Michaels
City/State: Encino, CA
Builder: Owner & Mark Dupp
Year: 1978
Model: XS650
Value: $10,000
Time: 2 Years
ENGINE
Year: 1978
Model: XS650
Builder: Yamaha
Ignition: Boyer
Displacement: 750cc
Pistons: Wiseco
Heads: Stock
Carb: Mikuni
Cam: Stock
Air Cleaner: Foam
Exhaust: 1 Of A Kind Custom
Primary:
TRANSMISSION
Year: 1978
Make: Yamaha XS650
Shifting: 4 Speed, Wishing For A 5
FRAME
Year: 1978
Model: Yamaha XS650
Rake/Stretch: Custom, Requested 6”
Forks
Builder: Hard Body
Type: Springer
Triple Trees:
Extension: +2
WHEELS
Front Wheel:
Size: 22”
Tire: Dunlop
Front Brake: Disc
Rear Wheel:
Size: 17”
Tire: Dunlop
Rear Brake: Drum
PAINT
Painter: Bogart Michaels
Color: Black & White
Type:
ACCESSORIES
Bars: Custom
Risers: None
Hand Controls: Electric Start
Foot Controls:
Gas Tank(S): Cole Foster
Oil Tank: Internal
Front Fender: None
Rear Fender: 1 Of A Kind Acrylic
Seat: Cannondale Nitro Shock
Headlight: Junkyard Find
Taillight: Multiple LED’s
Speedo: None
Photographer: Marcus Cuff