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An Elegant Dragon
Panache Smaug Yamaha XS360

We all loved playing with blocks during our childhood, whether they’re of danish origin or otherwise. Some people have never given up this fascination well into adulthood, even if those blocks have since turned into something a little more advanced.

Founder of Panache, Charles Murillon, is one of these people and has taken his childhood love of building and creating through imagination, to a professional level. Based in Lyon, France, Panache introduced its first motorcycle, Falkor, in February 2019. The Falkor was based on a 1977 Yamaha XS 360 and now, 14 months later, Panache has used the same base to launch its second machine, Smaug.

Named for the fearsome dragon in J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord Of The Ring series, this new build took design cues from a Rolex Daytona 16523 Zenith Phase Two, sharing the same colour scheme as the watch — a combination of black, gold, and silver. Panache wanted to give an elegant and simple look to this motorcycle and spent 550 hours meticulously transforming the classic Yamaha.  It isn’t just the look, either.  Smaug got a mechanical rebuild plus a series of upgrades for improved performance, which, when combined with a drop of 26kg, results in a rapid classic machine.

Unfortunately, this fascinating piece has already been sold. If you like the way Panache has been building its blocks, it’s best you keep an eye out for any upcoming announcements.