
Moto Guzzi is the oldest European producer in steady motorbike manufacturing. In 2021 the Italian producer celebrated its a centesimal birthday and it isn’t displaying any indicators of slowing down. Beloved the world over by their loyal Guzzista, the marque has produced many iconic fashions all through its colourful historical past. So on the subject of selecting an appropriate Guzzi for a restaurant racer undertaking you’re considerably spoilt for choices.
Due to their traditional styling and unsophisticated design many Moto Guzzi are effectively suited to the cafe racer fashion. The Moto Guzzi horizontally opposed v-twin provides them a singular look and with their shaft drive setup they require comparatively low upkeep. Over time, we’ve featured numerous Moto Guzzi {custom} builds on these pages. The next is our choose of the highest 10 Moto Guzzi cafe racers of all time.
Revival Cycles T3 cafe racer
Once you host one of many world’s finest {custom} motorbike occasions it goes with out saying it’s best to be capable to construct a good bike your self. Fortunately Austin’s Revival Cycles, founders of the venerable Handbuilt Present, are a dab hand at it. And for those who want proof, simply take a look at this Moto Guzzi T3 Cafe Racer they revealed on the 2022 Handbuilt present.
In keeping with Revival frontman Alan Stulburg, what began out as a primary {custom} tank construct “blew out in an enormous means”. When the mud had lastly settled the T3 was sporting completely hand-formed aluminum bodywork with a half fairing out entrance, a wasps tail cafe racer rear finish, and a singular stomach pan that includes the bike’s exhaust system into its design.
With the intention to match the brand new bodywork Revival made intensive adjustments to the Guzzi chassis. These included the reducing of the body rail, further bracing, a {custom} transmission mount, and the elimination of the rear body tube. The subframe additionally went below the knife so it might settle for a Lemans 1000 swingarm and a contemporary mono-shock suspension setup. The front-end suspension is new too with a set of 70s Cerrianni-styled CRS forks sitting in a CNC machined set of clamps. And an enormous brake improve rounds out the dealing with upgrades.
As you’d count on this Guzzi’s engine has been suitably upgraded too. Now sporting an 88mm huge bore package its capability has risen to 950cc. Racing pistons, cast rods, efficiency valves, and Dellorto PHF 40 mm carbs increase each energy and reliability and the entire bundle is topped off by a {custom} 2-into-1 Titanium exhaust system. On prime of all of it this T3 is sporting an extended checklist of different {custom} tweaks and aftermarket additions that make it a worthy member of our lauded Moto Guzzi checklist.
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Kaffeemaschine Le Mans 3 cafe racer
In the case of customising a Moto Guzzi few know their means across the marque like Kaffeemaschine’s Axel Budde. Primarily based in Germany, Axle has been constructing {custom} Guzzis for effectively over a decade. With a eager eye for element and a method that’s immediately recognizable, his work is very wanted by devoted Guzzista who can afford the premium price ticket.
This bike, which was based mostly on a 1983 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 3, was one in every of Axle’s private tasks. He builds bikes this technique to additional develop his method and fine-tune components for his on-line retailer. Coined KM33 the Guzzi is sporting a meticulously refined body and thoroughly upgraded engine to make sure efficiency excellence. The engine capability now stands at 1000cc and it’s producing a modest 85hp. Though that won’t sound like a lot, however due to all of the adjustments on this bike the engine now solely has 183kg to haul. Now add to the combo upgraded suspension, light-weight wheels, greater brakes, and a decrease middle of gravity and also you’ve obtained your self one thing fairly particular.
As for its look, KM33 is a surprising instance of Axel’s half-faired design method. With its completely stage bone line, clip-on handlebars, and rear set footpegs it’s the epitome of cafe racer fashion. The bodywork is shaped utilizing a mixture of carbon fiber and kevlar making it light-weight and robust and it sits in place utilizing {hardware} Axel has additionally developed himself.
KM33 additionally includes a lengthy checklist of specialty components from the Kaffemaschine catalog to step issues up even additional. These embody a brand new speedometer in a custom-made housing. Clip-on handlebars carrying {custom} controls and bar finish flip indicators. Discrete engine crash guards, exhaust clamps and Kaffemaschine tank emblems. To finish the transformation Axel has cleaned, polished, and repainted the engine, body, and bodywork which has left this 40-year-old motorbike wanting like a model new bike.
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Rua Machines Moto Guzzi Nevada cafe racer
Of all of the Moto Guzzi fashions to select from the Nevada isn’t one which jumps to thoughts. It was Guzzi’s freeway cruiser of the early nineties; a laid-back, slouch-framed, sporster-esque motorbike that had zero in frequent with the cafe racer ethos. Regardless of all that Portuguese workshop Rua Machines gave it a go, and the consequence was surprisingly good. So good infact that it made its means onto this checklist.
Not solely is it spectacular that Rua Machines managed to transform a Moto Guzzi Nevada right into a convincing cafe racer, however in addition they constructed a surprising instance of the fashion. An integral stage of the transformation was the revision of the bike’s suspension. Within the rear, they match the Nevada with taller Bitubo shocks to stage issues out and pull the entrance wheel in for sharper steering. Larger-performance internals have been then added to the forks to handle the shift in weight distribution.
After a couple of primary chassis modifications, primarily to the subframe, the Nevada acquired a complete new look. The entrance fairing is an Avon FRP duplicate and the tightly proportioned rear finish is a Rua Machines authentic. As for the tank it hails from fellow Italian producer Ducati and was initially mounted to a 350 GT. Clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs have been par for the course and the lighting is all new with bullet-style flip indicators and an built-in brake mild within the tail.
A standout for us amidst the entire hanging particulars of this Guzzi cafe racer is the bike’s {custom} exhaust. Tucked in neatly under the swingarm the muffler design is a stroke of genius. Together with serving to to spice up the 750cc v-twins efficiency, it visually pulls the bike decrease and squares off the engine which has labored wonders for the ultimate consequence.
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Shiny Hammer 1000SP Spada cafe racer
Identical to the identify says, this Moto Guzzi 1000SP Spada cafe racer by Shiny Hammer is a glimmering work of hand-beaten artwork.
Shiny Hammer is the pseudonym of Samuel Aguiar a furnishings designer with a gentle spot for bikes. Constructed as a private undertaking utilizing a ‘bizarre cafe racer’ design temporary the undertaking began after he acquired a closely broken Spada. After becoming a brand new entrance finish to interchange the broken one, Samuel rebuilt the forks and dropped the nostril decrease to the bottom. A pair of adjustable, air-filled Fournales shocks have been then inflated to simply the correct peak to stage out the Spada’s bone line.
As soon as he was comfortable all the pieces was sitting proper, Samuel set to work beating aluminum sheets to kind the bodywork. Beginning with the gasoline tank he opted for a traditional form, however from there, issues went slightly awry. The bulbous half fairing is completely alloy and the bracket holding it in place is welded onto the tank. For the entrance fender, he took the alternative method to most, making it considerably greater. It now slumps over the edges of the tire, all the best way right down to the brake caliper. As for the tail, it’s a tad extra conventional however no much less spectacular because it matches completely onto the body rails. To complete all of it off he polished each inch of his alloy creation to a mirror shine.
Other than the bodywork, there’s no scarcity of candy particulars on this Spada cafe conversion. Tucked away beneath the entrance fairing is a Motogadget Motoscope Professional digital sprint that casts hanging purple reflections throughout the polished tank. The clip-on bars are devoid of any muddle and the rear set foot pegs are turned from light-weight alloy and knurled for grip. The cylinder heads, fork legs, and shaft drive have been polished to match the remainder of the bike, and though easy in its design, the exhaust completely enhances the remainder of the construct. Positive you’d get tennis elbow making an attempt to maintain this Spada shining so vivid, nevertheless it’d be value it!
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South Storage Moto Guzzi Bellagio cafe racer
From a efficiency perspective, the Moto Guzzi Bellagio was a stable providing, and by all accounts, it delivered a really satisfying experience. However its gargantuan gasoline tank and behemoth seat left it wanting like a wallowing beast. So when the Italian workshop South Storage had the chance to customise a Bellagio they made quick work of its aesthetic inadequacies by dishing out with all of its inventory bodywork.
Nicknamed the Fenice (Phoenix) this Moto Guzzi cafe racer has a complete new look due to a redesigned subframe and bespoke bodywork. Taking inspiration from traditional Moto Guzzi designs South Storage shaped a brand new gasoline tank from aluminium. It wears a modern black, gold, and silver paint scheme with ghosted Fenice lettering and solid alloy South Storage badges. To maintain weight to a naked minimal the tail unit and aspect covers are carbon fiber with rear-end lighting built-in into the design.
For enhancements in dealing with the Bellagio is now operating a whole Ohlins suspension improve. The gold forks sit in a {custom} triple clamp and the rear mono shock’s distant reservoir is held by a CNC machined help. Additional dealing with enhancements will be attributed to an enormous discount in unsprung weight due to the addition of Kineo 17-inch carbon fiber rims at each ends of the bike. Finishing the dealing with upgrades are Brembo brake calipers, floating discs, and fluid reservoirs.
South Storage additionally paid particular consideration to the 935cc v-twin to make sure this Bellagio was a minimize above the remaining. On the surface, they’ve fitted it with a full Spark exhaust system, high-flow air filters, Dynatech coils, and a Rapidbike engine administration system. On the within, you’ll discover lightened camshafts, a mono-disc clutch improve, high-comp pistons, and flippantly labored heads. The result’s a 27% enhance in energy in addition to an enormous increase in torque.
Ending off the transformation is a complete vary of CNC-machined aluminum elements from Rizoma and FG Racing. The headlight is a {custom} creation utilizing CNC-milled elements and a xenon bulb and South Storage has paired it with a Motogadget Chrono-Traditional dial that sits in a equally styled {custom} housing.
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Stile Italiano Moto Guzzi 950
Italian workshop Stile Italiano has made common appearances in our High 10 lists. They made the minimize in our High 10 Harley Davidson cafe racers checklist and the High 10 Triumph cafe racers checklist, and right here they’re once more with one other very worthy inclusion. Immediately recognizable due to their hanging gold, silver, and black livery and the graceful flowing traces, Stile Italiano’s {custom} bikes are the cream of the crop, and this closely modified 850cc Moto Guzzi T3 is not any exception.
Coined the Stile Italiano Moto Guzzi CR950 the T3’s new look is the work of Stile Italiano’s lead designer Gianluca. With this design, he took inspiration from each the legendary Honda CR750 and Nineteen Seventies highway racers. Constructed utilizing a restored Nineteen Seventies racing fairing the entrance cowl has been trimmed to permit the V-twin heads to protrude. Surrounding your entire entrance finish the shapely fairing beefs the bike as much as give it a bullish stance. Behind the fairing is hand-shaped aluminum excellence within the type of a custom-made gasoline tank and tail unit.
Choosing traditional efficiency components over trendy alternate options, Stile Italiano has kitted this T3 out with a choice of uncommon, race-bred elements. These embody a set of 1980’s anti-dive forks, an authentic V7 speedo, uncommon Fox Racing air-filled shocks, and a 300mm Fontana entrance drum brake which was generally used on Works Trident racers of the Nineteen Sixties. Clip-on handlebars and rear set peg full the race-inspired conversion.
The T3’s engine has additionally been closely modified. The Guzzi’s heads characteristic a twin spark setup, the ignition system is by Dyna, and gasoline is delivered through 40mm Dellorto carbs. Stile Italiano additionally commissioned the manufacturing of a one-off exhaust for this bike from Virex. The two {custom} headers converge at a bread-box fashion muffler that sits below the engine and swingarm for an built-in look.
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Seven Motors Moto Guzzi V11 Cafe Racer
Nothing fairly beats the look of uncooked, hand-shaped aluminum. Constructed by the Verona-based Seven Motors, this V11 cafe racer showcases the workshop’s metalwork expertise. Utilizing each hand-shaped and CNC machined elements they’ve turned the portly V11 right into a lithe cafe racer.
The Moto Guzzi V11 was recognized for being a heavy bike so to treatment this Seven Motors rebuilt the motorbike utilizing ample quantities of light-weight aluminium. The lengthy checklist of alloy additions consists of the classically styled bodywork which consists of a Norton-inspired gasoline tank with deep knee dents and clearance channels for the clip-on bars, plus a tidy tail that solely leaves room sufficient for one. Constructed into the tank is a machined fast filler cap and Motogadget keyless M-lock ignition with a trick LED encompass. Within the again, the tail options built-in LED brake and switch sign lighting.
Holding the brand new bodywork in place is a wholly {custom} subframe which was once more machined from aluminium. The novel design incorporates the swingarm pivot and the mount for the monoshock rear suspension. The entrance finish is the usual V11 setup nevertheless it’s being held in place by a lightweight CNC machined triple clamp with a tiny Motogadget digital gauge recessed into it.
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For a cohesive look, a lot of the different equipment on this V11 are uncooked aluminum too. The entrance fender, fluid reservoirs, headlight clamps, engine guards, and mufflers make up a part of the checklist, however the nearer you look, the extra you’ll discover. To complete issues off Seven Motors added some velocity stripes to the bodywork however solely sufficient so as to add a bit of fashion as a result of masking up all that arduous work can be an actual disgrace.
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Blacktrack Motors Moto Guzzi Griso BT-05 Cento
Led by multidisciplinary designer Sacha Lakic Luxembourg’s Blacktrack Motors approaches their tasks slightly otherwise to most {custom} workshops. Much like producers every undertaking goes via a heavy design and engineering part to attain the perfect closing consequence. To create every Blacktrack undertaking they make the most of trendy prototyping methods and fabrication equipment leading to manufacturing facility ranges of match and end.
BT-05 Cento was Blacktrack’s first sequence manufacturing motorbike. Constructed round a Moto Guzzi Griso platform they launched a really restricted 10 motorbike run. To make every BT-05 distinctive Blacktrack completed each with a person paint scheme impressed by well-known race tracks from around the globe. The styling of BT-05 can finest be described as neo-retro because of the combine of contemporary elements and styling impressed by traditional bikes.
BT-05 wears bespoke bodywork shaped from carbon fiber. Minimalistic and angular it emphasises the bike’s aggressive look and directs consideration in direction of the bike’s big V-twin motor. The tank is definitely a canopy that conceals a 12-litre gasoline cell and the tail unit kinds a part of the rear of the tank cowl. Up entrance, there’s additionally a small aerodynamic cowl surrounding an LED headlight. Complementing the brand new bodywork is an in depth checklist of premium aftermarket components from the likes of Motogadget and loads of custom-made CNC elements that additional add to BT-05’s premium really feel.
Don’t confuse this bike as purely a styling train. From the outset, Sacha wished to create a track-oriented motorbike and that’s precisely what he’s completed. A inventory Griso runs an 1151cc v-twin that produces a good 110hp. BT-05 nevertheless places out 136hp due to a capability enhance to 1382cc and an extended checklist of efficiency upgrades. The body is a totally {custom} design created by Moto Guzzi race professional Guareschi Moto, the suspension is by Ohlins, and braking duties are lined by premium Brembo tools. As you’d count on from a track-oriented design weight-saving was key and Sacha succeded on that entrance too with the BT-05 weighing a formidable 50kg lower than Moto Guzzi’s authentic design.
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Joel’s Moto Guzzi V7 Sport cafe racer
This Moto Guzzi V7 Sport was constructed by Joel at Customized Bike Electrics in Western Australia. He accomplished the construct over the course of some years after a buddy and buyer delivered it to his store. With an extended colourful racing historical past that spanned a number of continents this Moto Guzzi V7 Sport already had loads of fascinating elements onboard, however with the purpose of driving it on the highway it wanted to be introduced again to a street-going trim. Not one to chop corners Joel satisfied the bike’s proprietor to go a step additional and with that, a ground-up rebuild of the V7 was underway.
Throughout this intensive undertaking, Joel says no bolt went untouched which is clearly evident. When the bike was imported to Australia from California it was sporting a race-spec fibreglass gasoline tank. After refurbishing the tank Joel wrapped the entrance in a Stucchi Luigi fairing and match a Ricambi Weiss tail unit and saddle. A {custom} electrics field was additionally fabricated to deal with all the pieces out of the weather.
After a full rebuild, the forks have been mated again to the V7 body utilizing CNC-machined triple clamps. The Astralite wheels that got here with the bike have been trued and refurbished and the brakes have been rebuilt and upgraded with new calipers and braided traces. One of many extra uncommon options of this V7 is the swingarm. The boxed aluminum mono-shock design got here with the bike and was probably a {custom} on-off from the Guzzi’s racing years. Joel gave it a clean-up, match new bearings, and mated it to the body utilizing a contemporary YSS mono shock. Upon opening the engine they found that the V-twin was sporting its fair proportion of efficiency upgrades. Quite than eradicating something beforehand completed, he merely overhauled the engine to maintain it operating easily for years to come back.
Lastly, to get the bike prepared for the road it was match with all-new lighting, mirrors, a Motogadget speedometer, and a ceramic-coated exhaust system with an MCS reverse cone muffler. After an intensive shake down Joel took the V7 to his native licensing workplace the place, unsurprisingly, it handed with flying colors.
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Traditional Co. Moto Guzzi LeMans MkII
Since we’re with reference to race bikes we’ll spherical out this High 10 Moto Guzzi checklist with this beautiful LeMans MkII by Traditional Co. Storage in Spain. Workshop frontman Mauro Abbadini has been constructing and racing Guzzi’s since 1994. Up to now, he’s put collectively round 200 of them. So it’s secure to say he’s considerably of an professional on the topic.
This undertaking began out as a 1981 Le Mans MkII. Destined to participate in traditional racing occasions Traditional Co. set about pushing the bike’s inventory energy determine of 71hp up into triple digits. They achieved their purpose by first growing the engine capability from 750cc to 1069cm utilizing round-bodied cylinders. They then added an SS high-performance camshaft, hi-comp Asso pistons, and carried out one in every of their store’s tried and examined race bike mods, the fitment of Porsche valve springs. Fueling has been suitably hopped up courtesy of 44mm Lectron carbs which inhale via open velocity stacks. Finishing the setup is a LaFranconi Competizione racing exhaust system which when mixed with all the pieces else has resulted in a rear wheel energy determine of 106hp.
The race-spec mods continued with the creation of an all-new CroMoly pressured member body. The swingarm is ChroMoly too and it extends the footprint of the bike by 20mm and permits the fitment of a large 160 rear wheel. The wheels themselves are light-weight 18-inch magnesium objects by EPM and so they’ve been wrapped in trendy sport compound rubber. As you’d count on the suspension has been stepped up too utilizing components from Marzocchi.
Finishing this spectacular transformation is {custom} bodywork designed and constructed by the Traditional Co staff. With the entire weight-saving modifications and the light-weight bodywork, this Le Mans MkII weighs a formidable 30kg lower than the unique. A lick of Moto Guzzi metallic inexperienced is the crowning glory on what is definitely one in every of our favourite Moto Guzzi builds of all time.
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