OFFICINE ROSSOPURO ‘EROICA’

Most of the leading custom builders work on commission—they get a brief from a client, a direction is agreed upon, and a motorcycle starts to take shape. Compromise is inevitable, whether it’s around budget or aesthetic direction.

But every now and then, as you can imagine, it’s good to get free rein. And that’s how Filippo Barbacane of Officine Rossopuro created this machine—a Moto Guzzi 1000 SP that he effectively built for himself.

“I wanted to make a very classic motorcycle,” he reports. “One that looks simple and clean. A bike that’s both slender and ‘long’.” Filippo wanted the color to look elegant too, so he selected a green hue from Moto Guzzi’s racing heritage.

The 1000 SP arrived in exceptional condition, with only 24,000 km on the clock—an unusually low mileage for a 1982 bike. And with a broad, torquey powerband, little work was required on the engine.

The highlight is the hand-crafted aluminum bodywork, a huge improvement on the somewhat chunky, squared-off standard paneling. The wheels are now spoked, rather than alloy, and adjustable Bitubo shocks are fitted to the rear. The front brakes have been upgraded to twin 300 mm Brembo discs, retaining the excellent standard linked braking system.

The bulky 1000 SP instrument panel has gone, and Filippo has flush-fitted a simple, single analog instrument into the custom headlight. The bowl is painted green to match the new bodywork, and is topped off with a hooded chrome bezel.

And why the name ‘Eroica,’ meaning ‘heroic’? “It’s to remember the past,” says Filippo. “When bikes were ridden by heroes, lying down and stretched out, the chin a few inches from the tank.” An apt name for a long, low machine like this one.

‘Eroica’ is now for sale; interested parties should make contact via the Officine Rossopurowebsite.

from BIKEEXIF

YAMAHA SR400 ‘BOOGIE SINGLE RACER’

The Yamaha SR400 has been selling strongly in Japan for over three decades now, so the locals are well versed in making the venerable thumper look good. This is one of the best we’ve seen: an archetype of the classic Japanese custom style, with perfectly judged proportions and a beguiling mix of old and new.

‘Boogie Single Racer’ is the third and final Yard Built machine from Yamaha’s EICMA display. It’s no surprise to learn that one of Tokyo’s top custom builders—an SR specialist of some 16 years—helped out with this one. The transformation looks simple, but a lot of work has gone into this build. Beautiful vintage Ceriani forks have been grafted on, the tank has been painstakingly cut-and-shut, and there’s a neat rear frame loop that sneaks over the handcrafted fender.

The closer you look, the more there is to see. The front drum brake is a vintage Honda fitment, and the wheel rims and tank and oil caps have been treated to elegant filigree-style engraving. The metalworking throughout is immaculate, contrasting with the slightly rough finish of the paint. It’s an authentic rather than slick result. Adding to the vintage look are curvaceous side panels, a Bates headlight and old-school rubber footpegs.

Like the two other Yard Built customs revealed at the Italian EICMA show, this SR400 is the brainchild of Yamaha Europe product manager Shun Miyazawa. He’s a long-time fan of both the European and Japanese custom styles, and this build has a special significance for him—it takes him back to his younger days and “those crazy summer Sundays spent tearing around a secluded beach or competing in a sand race.”

Yamaha has just put the SR400 back on sale in Europe, and over the next two years, will be releasing several new bikes that also hark back to the simplicity of the past. And we’ll be seeing custom versions of those too.

“Customization is a big part of our story,” Miyazawa explains. “So we’re going to be involving more builders, from both Japan and Europe. As a manufacturer we can only show a few directions, but the builders can provide extra inspiration. That’s the idea behind the ‘Yard Built’ machines, and we’ll also be putting a lot of the custom kit from the show bikes on sale too.”

So … any guesses on which builder helped out with this SR400?

from BIKEEXIF

On the set of 'Grand Prix': Pit stop with Françoise Hardy

John Frankenheimer's 1966 film, a fast-paced story of Formula 1 excitement, featured many genuine racing legends on set - and a young French singer by the name of Françoise Hardy...

With James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, Antonio Sabàto and Toshiro Mifune in starring roles, John Frankenheimer had put together an impressive international cast. Yet the real reason for the success of 'Grand Prix' - one of 1966's ten biggest box-office hits that year, winning three Oscars - was the thrill of the racing scenes, thanks in large part to help from Phil Hill: he captured real-life footage with on-board cameras at some 1966 Grands Prix, and also drove a GT40 camera car during the making of the film. Other big names making guest appearances on screen included Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt and Jack Brabham. 

Fast cars, melancholy looks

There was another reason for movie-goers to buy tickets, and that was the actress who took the role of driver's girlfriend Lisa, namely the alluring Françoise Hardy. Her melancholy looks and gentle smile had already bewitched Mick Jagger and David Bowie, and on the set of Grand Prix, where she posed wearing the helmet of fellow actor James Garner, and at the wheel of a Ferrari, she likewise put the film crew under the spell of her innocent charm. She actually suffered from severe stage fright and hated being the centre of attention; hence the picture below, in which she perches, somewhat lost-looking on a float to help launch the film in New York, is all the stranger.

From Grand Prix to style icon

From the 1970s onwards, Françoise Hardy was only rarely seen in public, although she was still very much in the public eye thanks to her fashion photoshoots for Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. 

Marco Melandri signs with Aprilia factory WSBK team

Marco Melandri will be riding for Aprilia’s WSBK factory team next season. The official statement was released the other day when Melandri’s contract with the BMW Goldbet squad expired.

It wasn’t exactly the best kept secret in the paddock, at the Italian was spotted in the Aprilia garage during the final round of the World Superbike championship at Jerez, much to the chagrin and disappointment of Eugene Laverty, who finished as runner-up in the 2013 standings and chalked up a double victory at the Spanish circuit and scored the same number of victories over the season as new World Champion Tom Sykes did.

While Eugene Laverty is poised to sign with FIXI Crescent Suzuki for 2014 with the promise of a ride with MotoGP returnee Suzuki in 2015, for Melandri it will be his fourth team since he debuted in World Superbikes in 2010 - after Yamaha, the BMW factory team and BMW Goldbet who have all pulled out of the championship.

For the 31-year old Melandri won the 2002 250GP World Championship on an Aprilia, this is like a return home, even if Gigi Dall’Igna will no longer be working for the Noale based company who took home the 2013 manufacturers title.

Dall’Igna will be working with Ducati’s MotoGP effort and has been replaced by Romano Albesiano.

Melandri has already tested the RSV4 during the one day post season test at Jerez, with new team mate Sylvain Guintoli, and they will be testing the machine again at the Aragon Motorland circuit in mid November and after his first test Melandri said, “It was amazing, when I went back to the pits, especially after the first run, I was truly happy and I felt like I finally found something I have been looking for a long time. I tried to hide it, though. The bike seems to suit my riding style very welland its compact size allowed me to find a good riding position almost immediately. The testing day was not an easy one, as the weather kept changing the whole time and there were also strong winds. Lap-times were not important, I just wanted to understand the bike and the way of working of the team.”

On the upcoming two-day test he added, “The next test will take place at Aragon on November 14-15, I hope the weather will be on our side so I can try both Laverty’s and Guintoli’s bike configurations, which are quite different. After the test I will decide whether to undergo surgery to remove some malleolus bone fragments from a previous injury, that the doctors found during a recent scan. Anyway I’m so happy of this opportunity and I can’t wait to ride the bike again.”