SUMISURA DEUXIEME FLAT TRACKER

The effervescent front man of Milanese outfit Moto SuMisura, Franco Augello, has been at it again.  His deep rooted passion for BMW’s boxer knows no bounds and if potential clients weren’t complete fanatics when they arrive, they certainly will be by the time they’ve been through the beer and salami fuelled creative consultation in the workshop. Check out the Milguass & Inge which were in the shed last month.

There’s always a story with Frank’s builds and this one, the Deuxieme Flat Tracker, is no different.

Wanting an alternative city ride to ‘JM’, his GS-based build, Frank needed a beating heart for the next project so England’s fine shores were scoured for an 800cc Airhead.  A chap from Liverpool had sadly died leaving behind his bike to be ravaged by the elements for many years before finally ending up in a local scrap yard.

The engine arrived in Milano feeling slightly sorry for itself, made worse by the courier launching it across SuMisura’s garage floor, smashing the starter motor housing. Inside the news was not much better so a full strip down and rebuild was required.  After painting and polishing the motor Frank sat it on the bench and stared intently, awaiting the inspiration, it came in the form of a flat tracker for Milano’s mean streets.

An R100 kickstart gets things going and an R45 35/9  five-speed box set the wheels in motion. Cone filters, heat-wrapped headers and stubby mufflers do the breathing.  The frame is a modified R45 with the rear end chopped and the battery box masked with mesh sheet. Rather than paint, the steel frame was stripped, left a bit rough around the edges and patinated before being lacquered.

Wheels were commandeered from an R65, 18 inches front and rear, wrapped in Michelin M45s. Forks are rebuilt R65 units with flat track guards to keep things clean, both practically and visually.  BiTurbo adjustable shockers suspend the rear.

The wiring loom has been re-made and hidden inside the frame tubes and wide, lazy angled flat track handlebars, capped off with bar end indicators.

The seat is a one-off in stitched black leather, canted forward suggesting racing off the lights will be a common occurrence, or maybe giving space for the prone position, left hand on the forks between turns one and two of Milano’s ring road.

The slim tracker tank is actually from a 1949 R25/3, now painted in silver with subtle pin striping, matching the handmade tail section.  The slack head angle and mesh front number board make for a racy looking ride whilst the machined from billet aluminium foot pegs, mini spot-headlights and LED stop-lamp juxtapose the rest of the bike’s classic origins.

Frank has had many offers to buy the Deuxieme but he is not a seller, the story behind the engine pulls at his heart strings every time he fires it up. I’m sure if you ask nicely Frank will build one to your spec, but be prepared for him to insist on at least a little artistic licence. See more from Moto Sumisura HERE on the Bike Shed and on their Facebook Page.

Les folles acrobaties d'un pilote d'avion dans le canal de Corinthe

A 57 ans, le pilote d'avion Peter Besenyei a volé entre deux falaises espacées de seulement 21 mètres en Grèce. 

OFFICINE ROSSOPURO GUZZI CAFE RACER

The custom world is rife with fads and fashions, but there are a few one-marque specialists taking the slow and steady route to win the race. On the east coast of the USA, Walt Siegl springs to mind for his high-performance Ducati builds. In Italy, if you want a Guzzi cafe racer you give Filippo Barbacane a call.

Barbacane aims to make his bikes “elegant and refined,” and he invariably succeeds. “It’s a bit against the trend,” he acknowledges. “It seems to be the fashion to leave bikes looking well ‘lived’.”

There’s nothing ‘lived-in’ about this Moto Guzzi 1000 SP, called Purosangue(Thoroughbred). It’s clean, well-balanced and ready for the road, a precision tool crafted for Mandello Del Lario enthusiasts. Unlike most Officine Rossopuro builds, this bike was not a commission—Barbacane built it to suit his own tastes. But before you ask, it has been sold.

The handling is a quantum leap from the 1982 original, with modified 45mm Marzocchi forks matched to Bitubo shocks. The brake system is built around Brembo’s upscale Serie Oro components, with 320mm discs and four-piston calipers. And the wheels are now lightweight spoked Borranis, shod with Metzeler rubber.

Barbacane is not afraid of CNC work to create new components, and for this bike he’s designed a custom mount for the rear caliper and a new engine mount. He also designed the minimal exhaust system, which was built by MASS. Despite the straight-through look, concealed baffles in the end pipes reduce the sound to acceptable levels.

Adding to the super-clean look are a compact battery, a clever rewire that hides the electrics behind the left-hand side panel, and discreet hand controls originally designed for custom Harleys. The engine and frame have been refinished in matte powder, leaving just the tank to provide a splash of color.

Fine work from a master at the top of his game. Visit the Officine Rossopuro website to see more exquisite Guzzi cafe racers, or hit up our Archives.

via BIKEEXIF

EMPORIO ELABORAZONI BRIGANTE

It’s been a little while since we heard from Dopz and the crew at Emporio Elabroazoni Meccaniche in Rome, but the boys are back with a new build, and they’re back in a big way with this stand-out custom CB400N, which has been given the moniker Brigante, which pretty much translates from the Italian as Rascal.

The bike follows the EE philospy of recycling and reusing original bikes and parts to give them new life and “new dignity”. We like that. It sounds kinda noble, and this bike does have a noble look about it.

“The donor bike was a Honda CB400N. We worked on the idea of doing a very short bike using and old mopped Piaggio Ciao seat.” The frame was shortened and reinforced to accommodate the stubby rear end with new shocks. The indicators were built in to the chopped ends of the frame to keep the seat clutter-free, while the rear LED light fitting is cleverly integrated into the cross bracing in the sub-frame that supports the seat spring.

The wiring was simplified and tucked into the frame tubes to keep it clean, but the guys are not fans of the empty rear subframe trend. “We do not love this trend of the empty hole from side to side under the seat, so we had fun reworking an old Kawasaki filter to hide the battery and fuses.” This is mounted to the left side with a round painted panel.

On the opposite site to the battery there is an old hip flask fitted – which isn’t there to sip by the roadside while you wait for the RAC, it’s actually for your tools – so you can fix it yourself and get home in time for a beer with your mates.

The tank is from an old Gilera, which has been re-worked to fit the frame. The Piaggio Ciao seat was recovered in leather, and the same leather was use to make a belt to affix the tank. The machine-gun exhaust is from a Triumph Scrambler which has been chopped and split into two exit pipes.

The rest of the mods include bates style light with a yellow lens, upgraded brake master cylinders, aluminium footrests, a flat handlebar, hand made fenders and a host of parts too numerous to list. The colour scheme was inspired by the original Gilera tank which has been graced with the Emporio Elaborazini spanner emblem, made from two opposing Es.

It’s a classy looking bike in its red & gold livery, with a clipped, truncated look, and it adds nicely to the range of builds from Dopz and the crew. There are plenty more builds from Emporio Elaborazoni on The Bike Shed Emporio Elaborazioni pages or you can check them out on their own Website.