The Roman thinker Seneca stated that “luck is what occurs when preparation meets alternative.” If that’s true, then the story of this fetching Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber is considered one of supreme luck. Right here’s how the celebrities aligned for a Dutch designer to construct a homage to an Italian traditional, with assist from a French motorbike vendor.
Some time in the past, Luuc Muis, the expertise behind LM Creations, discovered himself contained in the Motoplex Metz showroom in France’s Lorraine area. He’d made the trek down to choose up a brand new Indian Chief as a loaner, in order that he might 3D-scan it to develop some elements. Whereas he was there, he and Motoplex’s proprietor acquired to chatting.
“They realized that I had constructed the Vanguard V85 TT that acquired launched a number of months earlier than that,” Luuc tells us. “Quickly we had been speaking about doing an anniversary challenge construct, primarily based on the brand new V9 Bobber, for Guzzi’s one centesimal birthday. Motoplex Metz is a flagship retailer for Piaggio, in order that they do a few out-of-the-box builds to advertise the model.”
“After about 10 minutes the proprietor stated: ‘Take the V9 with you as nicely, create a design primarily based on Moto Guzzi’s heritage and ship us a citation. If we prefer it, begin constructing; if not, simply carry the bike again while you return the Chief’.”
Luuc went again to his studio, and whipped up a rendering primarily based on what’s arguably probably the most iconic Moto Guzzi ever: the legendary V8 racer. Motoplex beloved the thought, and the challenge was signed off.
Shifting from behind his laptop into the workshop, Luuc stripped the donor bike down and began creating bodily mockups of the brand new elements. “I began by shaping foam blocks right into a form that represented the fuel tank, to get a sense for the scale and form,” he explains. “The fairing mockup I did with ‘CAD’—Cardboard Aided Design.”
Subsequent, the LM Creations workforce began shaping a brand new fuel tank and fairing out of aluminum. Whereas working sheets by way of his English wheel, Luuc always had the unique V8 behind his thoughts.
“They had been all hand constructed out of aluminum,” he says, “so no two had been precisely the identical. And should you have a look at images, they’re really a bit tough across the edges. So we wished to incorporate a little bit of this tough exterior within the design.”
LM Creations managed to pay tribute to the V8 with their fairing design, whereas nonetheless including a contemporary twist. The scoops on either side are a nod to the traditional Guzzi, however additionally they serve to direct air to the V9’s transverse twin engine.
“This was some of the difficult fairings I’ve ever made,” Luuc says. “Partly as a result of dimension of the panels, and since it’s tremendous exhausting to mimic the identical fabrication sample for each left and proper, and get them even. It took me a number of tries to get it proper.”
Equal consideration was given to the fairing’s paint job. The blokes knew it needed to be inexperienced, identical to on the V8. However they opted for a inexperienced hue out of Moto Guzzi’s modern-day catalog as an alternative, including one other connection between previous and current.
“As I discussed, we wished to maintain that hand-built really feel,” says Luuc. “So as an alternative of smoothing the fairing with Bondo and a shiny paint, I requested Customized Coatings to place a matte metallic powder-coating on it. It will by no means chip off, and you’ll nonetheless see a number of of the imperfections that you’d with hand-built bikes and automobiles within the 50s.”
LM Creations constructed the gasoline tank from scratch, including knee idents and ‘wings’ that emulate these on the V8. Topped off with a knurled filler cap, the uncooked aluminum impact is delightfully traditional and contrasts properly towards the inexperienced finishes. Once more, Luuc put effort into protecting issues significantly rustic.
“One of many oldest methods within the e-book is to cover the welds, through the use of strips of the identical aluminum as filler rod,” he tells us. “However we really purchased a special aluminum that’s darker, to emphasise the hand-built fuel tank and the best way it was constructed.”
Complementing the customized bodywork is a customized solo seat, upholstered by Silver Machine within the Netherlands. Luuc additionally designed a brand new high yoke, full with built-in clip-ons, and a mount for the OEM speedo. Kellermann provided a pair of discreet taillight and switch sign combo LEDs, and headlights which might be tucked in under the fairing.
Motoplex acquired their palms soiled too. They polished up the shoulders on the V9’s in any other case black wheels, put in longer rear shocks and added classic off-white grips.
With a daring Moto Guzzi centenary brand emblazoned on the entrance, this contemporary Guzzi wears its heritage with satisfaction. It’s a implausible homage to an icon—and we’d wager that Luuc and Motoplex Metz are equally grateful for that serendipitous assembly.
LM Creations | Fb | Instagram | Motoplex Metz | Photos by Jo Cappitta, workshop photos by Dominique Posthuma
