Classic Moto Guzzi SP1000 Restyled as a Cafe Racer Wears Alfa Romeo-Inspired Colors

Simplicity is a beautiful concept, and you should look no further than the custom Guzzis forged by Kaffeemaschine to understand why we say this. Axel Budde’s builds are all about clean lines, sexy proportions, and an overall design language that’ll make you wonder if they’re mere renderings. As anyone who’s familiar with his work will know, Axel has that whole beauty-in-simplicity thing down to a fine art!

When it comes to bikes and cars, Kaffeemaschine’s mastermind is admittedly a sucker for all things Italian, not just the Moto Guzzi marque he exclusively deals with in the shop. Herr Budde owns two classic Alfa Romeo Giulias – one coupe and one sedan – which he’d upgraded extensively on a mechanical level.

Thus, the inspiration for his 37th project came from the Giulia GTA 1300 Junior Stradale of the 1960s, more specifically its Biancospino colorway and four-leaf clover (or Quatrifoglio) motifs. As for the chosen donor, Axel picked one of the many Guzzis featuring Lino Tonti’s iconic frame design, namely a 1981 MY SP1000. Once the motorcycle had been delivered to his Hamburg-based garage, it was game on.

In typical Kaffeemaschine fashion, each and every piece of factory bodywork was immediately ditched, making way for bespoke garments all-round. The new outfit is made of a composite material blending Kevlar and carbon fiber, so it’s sturdy yet unbelievably light. Up front, you’ll see a streamlined bikini fairing complete with a clear windshield, and it encircles a retro-style headlamp that keeps things looking classy.

There’s a slim front fender taking pride of place lower down, joined by a similar counterpart at the opposite end. Above the SP1000’s Tonti-designed skeleton lies a fresh gas tank featuring cafe racer-esque knee indentations and a flip-up filler cap. Right behind this custom fuel chamber, Axel installed a boxy tail unit with flush-mounted LED lighting, as well as a unique solo saddle upholstered in-house.

Unsprung territory is now home to valanced Morad hoops, Avon tires, and stainless-steel spokes, which connect the rims to retrofitted drum brakes. Aiming to improve the motorcycle’s suspension, Meister Budde had its telescopic forks refurbished and rear shocks replaced with progressive aftermarket parts. Then, he turned his attention to the cockpit area.

The idea was to keep it as clean and decluttered as possible, so the Kaffeemaschine treatment saw the OEM dials swapped with a single Chronoclassic gauge from Motogadget’s catalog. Clip-on handlebars also make an appearance, wearing bespoke grips, shiny control levers and elegant switchgear. Additionally, we find a single fairing-mounted mirror rounding everything out at the front end.

As with most of his exploits, Axel deemed it necessary to extract a little more grunt from the bike’s V-twin engine, bringing its peak output digits up to 82 ponies. This was made possible by a higher-spec cam from Kaffeemaschine’s very own inventory, along with Dell’Orto PHF carburetors, larger valves, and a stainless-steel exhaust system sporting removable dB killers.

Once the crankshaft and flywheel had been lightened, a premium electronic ignition module was added as a final touch. Mandello del Lario’s classic spartan lost a considerable amount of weight during the customization process, currently tipping the scales at an impressive 410 pounds (186 kg). The last piece of the puzzle was the Alfa Romeo-inspired paintwork, which comprises a white base, green accents, and decals like those found on the vintage Giulia.

Now, here’s a teeny bit of information you might be interested in learning: Budde recently kicked off a collaboration with Moto Borgotaro to make some of his machines and aftermarket parts available in the United States. At the time of this article, the reimagined SP1000 we’ve just admired is up for sale at MB’s Brooklyn-based garage, but the asking price hasn’t been made public. Nonetheless, we can safely assume that it’s not going to be cheap!