Latisana Is a Custom-Made 1982 Moto Guzzi Le Mans III Cafe Racer From Austria

Despite all this, Martin “Sewy” Fischer of Sewy Motorcycles was rather unfazed and dead set on building himself a bespoke Guzzi with classic heritage and cafe racer geometry. As with many (if not most) bike-modding artisans, Herr Fischer’s love for two wheels was initially cultivated by his father, who would regularly take young Martin out in the sidecar of his Dnepr.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the Austrian dove head-first into the motorcycling industry once he’d finished his studies. Having gained heaps of experience during his 10-year professional career, he recently decided to allocate some of his spare time toward a custom project. The donor had to be a vintage machine, though, as Martin feels that most modern bikes lack the character he was after.

Eventually, the guy managed to score a Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans III from the model-year 1982. With its legendary Tonti frame and 844cc longitudinal V-twin making 76 hp, this thing was the perfect starting point for the transformation Martin had in mind. Following the project’s completion, the specimen was renamed Latisana after a picturesque town in northern Italy – not close to Mandello del Lario or the shores of Lake Como, but near and dear to Sir Fischer’s heart.

What’s more, the whole experience made him reconsider his entire career path, so he quit his corporate job to start wrenching on bikes full-time. That’s how Sewy Motorcycles came about, specializing in maintenance, restorations, and fully-fledged custom projects. Now that we've given you a bit of context, let’s take a closer look at what Martin did to this caffeinated Le Mans III.

Of course, taking the Mark III apart was the first thing on the list, then it came time for Sewy to get creative. Having deleted all the stock bodywork aside from the front fender, he busied himself with fabricating a new fiberglass attire from scratch. The mesmerizing gas tank placed center-stage brings about a pinch of mystery, as its shape is based on the fuel chamber of an unidentified ‘70s racing motorcycle.

A mold was created from the original part, to then be used in shaping Latisana’s module. Behind the fuel tank lies an understated solo seat enveloped in black leather upholstery, and it fronts a voluptuous cafe racer-style tail section. Peeking up close, you will also see a discreet inner fender preventing road debris from going where it shouldn’t.

In terms of footwear-related upgrades, the creature’s standard wheel hubs were laced to a pair of 18-inch Akront rims. These aftermarket hoops are cloaked in Bridgestone rubber up north and a ContiClassicAttack tire from Continental at the opposite end. As far as suspension goes, Martin had the Guzzi’s air-assisted forks rebuilt, while ditching its OEM shocks to make way for adjustable Koni units with progressive springs.

Besides receiving an invigorating makeover, the Le Mans’ forks have also been lowered to give it a tougher stance. Latisana’s cockpit is superbly decluttered, featuring a bespoke top clamp, a retro-looking aftermarket speedometer, and clip-on handlebars outfitted with stylish grips and compact switches. Rounding out the ergonomic package are rear-mounted foot pegs from Tarozzi’s range.

Martin really went to town when it came to the powertrain mods, as well, polishing the valve covers, refurbishing the cylinder heads, and replacing any worn internals where needed. In addition, he fitted the engine’s Dell’Orto carbs with mesh-covered velocity stacks made of aluminum. On the exhaust side of the equation, the Mark III gained high-end Lafranconi silencers for improved airflow and a more pleasant soundtrack.

A youthful electronic ignition system also makes an appearance, along with a modern battery stashed beneath the swingarm. The lighting suite doesn’t let us down, either, comprising aftermarket LED turn signals, a Bates-style taillight, and a vintage-looking headlamp whose origin is unknown. Then there’s the paintwork.

It combines gloss-black and a contrasting red hue, all topped with snazzy white highlights to round everything out in style. With the paint job out of the way, Martin was finally able to call it a day, stepping back to admire the fruit of his labor in all its glory. Sure enough, the long hours spent in the garage after work really paid off!

Latisana spent some time as Martin’s personal bike, but it eventually got sold to an eager client from Vienna. We’ll have to disappoint you in case you were hoping to find out the price, because there’s no word on the sum it went for, nor how much Sewy spent on the makeover. In any case, we’re hoping to see more like it in the near future.