Photo: Dotto Creations
These days, one can come across a handful of customized old Honda CX500s, as the donor machines are fairly popular all over the world, particularly in the "Café Racer" segments. But what you're looking at is a special piece that looks like a modern work of art when stationary and offers "a smooth experience when ridden."
Built by a pair of ex-Pininfarina and Italdesign designers from Dotto Creations, this unique ride is their first project. The donor? A 1979 Honda CX500, which was deconstructed piece by piece, stripped to the bare metal and rebuilt until the mechanics were restored to their original reliability. The designers also gave it a proper name: Biancaneve ("Snow White" in Italian).
Their goal was to keep the spirit of the beloved classic, which, at the time, was powered by a four-stroke V-twin engine with a five-speed transmission and a displacement of 497cc. The powerful liquid-cooled engine produced up to 50 hp at 9,000 rpm, allowing Honda's little beast to reach a top speed of 112 mph (180 kph). It doesn't sound like much, but back then, it was enough to bring thrills at every turn.
The designers started to model it as a pure shape, focusing on a body that looks like it's floating when it's stationary on top of a blacked-out chassis. This fluid structure was possible by seamlessly hiding the seat into the body.
When the rider wants to hop on the ride, the seat cover opens up to reveal a saddle that ensures a comfortable driving position. The elongated tail also gives the Biancaneve a more aerodynamic feel. Dotto Creations says that the whole idea was to break down the machine into its basic components and then reassemble them from the ground up.
Apart from the pod filters, most of the bike's original working parts were kept as original as possible. The iconic Moto Guzzi-esque engine was restored, and the five-spoke Comstar wheels were also retained. Overall, the designers wanted to restore the 42-year-old machine's simplicity while adding a modern Italian touch that looks incredible.
Their goal was to keep the spirit of the beloved classic, which, at the time, was powered by a four-stroke V-twin engine with a five-speed transmission and a displacement of 497cc. The powerful liquid-cooled engine produced up to 50 hp at 9,000 rpm, allowing Honda's little beast to reach a top speed of 112 mph (180 kph). It doesn't sound like much, but back then, it was enough to bring thrills at every turn.
The designers started to model it as a pure shape, focusing on a body that looks like it's floating when it's stationary on top of a blacked-out chassis. This fluid structure was possible by seamlessly hiding the seat into the body.
When the rider wants to hop on the ride, the seat cover opens up to reveal a saddle that ensures a comfortable driving position. The elongated tail also gives the Biancaneve a more aerodynamic feel. Dotto Creations says that the whole idea was to break down the machine into its basic components and then reassemble them from the ground up.
Apart from the pod filters, most of the bike's original working parts were kept as original as possible. The iconic Moto Guzzi-esque engine was restored, and the five-spoke Comstar wheels were also retained. Overall, the designers wanted to restore the 42-year-old machine's simplicity while adding a modern Italian touch that looks incredible.
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