Climb astride this sensational 1970s-style custom café racer

For us, the greatest era of motorcycle design was the 1970s, when sports and racing bikes rode the fine line between their former delicacy and future brawn. The custom motorcycle maker Kaffeemaschine channelled this aesthetic with this Moto Guzzi-based build, which is currently for sale…

Taking a 1,000cc Moto Guzzi Le Mans 3 from 1983 as their base, the talented folks at Kaffeemaschine in Germany built this beautifully minimal café racer as a showcase of the lengths to which it can go during a custom project. Kaffeemaschine number 26 was conceived as a discreet and homogenous 1970s-style sports bike and the Moto Guzzi around which it was built was stripped entirely and essentially redeveloped from scratch.

The focus throughout was very much on ‘less is more’ – the frame was reduced and modified to accommodate a suite of modern electronic systems, the suspension, brakes and engine were all overhauled, and the curvaceous fairing, prominent yet elegant tank, pert saddle and side panels were all crafted from Kevlar and aramid, before being painted the classic combination of black and gold. In fact, the entire bike is a mix of polished and matte black and gold – all the aluminium brightwork was anodised in black, including the bespoke stainless exhaust system, and Kaffeemaschine even went to the effort of sandblasting every last stainless steel in order to align with the overall aesthetic.

Following its completion, KM26 was exhibited at the 2019 Bike Shed Show in London before taking pride of place at Kaffeemaschine’s HQ. It’s now ready for a new discerningly stylish owner to enjoy it as it was intended to be enjoyed.