Apparently this past Saturday was International Female Ride Day. Turns out we were already out on the bikes since it was one of the first 70+ days here in the Midwest. We blasted around some Wisconsin Rustic Roads, taking photos with the road signs. If you collect 10 roads and send in your photos you get a Rustic Roads Motorcycle Tour patch. Kara's all about patches.
Simone Conti is an Italian based Industrial Designer who at the time of this creation was only 24 years old. What you're seeing is his first (yup) swing at motorcycle customization. Some photos of the bike were floated around back in 2013 but Simone has been tweaking and reworking it's design since then, molding the project into a much more refined and functional composition. The most striking visual is the bike's new framework - 6mm thick aircraft grade aluminum panels CNC'd into a structural design reminiscent of Ducati's trellis. These framework panels are tied into a new curved aluminum tube backbone that swoops from the steering head back, to also integrate subframe, seat, and monoshock provisions. Ohlins suspension was grafted in front and back, borrowing the monoshock and swing arm from a 1098 model. Simone was responsible for all the custom carbon fiber fairings and engine covers as well as the updated 2-gallon aluminum tank design. The exhaust routing went through many revisions. In the end Simone settled on the reverse exit design you see here. The battery and control modules were relocated behind the carbon fiber fairings while some of the other electrical components were housed under the tank. Wheels were borrowed from the Multistrada and the whole bike weighs in at about 374lbs (170kg).
Simone very deservingly took home first place at the Italian Motorcycle Championship in the Custom class.
Stacked stainless steel rings are individually PVD-coated to create the stepped gradient visual. PVD coating (Physical Vapor Deposition) introduces reactive gas and metal vapors which form a compound that is deposited on the material as a thin, highly adherent coating.
It's been a hell of a trip thus far. We've made it to Ha Long Bay up from Saigon so far via the Ho Chi Minh trail and Highway 1. Check out the site above for some from-the-road ride reports. You can also follow along on Instagram for some real-time updates (@motomucci). We're out here exploring for another 9 days. Here's a quick photo dump from the trip thus far.
The trip has begun! 4 riders and myself flew in to Vietnam the other day to kick off our 20 day adventure from Saigon to Hanoi, Vietnam. We'll be touring the country April 1st - 19th on Ducati motorcycles with the intent of seeing all the highs and lows this beautiful country has to offer.
We'll be posting regularly to the website, Facebook and the riders individual Instagram accounts:
Custom Motorcycles & Design, Portland OR.
portland customs tee - $19.95
