Roman Philosopher Seneca says that “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” If that’s true, then this fetch story Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber is one of the luckiest. Here’s how the stars bonded for a Dutch designer to build an homage to a classic Italian model, with assistance from a French motorcycle dealer.
A little while ago, Luuc Muis, the talent behind LM Creations, found himself inside the Motoplex Metz showroom in the Lorraine region of France. He made the trip down to pick up a new Indian chief on loan, so he could 3D scan it to develop some parts. While he was there, he and the owner of the Motoplex chatted.
“They know that I built Vanguard V85 TT was released a few months earlier,” Luuc told us. “Soon, we talked about building a celebratory project, based on the new V9 Bobber, for Guzzi’s 100th birthday. Motoplex Metz is a Piaggio flagship store, so they do some finishing touches to promote the brand. “
“After about 10 minutes, the owner said: ‘Bring the V9, create a design based on Moto Guzzi’s heritage and send us a quote. If we like it, let’s start building; if not, just bring the bike back when you return it to the Manager.”
Luuc returned to his studio and completed a build based on what is arguably the most iconic Moto Guzzi ever: the legendary V8 racer. Motoplex loved the idea, and the project was signed.
Moving from the back of his computer into the workshop, Luuc took the donor’s bike down and began making physical models of the new parts. “I started by shaping the foam blocks into a shape that represented the gas tank, to get a sense of size and shape,” he explains. “Advanced modeling that I did with ‘CAD’ – Cardboard Support Design.”
Next, the LM Creations team began to shape a new fuel tank made of aluminum. While running the plate by his English wheels, Luuc constantly had the original V8 engine in mind.
“They are all hand-built from aluminum, so no two are exactly alike,” he said. And if you look at the photos, they’re actually a bit rough around the edges. So we wanted to put a bit of this rough exterior into the design. “
LM Creations tried to honor the V8 with their fairing design, while still adding a bit of modern style. The scoops on each side are a classic Guzzi touch, but they also serve as direct air ducts to the V9’s twin transverse engines.
“This is one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever done,” says Luuc. “Part of it is due to the size of the plates, and because it is difficult to imitate the same fabrication pattern for both the left and right sides, and make them even. It took me many tries to get it right. “
The fairing’s paint job is given equal consideration. Guys know it has to be green, like on a V8. But they chose green outside of Moto Guzzi’s modern-day portfolio to add yet another connection between past and present.
“As I mentioned, we wanted to keep the hand-built feel,” says Luuc. “So instead of smoothing the crankcase with Bondo and varnishing it, I asked Custom Coatings to apply a matte metallic powder coat over it. This will never change, and you can still see some of the imperfections you used to make with bikes and hand-built cars in the 50s.”
LM Creations built the fuel tank from scratch, adding knee bars and ‘wings’ that mimic those found on a V8. Adorned with a knurled sub-cap, the vintage-style raw aluminum effect is interesting and contrasts nicely with the green finish. Once again, Luuc strives to keep things particularly rustic.
“One of the oldest tricks in the book is masking the welds, using aluminum strips like the filler rods,” he tells us. “But we actually bought another aluminum in a darker color, to emphasize the handcrafted fuel tank and the way it’s built.”
Complementing the custom bodywork is a custom solo seat, upholstered by Silver Machine in the Netherlands. Luuc also designed a new top fork, complete with built-in clip-ons and a holder for OEM speedo. Kellermann has provided a discreet pair of taillights and turn signals incorporating LEDs, and the headlights are located below the crankset.
Motoplex also gets their hands dirty. They’ve polished the V9’s black wheel shoulder blades, fitted a longer rear shock and added a classic white gripper.
With the Moto Guzzi 100th anniversary emblem emblazoned on the front, this modern Guzzi exudes a sense of pride in its heritage. It’s a great homage to an icon — and we bet Luuc and Motoplex Metz are equally grateful for that chance encounter.
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