Elbert Hubbard says “If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t say anything, don’t do anything, don’t be anything.” For Vitaly Selyukov, owner of the Balamutti Workshop, this is more of a challenge than anything else; say something, do something, be something, and welcome the inevitable criticism that comes with it.
And if you know criticism will come, why play by someone else’s rules? You can also be as weird and wild as you want. For example, building a custom BMX-style motorcycle with a Ducati motorcycles engine.
This wild Ducati/BMX hybrid took Balamutti over three years to complete. An intricate mix of Ducati parts, handcrafted and repurposed parts, it will leave even the most famous of custom builders scratching their heads. But there is a method to Vitaly’s madness.
He claims the bike is truly the perfect bike for a “relaxing ride,” with its light weight and what he calls “the unobtrusive look.”
This build is named ‘Malavita’ (Italian for ‘Underworld’) and is based entirely on what used to be a Ducati Pantah engine. ‘Once’, because this power station has undergone a rather harsh transition. The vertical cylinder was removed and the remaining cylinder was over-drilled, converting the L-twin into a single 426 cc engine.
The six-speed gearbox was also converted to a dry five-speed with automatic clutch, using the input shaft from the Monster 600 and the output shaft from the Hypermotard 1100. Finally, an oil cooler was fitted to the front of the car. gear. motor to help maintain low running temperatures.
The welded trapezoidal frame is inspired by BMX bikes, with the motor suspended from a few small stands on the main frame. The single-sided dual fork setup is arguably the most astonishing design detail on the Malavita. It is designed and built in-house using Marzocchi parts, while carbon brake components are used to save weight.
At the rear, the single swingarm is borrowed from the Hypermotard 1100 and hooked up to a Penske monoshock. The handlebars are made in-house and the saddle is taken from a circa 70-year-old bike, completing the BMX’s minimalist aesthetic.
The front wheel is Balamutti spokes, laces, while the rear wheel is from a Ducati 916 and is fitted with Pirelli MT60 tires. Finally, the frame, wheels and small details are painted in this unique fresh green.
Malavita is clearly a builder’s vision, and as a builder’s vision, that builder can do whatever he wants with it—even if that means turns the entire bike into a rolling Scotch dispenser. No, the fuel tank cap on the front of the bike and the fuel hose under the saddle are not for refueling. They’re for the finest Scottish malts—Vitaly’s favourite.
Fuel is actually contained in a custom 7-litre tank, hidden inside a boxy two-outlet muffler tucked under the bike. Lithium-ion batteries are also included, but don’t worry—the silencer is a fake. Look closely, you’ll see the exhaust actually exits right in front of it.
When doing something for yourself, criticism doesn’t really matter. Want to make an ultra-light, ultra-fast BMX motorcycle? Do it. Want it to spew Scotch? Why not.
This is exactly the kind of fun absurdity we love, and we hope it inspires more builders to take the leap and just build whatever they want—critics Damned!
Balamutti | Instagram | Pictures of Ostrovsky Roman
