MV Agusta has an incredibly rich racing heritage that it doesn’t capitalize on. The Varese factory dominated the 500 cc Grand Prix from 1956 to 1974, winning all but one of the rider championships during those years. And the bikes were piloted by bona fide legends—guys like John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini and Phil Read.
So we find it remarkable that MV Agusta doesn’t have a single modern classic in its range. With a pedigree like that, a factory cafe racer is almost a no-brainer.
‘Chun’ Hung at Onehandmade in Taiwan is a huge fan of MV Agusta’s contemporary motorcycles, referring to them as “beautiful machines with amazing design.”
But their heritage is not lost on him either—so when a client brought him a 2013 Brutale 675 to customize, Chun looked to the past for inspiration.
“Today, MV Agusta designs look like muscle bikes,” he says. “But a long time ago, MV Agusta was making GP bikes. The shapes were very smooth. I wanted to build a bike that looks like an old GP bike, but redesigned in my own style.”
Chun’s forte and passion is metal shaping. He doesn’t use 3D modeling, and rarely uses sketches to envision a bike, preferring to jump straight into shaping the forms. So he wasn’t even sure this concept would work at first.
“I make it first,” he tells us. “If I like the shape, I’ll use it. If I don’t like it, I will put it in the garbage can.”
On this project, Chun was free to focus entirely on getting that bodywork right. His customer specifically didn’t want mirrors, a speedo or turn signals—just a stripped-down bike with a race feel.
And since the 140 mph Brutale 675 came from the factory with 108 bhp, light alloy 17-inch wheels, fully adjustable Marzocchi forks and Brembo brakes, there was little point in mechanical upgrades.
The fairing, fuel tank and tail section are all Chun’s handiwork. They’ve been hand-formed from aluminum, and designed to create a seamless flow from front to back.
And that flow really is something else. Depending on the angle you’re looking at the bike from, there are countless contours to trace. (Note how the fairing and tank junction tapers to the same point the tank’s knee indent starts.)
Chun also built a sharp new subframe to support the tail, and a custom headlight to pop in the front. Kingsman Seat handled the classic tuck-and-roll upholstery up top.
Lower down is a custom-made aluminum belly pan, and just above that is a custom-built radiator. But our favorite feature is lurking under the bodywork: a three-into one exhaust system, that terminates through the belly pan’s right side.
With the Brutale 675 transforming from a street fighter into a cafe racer, Chun needed a different handlebar setup. So he built a new top yoke with no handlebar mounts, and fabricated a set of clip-ons to round out the package.
Finishing kit includes an upgraded Brembo master cylinder, and Motogadget black anodized grips. Chun also added a hand-made rear license plate holder, with a small LED taillight. And although he didn’t need to, he installed some extremely discreet Motogadget turn signals.
The front fender is custom, and the rear hugger is still in play. The tires are Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SP V2s, and there’s a black and gold EK chain for a subtle hint of bling.
A deep gloss black paint job ties it all together, executed by Incross Custom Art. Highly detailed silver striping adds a final touch.
It’s a livery that suits the classic silhouette that Chun has created. But we reckon it would look just as good with red up top and silver below—just like those classic race bikes.
If MV Agusta took the hint and built something similar, would you be tempted?
Onehandmade Facebook | Instagram | Images by JL Photography
from Bike EXIF http://bit.ly/2wrKZ0L
The upside is that LM-S can be legally sold throughout Europe and buyers won’t have to worry about the bike failing an inspection or being turned away on importation.
