Tucked away in a corner of one of the gigantic EICMA halls is a small booth belonging to Giulio Paz. It’s in the no-mans-land of Chinese component manufacturers, but it’s attracting a steady throng of awed visitors.
In the middle of the booth is this BMW R1200-based custom. Paz is an industrial designer with a passion for motorcycles, and he’s created one of the most original BMWs we’ve seen since El Solitario revealed the R75/5 Baula.
Giulio Paz’s ambition was to “create something unique—to upset the aesthetic balance of the last decades, without compromising ergonomics, handling and reliability.” And he’s certainly done that. His inspiration came from the first two decades of the twentieth century, when function dictated design. Paz also aimed to keep the profile of the BMW low, with the tank below the seat line.
‘Diva’ is a ground-up build: Only the 110-hp, 1170-cc boxer engine and the electrics remain stock, for ease of servicing. The frame was created by racebike specialist Moretti, and the milled parts come from Bonamici Racing, which helps to build the BMW superbike racers.
The bodywork and non-load-bearing components are made of carbon fiber, produced by Pro-Lite Advanced Composites. The colors are impregnated into the fabric before it’s cooked in the autoclave, and the finishing is sublime.
Although there is a lot of WSBK-grade componentry in this machine, Paz describes Diva as a ‘fast bike’ rather than a race bike. “It’s built for a sense of freedom, and to gratify the senses,” he says. “It’s something unique and exclusive, in the way that only a handmade product of high quality can be.”
Paz is planning to build more of these machines, and can personalize them down to the smallest detail. A reasonably deep wallet is obviously called for, but then again, quality and artistry never came cheap.