Ever heard the expression “A builder’s house is never finished?” It counts for custom motorcycle builders, too. Even though customization is their bread and butter, many of them ride bikes that are stock—or just partially modified.
That was the status of Nicko Eigert’s 2012-model Moto Guzzi V7 up until recently. The founder of Indonesia’s Smoked Garage bought the V7 about a year ago as his personal daily runner, but it soon became the shop’s workhorse. And even though he had a million ideas of what he wanted to do to it, a steady stream of customer projects kept it on the back burner.
Things changed when the Moto Guzzi, which had been super dependable until then, broke down. With parts on order from Italy and the V7 patiently waiting on the bench, Nicko and his team couldn’t resist making a few tweaks. Before long, plans to build a full-on custom build had taken shape.
“The concept that we went for was a futuristic scrambler with a touch of vintage,” says Nicko. “We wanted the bike to be super nimble and wild, so that when you corner it just wants to slide. We also wanted to ensure it could split lanes through traffic easily.”
Visual inspiration came from a Royal Enfield Himalayan that Smoked had built a few years back. The idea was to keep things in the same aesthetic ballpark, but amplify the styling to match the bigger Moto Guzzi. Taking cues from the Himalayan, Smoked ditched the OEM bodywork and fabricated a monocoque tank and tail unit out of aluminum.
As impressive as the monocoque is, it hides some of Smoked’s trickier work. Most of the V7’s frame is bespoke, as is its swingarm and rear mono-shock suspension setup. A channel through the center of the body reveals the bike’s centrally-mounted Öhlins shock.
“We wanted to change the character of the motorcycle to be much more responsive in urban environments,” Nicko explains. “To do so, we had to go with a mono-shock. We also wanted to have the center of gravity closer to the engine—so we placed the shock ‘in’ the tank, with a custom triple-linkage to have it all working like a Swiss clock.”
Smoked retained the Moto Guzzi’s front forks, but upgraded them with Öhlins internals. The stock hubs were laced to matching 18” aluminum rims, and the brake calipers were swapped out for Brembo items.
The front end sports a handmade aluminum headlight shroud, fitted with a powerful LED projector. In a delightful display of overkill, Smoked added four more spotlights further down, mounted in custom-made fork protectors. Completing the lighting is an acrylic LED-equipped taillight; a Smoked Garage signature.
Closer inspection reveals a tiny camera mounted at each end of the bike. Both are integrated with an aftermarket dash mounted to the bars, recording each ride automatically and eliminating the need for rear-view mirrors. The cockpit also features MX-style handlebars, fitted with Motogadget switches, grips, and bar-end turn signals.
The V7 is finished in a striking green and copper color scheme, with dollops of carbon fiber to tie everything together. Minimalistic graphics include the Latin word for copper on the tank, and the bike’s nickname on the headlight nacelle; ‘Grumpy.’ The seat features two layers of fabric, with a laser-cut pattern on the top layer revealing the contrasting color beneath it.
Finer details include a neatly hidden RFID ignition, and a smattering of CNC-machined parts. A two-into-two stainless steel exhaust system adds an appropriately rowdy soundtrack.
Smoked’s Moto Guzzi V7 not only looks more compact now, but it weighs less too. Nicko’s managed to shave 22 kilos [48.5 pounds] off of the chunky V-twin, making it even more fun to hoon around on.
“Overall, it’s exactly what I envisioned how my personal motorcycle would look and feel,” he adds. “Very pleasing to the eye—but wild to ride.”
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