If there was ever a motorcycle that doesn’t need customizing, it’s the MV Agusta Brutale 800. It’s one of the most successful modern designs, and proof that a high-performance bike can also look elegant.
That makes Luca Pozzato of Officine GPDesign a very brave man. He’s created a custom Brutale for the French oil company Motul, and replaced the chiseled edges of the original with stark metal bodywork.
The bike is called Onirika 2853, and to Pozzato’s credit, was one of the undisputed stars of the Verona Motor Bike Expo last weekend.
The name ‘Onirika’ apparently means dreams—although it’s not in any dictionary we could find. And the year 2853 will be a millennium after the foundation of Motul in 1853.
All that remains of the original Brutale 800 is the 92 horsepower inline triple and the frame. Pozzato’s vision of the future obviously edges towards the dystopian, because there’s a brutality to the new metalwork that parallels the Brutale name.
As a styling exercise, Pozzato has delivered the goods. There’s a hint of rat bike in there, accentuated by the matt grey paint, and steampunk too—check the hefty brake lines, the gear-shaped fuel cap and the bronze highlights.
The twin rectangular headlights add to the industrial vibe, and the seat is studded with rivets—no doubt excellent for grip, if not comfort.
This is not the first time Pozzato has revamped a Brutale: his stunning ‘One’ from 2013 has a similar retro-styled tank and dark aesthetic.
This time, he’s illustrated the tank and tail unit with an intricate, seamless collage of engine parts, applied via a water-transfer printing process called cubicatura.
After doing the rounds of the show circuit and dealerships, Onirika 2853 will be auctioned off. The proceeds will go to Motul Corazón, the oil company’s house charity, which helps underprivileged kids around the world.
Is the bike a success? Judging by the attention it received in Verona, the answer has to be yes. It’s also a custom that doesn’t compromise the scintilating performance of the original.
So what would you put in your garage: a showroom stock Brutale 800, or the Motul version?
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