There’s no denying that I’m a huge fan of Axel Budde and his custom motorcycle outfit, Kaffeemaschine. Axel flew onto my radar many years ago, and has continued to impress with his elegant interpretations of classic Moto Guzzis. Today we’re looking at KM37—a 1981 Moto Guzzi SP1000 wrapped in an Alfa Romeo-inspired livery.
The SP1000 shares its frame design with that of all the great Guzzis of yore. Designed by Lino Tonti and first appearing in the 1971 V7 Sport, the Tonti frame was in production (in one Guzzi or another) all the way up until 2013. I’ve been lucky enough to have ridden a few Tonti-framed bikes, and the telepathic handling is nothing short of amazing.
Axel is also a fan of the lithe triangles that make up this legendary chassis. In usual Kaffeemaschine style, however, he’s turned it up to 11. Along with being a Moto Guzzi fan, Axel has an affinity for Alfa Romeo cars—specifically from the 60s and 70s.
“I own a Giulia sedan and coupe, heavily modified, technically,” says Axel. “I see parallels with the Moto Guzzi; a great donor that, when modified, reveals all of its charm and potential.”
Influenced by the 60s Giulia GTA 1300 Stradale, this café racer wears the Biancospino color with style. The green accents and Alfa logo match the car perfectly. The rider is also treated to a pair of Quadrifoglio (four-leaf clovers) on the insides of the fairing, just like the ones found on the Giulia.
Axel has a keen eye for proportions, which is why you can pick a Kaffeemaschine build a mile away. KM37 is no different, sporting a stunning bikini fairing and maintaining a long, low silhouette. All the bodywork was custom-made by Axel, using a carbon-kevlar material.
Complementing the classic lines are Morad alloy rims, valanced for that retro charm, with stainless spokes and Avon tyres. Axel specifically wanted drum brakes, even though he quickly points out that Alfas of the time were already using discs. By his account, it was a mammoth effort getting them to fit—but it was worth it.
The rider cockpit may look simple, but just like the philosophy that Axel lives by, simple things are never simple. Dressed with new clip-ons and grips, KM37 also wears custom switches. Painstakingly developed by Axel himself, they look deceptively austere (we highly recommend trawling through his Instagram account to find the switchgear development videos).
A full suite of Motogadget electronic parts was used too, further simplifying the build both inside and out. A Motogadget Chronoclassic takes center stage under the fairing; its large analog rev counter (with a digital speed reading) is a great nod to vintage racing machines.
No good Kaffeemaschine Guzzi build would be complete without some good old-fashioned engine work. These engines were built for reliability, and are more than capable of producing a few extra ponies. With 1000 ccs to play with, Axel added his own Kaffeemaschine camshaft and Dell’Orto PHF carbs.
The flywheel and crank were lightened and balanced, the ports were enlarged to 36 mm, and bigger valves with modern seat geometry were installed. An electronic ignition rounds out the system. All the hot gases exit rapidly from a Kaffeemaschine stainless steel exhaust, complete with removable dB killers.
Just like the Alfa Romeo race cars from the 60s, this Guzzi has been on a serious diet. Thanks to the new carbon-kevlar bodywork and a trimming of all unnecessary bits, it weighs in at just 184 kg [405.6 lbs]. That should help the Guzzi eagle fly far and fast, especially with the upgraded engine now pumping out a healthy 82 hp.
Kaffeemaschine is based out of Hamburg in Germany—but if you’re reading this from the USA, I have some great news for you. Axel has teamed up with Peter Boggia and his Brooklyn-based shop, Moto Borgotaro, to make his builds available Stateside. KM37 is there right now, and for sale—complete with a custom bike cover, tool kit and owner’s manual.
“I have experienced KM37 in person,” explains Peter, “and I think it’s the best custom Guzzi I have ever seen.” That’s high praise, coming from the guy behind one of my all-time favorite Moto Guzzi Le Mans.
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