Sci-fi-themed motorcycles are often a visual disaster, but we’re digging this Mandalorian-inspired custom Ducati Streetfighter from Jerem Motorcycles. We also feature a classy Moto Guzzi Le Mans from the United Arab Emirates, a modern Sportster with vintage looks, and the new Moto Morini Calibro and Calibro Bagger.
Ducati Streetfighter 1098 by Jerem Motorcycles If your passions include motorcycles and Star Wars lore, Jérémie Duchampt at France’s Jerem Motorcycles has a treat for you. His latest café racer, based on a Ducati Streetfighter 1098, pays tribute to the popular Star Wars television show, The Mandalorian.
Themed custom bikes are often clichéd messes, but most of the Mandalorian-inspired details on this custom Ducati Streetfighter only become apparent as you examine the bike closely. From a distance, the bike cuts the same aggressive lines that we’ve seen on previous Jerem Ducati builds.
The Streetfighter retains its OEM fuel tank but swaps the rest of its bodywork for a series of handmade sheet metal pieces—including a café racer-style tail section and a pair of side fairings. The parts are painted with a chrome finish, mimicking the beskar armor worn by the titular Mandalorian, Din Djarin. Ceramic-coated and leather accents, all in brown, pick up the aesthetic of the show.
Jérémie also fabricated a headlight cover that mimics the Mandalorian’s helmet, and commissioned Yaya Brush Sellerie to echo that design in the seat’s upholstery. Several other nods to the show are littered throughout the bike, but this Streetfighter is more than just motorcycle cosplay—it’s sporting some hop-up parts too.
There are myriad carbon fiber trim bits fitted, Brembo brake calipers, Pirelli Supercorsa tires, and ISR brake and clutch controls. The cockpit wears a one-off steering dampener mount, custom clip-ons, and CNC-machined aluminum bar-end mirrors.
Jérémie saw to a few sensible fixes and mods too—like refurbishing the radiator, replenishing the plumbing, and moving the voltage regulator for better cooling. Take a gander at the engine, and you’ll spot the requisite open clutch cover, and a CNC Racing hydraulic clutch slave cylinder.
Sure, Jerem’s Ducati Streetfighter may appeal more to geeks than regular Joes. But if you look past the Star Wars references, it’s still a pretty cool café racer. [Jerem Motorcycles]
Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1000 by Sheriff Motorcycles Moe from Sheriff Motorcycles in the UAE loves custom bikes and Moto Guzzis. So when the opportunity to buy a retired 1984 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 1000 race bike came up, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to finally build a custom Moto Guzzi.
When Moe found the Le Mans, it had been well and truly used for its intended purpose. The bike had campaigned in Spain and had also competed at Spa, Le Mans, and other European tracks. While it could run like a racehorse, it was originally built for endurance so none of the road-going accessories were fitted—which made it easier for Moe to tear it down and redesign it.
A custom fairing was made by hand, with inspiration seemingly taken from Agostini and Magni racing parts from the 1980s. The round headlight is an LED unit, as are the Motogadget bar-end turn signals. Motogadget also supplied the speedometer and switchgear, with Tommaselli clip-ons and custom CNC mirrors completing the rebuilt front end.
The seat and rear cowl were made by hand and finished with diamond-stitched leather, which also matches the new grips. The bodywork was finished in a stunning green and silver livery, harkening back to Moto Guzzi’s early racing successes. The gold accents are a nice touch, and are reminiscent of the gold details that Moto Guzzi themselves added to their Centenary special editions in 2021.
Since it was a race bike, the big Guzzi had had all its electronics stripped, so Moe had to fit a new alternator, voltage regulator, and custom wiring harness. Fueled by 44 mm Mikuni racing carburetors, Moe says that this thing absolutely flies.
The whole project took Moe six months, but we bet he’ll be enjoying the fruits of his labor for the rest of his life. [Source]
1957 Harley Davidson Sportster Tribute by Bleeding Heart Customs Cheyenne ‘Shiny’ Keogh, the talented builder behind Bleeding Heart Customs, has her father Mark to thank for her love of motorcycling. Straight out of the family conservatory-slash-workshop comes Cheyenne’s latest build—a 2009 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883. Heavily inspired by the first Sportster from 1957, Cheyenne has transformed her EFI Sporty into a stunning recreation of the original bike.
“The 1957 Sportster is the classic, the first one of its kind, and it just appealed to me as soon as I saw it,” says Cheyenne. “Not too low, a great paint line on the tank (especially that two-tone color scheme), and a classic looking exhaust and seat.”
Classic steel fenders were wrapped around new spoked wheels and painted a beautiful metallic blue. The tank is from a Superlow model and bears a striking resemblance to the original Sportster—especially with the two-tone paint job.
The factory seat was replaced with a solo saddle and the rear end was lifted with longer Hagon shocks. This gave the bike a few inches more clearance and set its stance just like the Grandfather Sporty’s.
The 7” Lucas headlight is mounted on custom brackets that Mark made in his workshop, using his go-to setup; an 80-year-old pedestal drill, a vice, a hacksaw, and some files. A set of black Highway Hawk Beach Bars were slipped into the handlebar clamps and a set of classic crash bars were bolted to the downtubes. The final piece of the puzzle was a custom twin exhaust, made to mimic those found on the original 1957 Sportster.
Even the most loyal H-D owners would be hard-pressed to notice that this is a modern bike – a fact that Cheyenne and her dad both love. The Motor Co. has been re-releasing modern versions of its classic lineup for years, but it’s sorely missing a reinterpreted Sportster. And with the recent demise of the air-cooled Sportster, it looks like we’ll never get one. [Source]
New Moto Morini Calibro and Calibro Bagger Have you ever looked at the modern Honda Rebel and thought it needs to look more… American? That’s what it seems like Moto Morini has done with their brand new cruisers—the Moto Morini Calibro and Calibro Bagger.
The Moto Morini name goes back to 1937 when it was founded in Bologna, Italy by Alfonso Morini. Morini’s lithe single-cylinder racing machines of the 50s and 60s paved the way for their stunning 72-degree V-twins of the 1970s. Moto Morini was going well until the company was plagued with the financial woes that befell many Italian motorcycle companies back in the day.
The company has changed hands a few times and is currently owned by the Zhongneng Vehicle Group. The Moto Morini X-CAPE adventure touring bike launched in 2021, along with the Seiemmezzo naked bike. Roll into 2024 and the Calibro line is Moto Morini’s first foray into the world of cruisers.
Propelled by a 700 cc inline twin, the Calibro features a low 28-inch seat height and a 440-pound dry weight. It also looks like someone put a California club-style Harley in the wash on the hot setting by mistake.
That’s not to say we don’t like it, though. We initially asked ourselves why anyone would want a 700 cc bagger, but the more we look at the Calibro, the more it grows on us (like a fungus).
The LED lighting, 41 mm forks, and 18F/16R wheels all look the part. The engine pumps out a respectable 68 hp and even has a slipper clutch, while Bosch ABS controls the 320 mm front brake and 255 mm rear brake. Wide-profile tires give the bike a chunky, custom aesthetic.
While the stripped-down Calibro looks okay, we are quite taken with the Calibro Bagger. Even though the engine looks like it came from a Kawasaki Vulcan, the miniaturized batwing fairing and five-gallon panniers suit the bike to a tee. The bagger also features a more stylish rear fender over the standard Calibro.
At $5,999 for the Calibro and $6,799 for the Calibro Bagger, both make for a compelling argument if you’re looking for a mid-sized, but manageable, custom cruiser. And for all the flack we’re dishing out, when has Italian styling made anything look worse? [Moto Morini]
