There’s a select group of European motorcycles from the 1970s that have grown in reputation as time goes by. The BMW R-series is one, and Moto Guzzi’s Le Mans is another. Foibles and weaknesses pointed out by contemporary road tests are forgotten, and style and originality come to the fore.
This modified Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans is a great example: it’s a Mark I, most likely from 1976, and the latest machine to be delivered to a Ritmo Sereno customer in Japan. Fewer than 6,000 Mark I Le Mans were made—so you could argue that they should be left original. But Ritmo’s update is subtle and stylish, and the light engine and heavier suspension mods will give the bike a useful performance edge. Undo a couple of bolts, and you can even swap the double seat for a cafe racer-style single.