If there’s one trend we’d love to see more of this year, it’s engineered simplicity. We’re suckers for ultra-clean custom bikes that match timeless aesthetics to modern performance. It’s an art form that Filippo Barbacane is well versed in—as evidenced by this tastefully modded Moto Guzzi California.
Filippo runs Officine Rossopuro on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Although the workshop doesn’t only work on Moto Guzzi restomods, the Italian V-twins do form the bulk of their output. So Filippo knows Moto Guzzi’s back catalog well—and, like any good Guzzista, the man has his favorites.
“The idea came from the desire to create a sports cruiser based on a Moto Guzzi,” he says of this project. “The California was born as a cruiser, but it has always amazed me because of its rideability compared to other cruisers. Its frame was derived from a racing bike, after all.”
“I wanted to push this concept further, but still maintain something of a cruiser look and not a café racer, or anything else. The California’s chassis and rideability are legendary, so the idea of enhancing this bike, both in terms of its engine and its chassis, had been on my mind for a while.”
Officine Rossopuro started with a 2005-model Moto Guzzi California 1100, which was promptly stripped down to its nuts and bolts. Filippo cleaned up the frame—but didn’t hack or modify it in any significant way. “Because the California frame is derived from a Tonti design, it’s already very minimal,” he explains.
The California’s engine wasn’t as lucky. Filippo yanked it out, replacing it with the 95-horsepower powerplant from a Breva 1100. It breathes easy via a custom-made airbox, and sports twin-spark heads, an upgraded ECU, and drag exhausts from MASS.
With more power on tap, Filippo turned to improving the California’s suspension and brakes. The upside-down forks are Marzocchi units, upgraded with Öhlins and Andreani parts. They’re held in place by a set of custom-made yokes, with the whole front end designed to improve the bike’s ride height while maintaining the original wheelbase.
Twin Brembo radial calipers add extra stopping power to the front, with a dual-piston Brembo caliper fitted out back. Filippo also specced the California with new tubeless spoked wheels, measuring 18” at the front and 17” at the back, and practical Bridgestone Battlax tires. The adjustable piggyback shocks are from Bitubo.
All of the Moto Guzzi’s bodywork is new, from the headlight nacelle and front fender, to the tapered fuel tank, belly spoiler, side covers, and load-bearing rear fender. “This is the most creative and most fun part for me—the creation of the aluminum bodywork, all made by hand according to traditional metal shaping techniques, without molds or anything else,” he says. “The beauty of working alone in the workshop is that it allows you to create without constraints or limits, without anyone intervening on the project.”
“I always and only make unique pieces, so I study each individual project to measure, never repeating anything—even on request. After all, the very concept of customizing, of personalizing the bike, would lose its meaning. Every customer must have a unique piece in the world, otherwise, they could just buy a cheaper production bike.”
Filippo’s passion is clear in the myriad details scattered throughout the California. There’s a clear organic line flowing over the tank and seat, while the bone line below is perfectly level. The front of the seat tucks neatly into a recess in the fuel tank, and the rear fender features an integrated housing for the taillight.
Like the bodywork, the California’s finishing kit is all bespoke. The foot controls, dashboard support, engine protectors, and handlebar risers were all CNC machined specifically for this project.
With an eye on reliability and serviceability, Filippo worked his way through the electrical system too, trimming it down to the bare essentials. He also fitted a full set of LED lights, and an Acewell speedo that includes the regular dummy lights plus a fuel level sensor. Narrow and tall LSL handlebars add a hint of cruiser styling to this tidy retro standard.
Resplendent in a sophisticated red, silver, and black livery, Filippo’s inch-perfect Moto Guzzi California epitomizes the idea of form and function existing in perfect harmony. More of this, please.
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