For me, a new bike from Filippo Barbacane of Officine RossoPuro is An Event. And this latest Moto Guzzi custom doesn’t disappoint. Called ‘Idro’—Hydro, or water in English—it’s based on the V1000 Idroconvert, one of Moto Guzzi’s lesser-known motorcycles. The bike originally got its name from its automatic transmission (with hydraulic torque converter), and was sold in the second half of the 1970s as a tourer and police bike. Filippo’s cafe racer creation has been extensively overhauled, with a rebuilt engine and electrics, plus a custom Officine RossoPuro exhaust system. (So the power is probably better than the 71hp original spec.) The rear suspension is from Asatek, and those exquisite 18” wheels are genuine Borranis. There’s also a complete new Brembo braking system with 300mm discs at the front. The handlebars, instruments and bodywork are all custom Officine RossoPuro items, from the fenders to the tank to the seat unit. I’m sold—I can’t think of a single modern motorcycle I’d rather have than one of Filippo’s delicious old Guzzis.
