Bugatti

Laverda Chops - and why not?

Maybe you think it's a waste of a Laverda motor but I reckon they sit pretty well in a rigid frame:

check out more Euro Choppers here

Guzzi Flat Tracker

If such a thing can exist - looks good - spotted on French site Cafe Racer Club here: http://caferacerclub.shop-forum.net/les-ritales-f3/

Want a nice 175?

They belong to the friend of a friend in Italy - but they ain't cheap - no bargains left over there now..

DEMM 175 MONDIAL 200

MONDIAL 175 TV

MONDIAL 175 SPRINT 1

MONDIAL 175 SPRINT  2

BENELLI 175 1

BENELLI 175 2

Vespa Heaven

Sticking on a scooter theme, I visited my good friend Marco in Livorno this June when I was over in Italy. I met him while I lived in Livorno, and he was always very friendly and helpful with advice on my '52 Vespa. He has now bought somewhere just to work on and stored his Vespa collection, and it's fantastic - like a mini museum. His Vespa pin-up posters and calendars are particularly, ahem, alluring. Marco works early mornings, then spends his afternoons pottering in his shop/museum, with froends and fellow Vespisti dropping in now and again to talk or look at old parts. What a nice life...

Scootering style - keeping the faith

Driving through our nearest small and sleepy market town last weekend with the family, I spotted loads of scooters lining up, so jumped out to see what was going on - a meeting of some of the local scooter clubs, all out on their last montly run before the winter sets in. I've always liked scooters from afar (and had a few pass through my hands), and scootering style - growing up in the fantastic melting pot of youth culture in the late 70s and early 80s, you always knew someone seriously into scooters, either as part of the Mod revival in those years, or from a scooter boy side of things. I had a mate of a mate who was in the North London club Enfield Shitheads, and I was always impressed by his mix of skinhead style, dedication to Northern Soul, and his love for scooters and rallying. This lot last Sunday are the same, completely into their strong scootering culture. 

One of the blokes said he was in the Tin Soldiers Sccoter Club, check out what they're about here

Purple haze all in my brain

Do not adjust your screens. This motorcycle was one of the few interesting new models to see - and probably make your eyes pop out on stalks - at the 1927 Milan Show. It's a B.B., or Brevetti Bocchi, and its purple, well, violet colour to be precise, was chosen as it was the precise traditional shade of its maker's home city of Parma, famous for Parma Ham, Parmesan Cheese and Parma F.C.

Motor is a two stroke, air-cooled 125cc motor featuring a 51 x 60 bore and stroke, with a horizontal cylinder and bronze head, and a crankcase that looks like an ornate biscuit tin.
B.B. motorcycles sadly had disappeared by 1931. I'd liek to say we'll be testing one in a future issue though finding one would be like finding a needle in a haystack, though probably Parma's a choice place to start. Photos borrowed graciously from an old Legend Bike magazine.

Need a new gaff

I'm trying to get organised and tidy before launching fully into putting together Issue Three and my tiny office (spare bedroom) floor disappearing under various strata of printouts, empty crisp packets, unopened bills and various magazines. This is a small selection of some of my mags I'm trying to get into order. It doesn't really help space-wise if you publish a mag, your brother publishes a mag, your mates publish a mag, you work for other mags, and you get sent the occasional free mag too. My neatly-ordered collection of Motociclismo d'Epoca starts in 1992 when I first lived in Italy, and though not complete, is fantastic - heavy, big and dusty, but a vital reference resource.

My 11 month-old daughter however luxuriates in the wide open spaces of the biggest bedroom in the house...

John W'S GUZZI CAFE' RACER in ITALIAN MOTOR on BIKE EXIF

We're really chuffed to have another bike from the magazine to be featured on Bike Exif - if you don't know what that is, where've you been hiding?

Another excuse to post an outtake from the shoot of John's lovely creation - full feature in Issue Two, on sale now!!

 If you haven't been there, go directly to Chris' BIKE EXIF here and see what you've been missing...

Help me!! Fuel tank wanted for Guzzi special

Wanted - fuel tank for my Guzzi Le mans special - anything considered - project stalled - please look in your sheds and behind your sofas - been looking for two years - please help!!
Email me at jab@italianmotormagazine.com if you got anything or any leads - thanks

California Dreaming

ITALIAN MOTOR magazine is proud to be an official supporter of the 6th Giro d'California that's taking place this 3rd to the 5th of October 2010 - after all, if you can't get to do the Motogiro in Italy, California has to surely be the next best place in the world to take part? Good luck to Harley and the organisers, and best of luck to all the participants, wish we we were over there too - we'll be reporting on the Cali Giro in a future issue of the mag. More info, photos and links at the Giro d'California website here

These great shots below of the Giro were taken by Alex Zangeneh Azam - plenty more to see at Alex's website here