We?re suckers for classic Moto Guzzi café racers. But we like it even more when someone messes up the recipe a little. As with this sleek and quirky 1000 SP from France?which mixes conventional and unorthodox styling cues to great effect.
It comes from Samuel Aguiar, a multi-talented chap who designs furniture as well as motorcycles. He runs the Shiny Hammer workshop in Saint-Quentin, a town near the border of Belgium in northern France.

Samuel?s previous creations include a Rocketeer-style electric scooter and a stunning Shovelhead. They?re both fantastic builds but have little in common with this Guzzi.
?This one?s based on a 1981 1000 SP,? says Samuel. ?The donor bike had been crashed, and the front wheel was basically stuck in the engine. I had to make the bike ?straight? before making any mods. But on the engine, only the alternator was broken.?
The ?Spada,? as it was known, was an excellent bike in its day. It had sharp handling, an integrated braking system, and all-day touring ability. The relaxed V-twin sent around 70 horses to the traditional Guzzi shaft drive, and the bike could cruise at 100 mph for hours.
The plasticky styling has not dated too well though, and that?s the main thing that Samuel has fixed. ?My idea was to start with a ?known? style for the fuel tank, and then go a little more unusual on the front fender,? he says. ?I wanted a kind of ?weird cafe racer?.?

It’s a personal build, so Samuel had the freedom to explore a few ideas. ?I ...