Custom trends will come and go, but the art of the resto-mod will always have a place in the pantheon of motorcycle culture. And one of the finest exponents of the genre is Stefano Venier.
Stefano’s bikes always remain true to their original purpose?but they do it a little bit better, and with a lot more style. This thoughtfully upgraded Kawasaki KZ 1000 LTD runs true to the Venier form, replacing the fripperies of a typical early-80s cruiser with a sleek and timeless silhouette.

The KZ1000 is called Giappone (?Japan?) and was commissioned by San Francisco-based angel investor and entrepreneur Brett Seyler, a man with a passion for the analog pleasures of riding.
?The concept was to build a street legal motorcycle in the style of a vintage race bike,? Stefano tells us. ?Giappone is the start of a new run of high performance motorcycles, with the next builds being a pair of Moto Guzzis based on the 1000 SP.?
Indeed, Stefano is best known for his modified Guzzis?so it?s a surprise to see him switch from Italy to Japan. But that was at Brett?s insistence: ?And since he is one of the best people on this planet, I agreed!?
Stefano is obsessive about quality, and works with top-class craftsmen to get the results he wants. In this case, fabricator Lou Niziri modified the original Kawasaki tank to subtly change its lines, and add cutouts for the rider to grip.

The bikini fairing is the bare minimum required for windflow deflection; it?s a competition version of the ...