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The Café Racer version


belfastguzzi

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Respect to the constructor of this, but if you dress a modern bike in classic bodywork that's what it'll look like - a bunch of parts

 

Yes. (And the CARC is such a heavy, dominant, non-descriptive lump. It's hard to make a good feature of it.)

And

I've wondered why the Bellagio has been so low key as well, given the good rider reports.

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There is absolutely nothing cafe racer about the v7 classic. It's a standard pure and simple,

if you look twice you'd think it was a 70's honda cb750. Standard Standard Standard.

The norton commando is a cafe, the new thruxton is cafe, this is a standard.

The V7 is a great starting point to build a cafe bike. Sure there are bikes that are sold already made into cafe bikes, but that is not how many cafe bikes are made. The old school way is to buy a bike and build it into a cafe bike. The factories had little to do with it back then. But it is much like what has happened with the whole chopper movement, now any idiot with enough credit can buy a "custom" chopper even if he doesn't know how to change his own oil.

So no, a V7 classic isn't a cafe bike as sold from Guzzi. But just like the Bonneville, which you can build into a cafe bike or you can buy the factory already cafe'd version (the Thruxton) you can buy it and build it or you can buy the V7 cafe classic.

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The V7 is a great starting point to build a cafe bike. Sure there are bikes that are sold already made into cafe bikes, but that is not how many cafe bikes are made. The old school way is to buy a bike and build it into a cafe bike. The factories had little to do with it back then. But it is much like what has happened with the whole chopper movement, now any idiot with enough credit can buy a "custom" chopper even if he doesn't know how to change his own oil.

So no, a V7 classic isn't a cafe bike as sold from Guzzi. But just like the Bonneville, which you can build into a cafe bike or you can buy the factory already cafe'd version (the Thruxton) you can buy it and build it or you can buy the V7 cafe classic.

 

 

That was kind of my point. I guess it has elements of a cafe (like maybe the seat, but that's about it), so in a sense it's the "cafe package" on a standard motorcycle. I'm not putting down the v7 in fact it was in serious contention for becoming my new ride because I love standards, but the v11 just had a more attractive price.

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I've wondered why the Bellagio has been so low key as well, given the good rider reports.

 

Ya think it might have something to do w/ the fact that they didn't see fit to bring it Stateside?!? You know, selling the first real cruiser-styled big block in the land that invented them & where they still outsell all the other bike styles combined?

 

I dunno, maybe they just felt like they couldn't go up against H-D on their home turf, but it always struck me as particularly... stupid? insane? of Piaggio not to pitch the Bellagio head to head against the 883 Sposta*...

 

Love the cafe'd Bellagio, regardless of the Carc. Maybe if they made the Carc out of magnesium? Would that save enough wt. to make a difference? Who cares, it's a tasty looking modern twist on the great Guzzis of yesteryear! :food:

 

 

 

* - you know, 'cause the Sportster is sposta be a motorcycle! ;)

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Anyone got a picture of Bellagio rolling chassis or frame they could share?

 

So why didn't Guzzi export Bellagio to USA? Seems to me there hasn't been Guzzi executive doing joined up thinking for years.

 

KB :sun:

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  • 5 years later...

Bellagio%20936%20CR%2002_zps1thy44cv.jpg

 

This is just gorgeous.

I'm buying the only Bellagio in Singapore tomorrow, and it's going to get either a V7 chrome tank or a polished aluminium  850 Le Mans tank, a V7 seat and maybe a bikini fairing like the Bellagio Cafe racer below. (Also a beautiful Bella.)

bellagio%20cafe_zpsovevoz1n.jpg

 

This is, in my opinion what a modern Cafe racer should look like. A marriage of modern tech, with the classic styling of yesteryear. The lack of twin shocks, sits well with the Cafe design philosophy of de - cluttering the machine. 

 

Will post progress on the transformation. 

This is what it looks like now. That's my Jackal Bobber behind it. 

20150815_163908_zpsfkgu70k7.jpg

\

THe Jackal was originally bought to be converted into a cafe racer, but I fell in love with it the way it is, Old school, beautiful. Hence the decision to buy a Bellagio and give it the caffiene treatment. 

 

Then again, I Might think twice on the V7 seat...... found this on the web, a Bellagio cafe, work in progress with original seat and a V7 tank. 

 

The Bellagio seat might look the business with an aluminium 850 Le Mans tank......... can't wait to find out. (Cut-outs on the V7 tank won't work with the Bella's seat.)

 

bellagio%20CR%20sport%202_zpsiw4idvu7.jp

 

 

If there's anyone else out there done a Bellagio Cafe racer, I'd love to pick your brains.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

.......... Bellagio in transformation.

026_zpsznwsbafy.jpg

 

Just fitted clipons and bar end mirrors, Couldn't resist having another look with the V7 seat. (It's not fitted yet, Need to change the tank first.

 

014_zpsomafwuxh.jpg

 

 

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