Axel Budde of Kaffeemaschine has been working for long on Moto Guzzi motorcycles, and it shows. Dubbed ‘Machine 14’, this particular example is the latest in a long line of custom Guzzis lucky enough to have been worked on by the Hamburg-based builder. Sporting the stance and the clean lines of a classic cafe racer, the bike is based on a stock Le Mans 3 donor bike, and the minimal aesthetics are a breath of fresh air in these days of OTT builds.

As Kaffeemaschine’s Swiss customer required a custom Guzzi with a decent riding position and the ability to carry a passenger, Axel went about fabricating a custom seat and a scalloped fuel tank for a better riding posture. And while the Guzzi was stripped down, Axel also visually lightened the styling by detabbing the frame and running a new wiring loom. Meant to carry two people, the sporty design of this Le Mans has been carefully retained by adding a set of pillion pegs built in the same style as the rear sets.

On the performance front, the motor has been bored out to 1000cc, along with the additon of a lightweight clutch, sporty cam and electronic ignition system. The exhaust system features BMW silencers, which are mounted using adaptors, and the whole setup is coated in matte black. The handling has been upgraded too, with FAC dampers at the front and Ikon shocks at the rear. Though Axel retained the stock twin rotor setup, stainless steel brake lines and modern brake cylinders bring the Guzzi down from speed much quicker. Finally, the delicate green bike is set off with spoked, high shoulder rims shod with Bridgestone BT45 tyres.