‘Terremoto’ Moto Guzzi Quota 1100 by Moto Studio
It’s a killer Moto Guzzi from Miami’s Moto
Studio, and if you’re into scramblers we’re pretty sure it will rock your
world. Moto Studio’s two main protagonists, Max and Bruce,
gave us the low down on how the bike came to be. “When Moto Studio set
out to build a ‘scrambler’, there were plenty of options,” says Max. “We could
have gone light; maybe a MotoGuzzi V50 or a Ducati Donor. But
when we met with our client who happens to be six foot five
inches tall, the only choice we had was to go big.” And so
‘Terremoto’ was born. Starting with a Moto Guzzi Quota 1100, a
bike that’s about as common as it is attractive, the design
team got to work.
The nature of the project meant
that Bruce, Moto Studio’s founder, designer and
fabricator, had to run head-long into uncharted territory. The real
challenge here was to creating a rear sub frame that would not only support a
full-sized rider, but also work visually with the bike’s twin spar frame. Replacing
the plastic gas tank provided another daunting challenge; to this end a
Kawasaki tank was halved, thinned and then meticulously welded to create a
perfect fit. On top of this, some unique and hand-formed removable knee guards
protect the tank’s subtle yet impressive paint job.
The front end was sourced from a KTM
EXC that was cleverly fitted with axle clamps from a KTM 950
adventure to allow dual front discs. And the wheels alongside are tubeless
items from Woody’s Wheel Works in Colorado.
As with all Moto Studio builds, all
electronics have been replaced with some el primo goodies from Berlin’s
Motogaget. And with the removal of the factory fuel injection system, a Sachse
Electronik unit handles the ignition duties while the big twin now breaths
through a new set of 36mm Delortos. When asked about the exhaust, Max says “the
two into one creates a big bass note and certainly announces the
arrival of Terremoto in a suitable fashion.” Hell yeah.
When pressed, the lads nominate the subframe as
their favourite part of the build, and it’s not hard to see why. While its
construction is quite contemporary, it also works aesthetically with
the frame, tank and seat.
So if you happen to be in downtown Miami in the near
future and you feel the ground move beneath you feet, don’t panic. It’s more
than likely going to be a happy customer of Moto Studio’s going for a ride.
Either that, or it will be a giant Japanese catfish.
