moto guzzi nevada 750 club motorcycle by recast moto

this custom motorcycle started its life as a 1999 moto guzzi ‘nevada 750’ that recast moto modified into a classic scrambler coated in charcoal paint. based in minsk, belarus, recast was founded in 2015 with the intention of building bikes based on refined ideals, designs, and models. for this project, the workshop team led by matiz lemark, sourced a weathered ‘99 moto guzzi ‘nevada 750’ and got to work.

all images © recast moto

the moto guzzi ‘750’ was chosen to be turned into a classic-style scrambler, with a, ‘very brutal, very black and very male aesthetic’ says recast moto. in belarus such motorcycles are a rarity, with many people having not even heard of the brand. recast moto’s real moment of inspiration came after browsing the work of italian shop, venier customs. its moto guzzi ‘traktor 2’ was a huge influence on what the minsk workshop wanted to do.

perhaps the most complex element of the project was the bike’s gas tank. recast moto had the particular tank shape in mind for some time; it wanted to emphasize the moto guzzi’s lines, while being unique, simple, and elegant. it chose a gas tank from a honda ‘CB750’ which was ordered from the US, and took a month to arrive. while the workshop was waiting on its arrival, it started on the wheels, and engine. the wheels are now fitted with 18″ spoked rims, and knobby heidenau ‘K60 120/90S’ tires.

the frame was de-tabbed, and the rear section was modified so that the shocks could be mounted. the customer requested that the bike should have straight tailpipes, plus a set of footrests for the passenger, so the frame was modified with fasteners for rear foot pegs from a moto guzzi ‘V35’. at the front, the shocks were left original, but recast moto shortened them by 4 inches to get the bike’s stance just right. the position of the carburettors was then changed, requiring new mounts and velocity stacks. a round T&T speedometer was added, and modified with some brass, along with the mounting bolts for the shocks, the plugs for the front damper, the mirrors, plus a few other items.

the bar buttons are made from a polymer-coated duralumin (an aluminium-copper-alloy first used in WWI aviation). the motorcycle’s grips are from a snowmobile, and their honeycomb pattern was used on the seat’s stitching. after many layers of charcoal paint, it received a host of finishing touches, and a fresh moto guzzi logo, to really set it off.