custom motorcycles
ROCKET CUSTOM GARAGE
The frame has been de-lugged and modded so that the triangular area under the seat is clear.
This meant relocating the coils, regulator, battery, and other electrical junk and binning the airbox. The battery is a Shorai item weighing in at 1.2kg as opposed to the 12kg original, and is significantly smaller, so can fit between the carbs. The coils now hang between the cylinders and the rest of the electrical is either under the new seat hump or hanging under the new seat tray welded to the frame. The rear of the frame has been modded into a curve to match the seat unit so is now well tidy. I will admit that I have copied the blue/black frame from a bike built by Guzzi Tek but that is it.
Build 4 is work in progress. The plan is to turn the Guzzi Mille GT on the left, into the Rocket Guzzi below in blue. The red GT is the actual bike purchased off Ebay for a good price and had 32,000 miles on the dial. It looks ok in the photo, but believe me, it needs lots of hard work. It was stripped to it's nuts and bolts and is well on the way to being the Show/track bike it needs to be.
Paul Curtis was again given the task of rebuilding the motor, not sure I would trust anyone else now as his knowledge in this area is second to none. The cases and covers will all be Aqua Bead Blasted in a natural but clean aluminium look. Whilst the internals will remain standard due to there being no wear inside, the flywheel will be half the weight of the original and new valve springs, piston rings, bearings, bushes etc will be fitted along with the new uprated clutch package. I estimate the total weight shedding will be in the region of 25-30kg, so with a better revving motor, all new suspension, and sticky rubber, this wee thing is going to fly.
The front end is all new, apart from the lower leg castings, these were blasted and coated in satin black. The chrome uppers were new, along with the progressive springs and damper cartridges. Yolks are original but blasted and satin blacked too. The trick piece is the new speedo, a GPS analogue job from Speedhut in the USA. Yup, a GPS speedo with a proper dial. The receiver picked up a satellite signal withing 40 seconds under the tin roof of the workshop while it was under the GRP seat unit also, that's pretty good. The wheels too are looking mighty fine, with the original hubs and rims blasted and painted by Mick at Solo Paint, then
re-laced with new stainless spokes and nickel nipples, looks very racey, especially with the Excel decals on the rims in yellow. The rear end will be pretty much as the factory made it as there's not much you can do with the swingarm unless you throw big money at it, so I just swapped out the rear shocks for some awesome adjustables from The Shock Factory. £300 for the pair and the quality is as good as you get from a set costing £800. With the loom finished and everything wired in, it's just the engine to fit and I can be up and running asap. The sound will be awesome with the big bore titanium cans, the downpipes will be made by Richie at Competition Fabrications again, no point going anywhere else with him around.
Painted by
Graphics by
Shocks by
GAS CAP by
