Unforgiveable?

[VladTepes]

First let me say that I love the Benelli Sei motorcycle.

Objectively, at least on paper, it's not as good as a Honda CBX but IMHO the Benelli is / was a bike with some unfathomable special quality, making it more desirable - at least to me. Love the look and sound of those 6 pipes!

A 750 Sei:



Anyway they are increasingly rare and therefore increasingly expensive. So when I found out someone had cafe-racer-ed one, I was somewhere between dubious and pissed off. The claim that just the engine and frame were salvageable but, yeah it'd still have made a good basis for a restoration.


In any event, this is what they came up with.



What I like:
A lot of creativity and careful engineering has gone into this, to make it as good as it is. Essentially a modern sporty  riding experience, with a classic and gorgeous sounding engine.

Colour scheme.

Single sided swingarm - but then why not just get a Ducati?

What I don't like:
It's not a Benelli Sei anymore. It's just a Benelli Sei's engine with other bits bolted to it.

The bodywork is WAY too narrow for the engine it's out of balance.

That front guard - looks horrible on a modern bike, looks worse on this.

The typical and unoriginal and uninspiring approach to a modern expensive bike build:

full suite of Motogadget electronics and lighting: Motoscope, Mo.unit Blue, Mo.lock NFC, Mo.blaze indicators, Mo.switch Mini, Mo.grips, etc.

$$$$$

As for those pipes - probably sounds great for the rider but I reckon anyone behind would promptly go deaf.

More pictures here:

BENELLI 900 SEI CAFÉ RACER

What are your thoughts?

[grog]

IMO only. One of the classic looking pin ups of the motorcycle world. Shouldnt be messed with. Based on its looks only.

[GSXKING]

Benelli & 6 cylinders I'm unsure what the motivation was for any of the 6 cylinder machines ?
Many manufacturers have had a go.
Customising a potentially historic motorcycle 🫣 WTF 🤬

[Mick_J]

What a lot of fuss over a Honda 500 engine with a couple of cylinders welded on, give Alan Millyard a call he will make you one. 

[Phill P]

If it had been an original spitfire painted in redbull colours I would get your argument. However it's a benelli 
So long as the guy that signs the cheque is happy then so be it. I'm sure a museum somewhere has some.

[hard road]

sorry guys but I kind a like it !!!!  not to keen on the seat area but each to their own. I'm all for modifying bikes though, done a few 

[Kiwifruit]

Not a bad static display, don't know that I'd ride it. Nice pipework though.

[dave55]

Not keen on the headlight or the colour of primer but what the owner has done is surely what we all do to a certain extent ? We take a basic 1400 and do things to it to change bits of that bike to how we like it and then change a bit more until we sit back and say Yes thats how we like it and dont care about the rest of the world liking it ?

[grog]

Exactly correct Dave. In early 70s i progressed thru 4 GT750. I spent so much time on L model, fully ported, home made expansion chambers, lots of hassle, lots of time etc.  Other 3 i rode basically stock. It ended up so bloody quick, used so much fuel. Today, 50 yrs later, only one of them sticks in my memory, my Mates also still bring it up in talks . The value of modding, all good.

[hard road]

I had a few people ask why I modified a classic Zed 1000 and should of left it as standard !!! I said I didn't, it was a ground up build from various Kwak and Suzuki parts.    the only genuine Kawasaki parts where the tank and frame, and the frame was off a Zed 1100 shaft   

 

[GSXKING]

Ground up build that's quite the effort 👍
I like the overall look so is it a KawaZuki ?

[grog]

So beautiful hard road. Amazing job. Lower bars and bar ends would my only change, just me nit picking, take no notice. Superb work. 

[T250]

Very nice, I think @Notty posted some time ago someone used a Bandit 12 with Kwak Z9 bodywork, you can't get away from the old Z9 classic look.

Very nice job Hard Road 

[dave55]

Nice !    What are the wheels off ?

[hard road]

thanks guys     I think the Zed's are the best looking production bike to come out of Japan, just love the body shape. but the bikes are dated now so better suspension and wheels and brakes make em ride/handle better. the oil cooled suzuki engine is my favourite motor, strong with plenty of power and good looking. the front wheel is of a triumph the rear is a triumph hub with a wide stainless rim and spokes. 
but like an idiot i sold it    so I'm in the process of building another one, it won't be as good as this one as I'm on long term sick and don't have the cash 

Tony.