1400cc Guzzi Café Racer from Radical Speedshop…
Radical Speedshop has been at the forefront of Moto Guzzi tuning for nearly three decades. Run by the Bronold family of Germany, the workshop has earned a reputation for extracting high levels of performance from their beloved Italian “tractors.”
Back in 2021, we featured their “NOSferatu” drag bike — a nitrous-injected Moto Guzzi Quota with a bored-out engine making 180-220 hp, built to race in the European 1/8-mile sprint series. That bike led to “NOSferatwo,” which has a completely custom frame, 1400cc Griso 8-valve engine, and NOS injection.
These nitrous-injected drag bikes continue to wow fans of European sprint racing, as does Radical Speedshop’s 1700cc MGR “Cento Anni” café racer — a naturally-aspirated monster that boasts 164 hp and 202 Nm (149 ft-lbs) of torque.
But Radical Speedshop doesn’t just make Guzzis to go fast in a straight line — they build track weapons as well. The bike you see here is their MGR 1400 Tricolore, built for racer Thoralf Mertens:
“A guy with lots of racetrack experience and a great racer. He races a lot of Ducatis, but now he loves the MGR.”
The MGR series is Radical Speedshop’s own evolution of the Moto Guzzi MGS-01 production racer — a factory hot-rod never available in a street-legal version, likely due to Euro3 emissions standards. They built the first MGR for the “Essenza” Design Contest in 2016, which they won:
“The name MGR stems from the MGS-01 — a sportbike from Guzzi — what’s next after MGS is MGR.”
The machine you see here started life as an ’07 Bellagio, a 494-lb roadster / cruiser with no business on a racetrack…until the Bronolds got their hands on it.
This MGR 1400 now boasts a modified frame, Öhlins USD fork with CNC yokes, Brembo brakes, lightweight alloy tank and tail, spoke wheels, and a Griso eight-valve engine with 1400cc big bore kit, hotter cams, Keihin FCR41 carbs, titanium exhaust, quickshifter, and more.
Nicknamed the MGR 1400 Tricolore after the handsome Italian colorway, this fire-breathing Mondello monster has tempted Thoralf away from his beloved Ducati, both on the track and street.
“The bike is a sportbike that you can ride aggressively on the street and on the track, and it looks good in the paddock too. It’s a bike you can ride to the track, go fast on the circuit, and ride home.”
Below, we talk to Stefan Bronold of Radical Speedshop for more details on the build.
Moto Guzzi 1400 Café Racer: Builder Interview
• What’s the make, model, and year of the donor bike?
Moto Guzzi Bellagio, 2007.
• Why was this bike built?
Bike was built for our customer Thoralf Mertens, a guy with lots of racetrack experience and a great racer. He races a lot of Ducatis, but now he loves the MGR.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The design concept is our MGR Design, which we originally built for the Essenza contest in 2016. Thoralf loved this bike and wanted the same in a tricolore version.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
Öhlins USD fork with CNC triples, our self-made speedo, frame customization, alloy tank and tail, LSL clip-ons , spoke wheels, titanium exhaust system, self-made footrests, Brembo brakes, Griso 8V engine with our big bore kit and camshafts, sinter clutch, quickshifter, minimized electrical loom, Keihin FCR41 carbs, tricolore patina airbrush.
• What’s the story behind the bike’s nickname?
The name MGR stems from the MGS01 — a sportbike from Guzzi — what’s next after MGS is MGR.
• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike, especially on the street and track?
The bike is a sportbike that you can ride aggressively on the street and on the track, and it looks good in the paddock too. It’s a bike you can ride to the track, go fast on the circuit, and ride home. Also, the MGR’s have been successful in the drag racing, as we’ve shown with our MGR 1700 Cento Anni.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
The performance of the bike. It’s really fast and easy to ride.
Follow the Builder
Website: www.radicalspeedshop.com
Facebook: @radicalspeedshop
Instagram: @radicalspeedshop
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No. Just no.
Looks like a converted 1400 California.
If not, why bore out a Griso??
Wheelbase is way too long. Tonti frame?
Pass.
Dang what a neat machine! Love it.the other models too! All I can say is Wow!
“The name MGR stems from the MGS01 — a sportbike from Guzzi — what’s next after MGS is MGR.”
Is the German alphabet backwards? Shouldn’t it be the MGT? Gorgeous bike and I’d love to ride it.
I thought the same, but it could be “S” = Sport, “R” = race ?
Why don’t they develop a frame for this modified engine?
I think someone used one of their engines with the GCorse frame from Guareschi Moto, which would be a great combination.
Yes, Stefan didn’t mean R comes next in the alphabet, but that the “R” (Race) version of most models is the next higher-spec / more performance-oriented type than the “S” (Sport) version. Nissan GTS vs GTR; Honda Si vs Type R; Kawasaki H2 SX vs H2R, etc.