Kaffeemaschine Le Mans Mk III

Every few months, a freshly-customized Moto Guzzi rolls out of Axel Budde’s Hamburg workshop. And you know what to expect: it will be stripped back, elegant, immaculately finished and powerful. Axel has hit a groove, and it’s a wonderful one. This Le Mans, his seventh custom build, is nicknamed “Caffettiera d’oro”—meaning golden coffee machine. “But ‘caffettiera’ can be a nickname for an old or derelict vehicle, too,” he says. “I like the double meaning.” The donor bike was a Le Mans Mark III, which already had Mark IV heads and bigger carbs. Axel has upgraded the motor still further, taking...