What happens when you let the nut cases at Italian custom house Officine Rossopuro get their hands on an old Moto Guzzi police enduro bike? They build a wild scrambler built to take on the world—literally. Steel exhaust pipes, so they can be welded when you bit it on a rocky mountain pass, a seat that hides a glove compartment complete with removable hand guards, and a soft, foldable saddlebag. That’s just the start of the changes to the NTX 350 donor bike.
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To create this off-road custom, which Officine Rossopuro calls the Levante 750, the Italian tuning shop turfed the soft old 350 and bolted in a 750 v-twin of similar vintage. They took off the modern electronic fuel injection system, instead mounting easy-to-maintain carburetors and adding a simple electronic injection system. The original lights were retained, mostly because they’re cheap and easy to replace, which on a global adventure, they’ll probably need to be. They even threw out the old 21-inch front wheel in favor of a new 19-inch job with upgraded brakes. The two-into-one exhaust is routed through the frame, not only to protect it, but because it looks sensational. This is Italy, after all.
The workmanship is supreme, with the vivid red frame components setting off the brushed aluminum beautifully. The old twin shocks are gone, replaced by Bitubo units that betray their modernity with a pair of remote reservoirs. Weight is down to 330 pounds, which is heavy for a dirty bike but light for a world-ready adventure rig, especially one with a whopping 750cc lump shoehorned into it.
Gallery: Levante 750: Moto Guzzi NTX 350 Scrambler Build
At only 50 horsepower, the engine is a lazy one, but that’s good for low-down torque and long-range fuel economy. The Levante also comes with two clip-on fuel tanks, one low range, one long-range. Final drive looks to be the shaft drive of the 750. That too, is good for low maintenance on long journeys.
This bike looks so beautiful it’s hard to imagine throwing it at a proper, off-road challenge, but the builders claim it’s every bit capable of touring the world on all sorts of paths.
How much will you pay for a true custom scrambler, with a stonking great Italian heart? Sadly no price is listed. If you have to ask…