In the 1970s Kawasaki’s ‘Mach’ series were among the models that defined a decade that now, nearly 50 years on, is inspiring nostalgia, affection and the contemporary popularity of so-called ‘Retro design’, especially among custom bike builders.
A new project by Italian customiser Nicholas Martini is just such a case in point – one that mixes contemporary design values with adherence to the original concept in equal measure.
His limited edition Vulcan 70 has been inspired by those legendary Kawasaki motorcycles of the seventies, in particular the Kawasaki H1 500 Mach III, in the form of a make-over kit for the Kawasaki Vulcan S.
Martini wanted to “translate the concept of custom and cruiser to a cafe racer look without changing the technical aspects of the bike”.
“The dual seat, the long tail, the twin exhaust and round headlight were the first details that inspired me,” says Nicholas Martini. “The concept appealed to Kawasaki Italy, and they helped me with this project, making a limited number of 100 of these kits available through official Kawasaki dealers in Italy.”
Sergio Vicarelli of Kawasaki Motors Italy commented: “The hardest part in the creation of a “new edition” of an iconic product lies in the capacity to embody all the hallmarks of a distinctive design. Nicholas successfully selected just a few essential elements of design and transferred this feeling to a popular current Kawasaki model.”
