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Garage

SECOND SEASON

GREAT SUCCESS FOR “LORD OF THE BIKES”
THE TALENT SHOW FOR CUSTOMISERS

L-R: FILIPPO BARBACANE, ARYK, RINGO, PAOLO SORMANI.

IN THE ITALIAN TV CONTEST ON SKY UNO HD, PRESENTED BY RINGO, 10 OF THE TOP PROFESSIONALS BATTLED IT OUT. THEY CREATED MOTORISED SCULPTURES, INTERPRETING A SELECTED MOTO GUZZI MODEL. THE FINAL STARRED THE NEW V7 III, A 50TH ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDARY V7.

LORD OF THE BIKES, the first talent show to test the skills of the best professional motorbike customizers, has repeated the success of the first series, which aired in 2016. A must-see program for all bikers, the series is a Sky Uno exclusive for Italy, hosted in the historic Moto Guzzi factory in Mandello del Lario, and aired from 26 February to 2 April 2017. Ringo, the artistic director and voice of Virgin Radio, a passionate fan of rock and motorbikes, was confirmed as presenter. The jury members were confirmed too: Filippo Barbacane (a world-famous Italian customizer, a true artist who represents the modern myth of Moto Guzzi philosophy), Paolo Sormani (an esteemed motorcycle journalist) and Aryk (an artist who specialises in airbrushing, custom painting and vintage graphics for helmets). They were joined this year by tester Gianfranco Guareschi, aka “il Guaro”, a great Italian motorcycle racer (in 2006 Italian Supertwins champion and winner of the Battle of the Twins in Daytona with the Moto Guzzi MGS-01, a success he repeated in 2007, again on a Guzzi).

“For our world, Lord of the Bikes is pure innovation. We had nothing like it before” Gianfranco Guareschi says.

Il Guaro comes from a family of expert bikers and mechanics, whose Guareschi Moto garage has been combining a passion for the Moto Guzzi brand with outstanding expertise in two-wheeler repairs and modifications for years. The jury applied its professionalism and experience to judge the ridability, usability and performance of the motorcycles prepared by each team. Lord of the Bikes 2017 saw 10 teams of experts wielding their creativity and wrenches to create the custom bike of their dreams.
THE GARAGES. The garages competing in the second edition came from all over Italy, from Sicily to the Aosta Valley. Lord of the Bikes has become a supreme showcase for the country’s best preparers and customizers, who bring all their special talents and virtuosity to the battle.

In each episode, the competing teams were asked to choose a Moto Guzzi model to customise: Audace, Eldorado, Griso, V9 Roamer or V9 Bobber. Like last year, the final saw the contestants at work on a very recent entry from Mandello del Lario: this year it was the V7 III, the 50th anniversary tribute to the legendary V7. Of all Moto Guzzi bikes, the V7 is the model that most easily adapts to even the most radical customisations.

Ten teams of preparers fought against each other in five eliminating rounds, to customise a Moto Guzzi. Each episode included a road test conducted by super tester Gianfranco Guareschi on the customised bikes, which not only had to look great, but also had to be ridable and fully functioning.

The winning team of Lord of the Bikes 2017 – Andrea Radikal Chopper and the futuristic Dynamica – will receive a Guzzi bike, a personalised customisation kit and be featured on the cover of a trade journal.

INFO:
www.garagemotoguzzi.com/it/lord-of-the-bikes