[Moto] Dream bike: Aermacchi 250 restomod from 1961

[#Wittels-]

The Austrian craftsman Christian Schwarzenlander, after more than a year of work, has made this jewel from a 1961 Aermacchi 250 Sprint.

Aermacchi made airplanes but after World War II it started building three-wheelers. Harley-Davidson took control of the brand with the idea of selling small-displacement motorcycles for the American market. The American company in 1978 won the brand from the Castiglioni brothers, who also came to control brands such as Cagiva, Ducati, Husqvarna, MV Agusta and Morini.

 

Italy has some of the most iconic names in motorcycling such as Ducati or MV Agusta, but the transalpine country has also had not-so-successful stories, such as the case of Aermacchi. Not because it is a cliché, it is no longer true: getting there is difficult, but what really makes the difference is the ability to stabilize over time, something that Aermacchi cannot achieve.

Aermacchi 250 restomod from 1961
When Harley-Davidson acquired the company in 1960, it began selling Italian products in the United States, with only the H-D name on the tank. The unit you see here has been brought to light by the folks at bikeexif.com. It is a 1961 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 250 Sprint, which has been updated by the Austrian Christian Schwarzenlander, responsible for ExesoR Motorcycles.

The craftsman wanted to get hold of something Italian but, in turn, not the typical transalpine brand (Ducati, Guzzi...) so he decided on this unit: "The style of the single cylinders of the 60s and the purity "By design they are unmistakable. I had always wanted to build an Aermacchi. But it's getting harder and harder to get one at an affordable price. Some have been converted for classic racing and others are in the hands of perfectly restored private collectors," said Christian Schwarzenlander.

 

A friend asked him to do an Aermacchi restomod (restoring a classic vehicle using modern parts). The unit that was found was in poor condition and the engine could barely be saved. Despite its deplorable state, Christian insisted on rescuing the original tank: “That was a disaster, after removing three layers of paint and paste to fill holes, I saw that it was completely dented. I put a new Monza-type gas cap on it and took it to my friend at I-Flow to have it fixed and painted,” explained the craftsman.

“Many things were unsalvageable, we had to make more than 50 pieces by hand. In addition, we modified about 20 original parts”, said Christian. After more than 13 months and 250 hours of work, the result is visible. The craftsman has baptized this mount with the name Verde (it is said the same in Italian) in honor of its color.

 

Link: https://www.moto1pro.com/actualidad/moto-de-ensueno-aermacchi-250-restomod-de-1961