Romanian-born customizer and tinkerer extraordinaire Robert Godri doesn’t stroll the traditional path. Although Godri now lives in Brianza, Italy, a city simply outdoors Milan, he maintains a novel mix of inventive eclecticism and blue-collar workmanship.
“In Romania, I began working on the age of 16 in a bearing manufacturing facility. Then I opened my very own auto components store,” Godri revealed to Motociclismo. “Lastly, on the invitation of a buddy, I got here to Italy. It was 2003 and I used to be 30 years outdated. Right here I labored as a bricklayer, carpenter, and tiler. Now I am a metalworker at an air-conditioning firm.”
Affectionately nicknamed Mr. GoRo, Godri places that laundry listing of expertise to good use together with his newest endeavor: constructing customized electrical bicycles. The multi-faceted customizer doesn’t draw inspiration from any newfangled e-bikes, both. As a substitute, he appears to be like to the previous, favoring Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorbike board trackers of the early twentieth century.
12 Photographs
Godri might spare no element in his quest to duplicate the bygone racers, however he definitely spares some bills by scavenging elements and crafting his personal components.
“For me, it is a pastime, I do it in my spare time, or within the night and on weekends. Step one, nonetheless, is analysis,” Godri defined. “It may possibly occur that for a month I am locked up within the cellar on the lookout for photographs, info on the web, drawings, tales, tasks, measurements. Then the seek for elements begins. I frequent markets and alternate exhibitions, but in addition landfills.”
Whereas the builder’s resourcefulness helps him seize the authenticity of the board monitoring period, the electrical drivetrains are technically sound as properly. Inside his Harley-branded bike, a one-kilowatt electrical motor powers the throwback two-wheeler to a 25-kilometer-per-hour (15.5-mile-per-hour) prime pace. The Indian-styled mannequin solely boasts a 750-watt Bafang drive unit, however its max pace reaches 50 km/h (31 mph).
Regardless of Godri’s ardour for constructing motorcycle-inspired bicycles, he stays reluctant to show the mission right into a profession.
“Right here in my small workshop, I discover my dimension,” admitted Godri. “Some go fishing, some loosen up by doing yoga; for me, designing and constructing specials is enjoyable, nearly Zen.”
If that isn’t strolling the unconventional path, we don’t know what’s.
