My buddy Tiziano, head wrench at Rat Bike Service in Como, Italy, comes correct with this '69 shovel I sent him awhile back. The Born Loser tipped me off a couple years back about a scoot in Central Cal that was taken in payment for bail bond for a member of a pretty well known outlaw M/C. Not sure what happened, but I picked the bike up the day after Christmas and rode it for awhile. Ugly as heck it was with a Barney-purple paint job and engraved gold leaf heads, but hell—it ran like a raped ape and didn't leak too much oil so I figured I did okay.

Not long after I sent this bike over to my buddy, Alex, a fellow Italian named Tiziano ended up with it. Tiz does all of Alex's mechanical work and runs one the best shops in Italy. Motor, fab, service, you name it: Tiz can handle it. Anyhow, the two of them got busy one day making this bike something worth looking at. They started with a tank swap and fender swap.

This bike runs a mag but the electric start is intact, so it's got a battery too. The worst of both worlds. The worst of both worlds, I know, but Tiz has a thing running smooth and quick. Tiz narrowed up some SS bars to tidy up the front a bit, and tossed the top fork trim out the window, too. New shoes were in order so an old tractor tire went in the rear and a Firestone up front. Tiz and Alex have been using a squash pipe for their homemade two-into-one system they've got on a couple bikes and I'm diggin' it. Probably not the first to do this but its the first I recall seeing.

The aforementioned engraved gold heads were kept because they're dual plugged and got the better exhaust ports on them. Ugly or sexy, I ain't sure but definitely not the run-of-the-mill stuff from the factory. Bates seat and P-pad finish the whole thing off just perfect, I think. All in all, not a whole lot of cash in this scoot but still über cool. This is Tiz's daily rider and one I enjoyed riding next to him as we made our way to the pastry shop every morning before work. Lots of looks in Italy from kids on 125cc Supermotos and old guys in Fiats, too. Not your average bike in Italy, but definitely one worthy of a second look stateside or abroad.

Need H-D help in Italy, go here.

Need to waste time at work, go here.