Back in Black: Belstaff Café Racer BSA A65
/Snapshot: Leather-bound luxury clothing company Belstaff commissioned Swedish designer Taras Kravtchouk of Gravity Hill to revamp this antique cafe racer by BSA motorcycles for display in their New York flagship store.
The British conglomerate BSA produced small arms, bicycles, motorcycles, and cars from before WWI into the 1970's. Creator of the iconic Triumph, the company was once the largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The A65, sometimes called the "Star Twin" was built from 1962-66, this particular model singled out for star treatment was made in 1964. Kravtchouk completely disassembled the bike, created a custom seat and tank, and reassembled the machine after slightly modifying the frame.
The result of the makeover is a motorcycle that could basically teach a class on bad-assery. While maintaining the low profile and compact shape, classic cafe bars, and single small headlamp of the original, the new design elements are bold, eye-catching, and sleekly modern. The black on black on gold color scheme is rich and velvety, giving the bike a shadowy, smokey air. Safety concerns aside, the inky depth of each component is visually stunning. Emblazoned on the tank in hand painted gold lettering is the Belstaff logo as well as Kravtchouk's signature laurel wreath. The number plate proudly displays the bike's birth year in vintage racing style numerals. These painted accents highlight the gold motorcycle chain, exhaust pipe ends, and gold detail on the headlamp.
By staying true to the essential design elements of the classic cafe racer, Kravtchouk pays homage to the panache of the past and maintains crucial bad-boy nostalgia vibes, while demonstrating his prowess with the simplicity of modern Swedish aesthetic (and possibly accidentally revealing that he is indeed Batman.)
