Category: MotoDoffo Collection

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Ducati 125cc “Magneto”

Ducati 125cc Magneto

This year’s MotoDoffo labels celebrate some of Marcelo Doffo’s most unique custom builds, and the Ducati adorning the 2019 Gran Tinto label is no exception. Dubbed the Ducati “Magneto” because of the now rare magneto-equipped motor, this bike is another example of inspiration striking when a couple of components came into Marcelo’s life.

“I saw this tank, and it totally inspired me to put it together with this magneto motor that I had,” Marcelo recalls. “There are not too many of these magneto motors around anymore, which makes it a very unique bike.”

The magnetos were originally made by Italian Motors, Ltd, a shop based out of San Gabriel, CA. Marcelo had this 125cc motor for some years before envisioning the rest of the build when he saw the beautifully shaped gas tank which is now one of the most eye-catching features of the bike.

Marcelo goes on, “I used a Ducati frame and made some small modifications, and the seat I made myself by hand. It needed to be very specific; I tried several different seats and none of them were working.”

Marcelo is a talented painter, as is evidenced by not only this motorcycle, but many in his collection. One of the other unique aspects of this build is the front fairing, inspired by the Ducati race bikes of the past. “This is where I get emotional about this bike,” Marcelo explains. “I have a friend who is going through some health issues. His racing number was #50, so I dedicated this bike to him by putting his number on the fairing.”

One thing is for certain: this motorcycle is near and dear to Marcelo’s heart, and therefore is worthy of being immortalized on the 2019 MotoDoffo Gran Tinto label with original artwork by Roland Sands.
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From the MotoDoffo Collection: Ducati Bialbero 125

“It was love at first sight,” remembers Marcelo Doffo. “I had seen the real bike at a meet in Italy, and then years later one showed up at the Mecum auction in Las Vegas.” The only problem was the price tag, as these extremely rare machines can fetch up to $100,000. “There are not too many out there available to purchase, unless you’re willing to spend some serious money. So I decided to build my own.” Read more…

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1973 Yamaha TD3

The Royal Tinto wine label is always reserved for an iconic motorcycle. Our beloved 1973 Yamaha TD3 250 is no exception to the rule. The TD3 has roots dating back to 1959 as Yamaha ventured into producing not only production racing machines but conversion kits for people to convert their street bikes to road racers. The TD3 boasted all the right genetics to be a top contender at any racetrack with features such as a dry clutch, horizontally split crankcases, a 6 speed transmission and 34mm carburetors. The high revving 2 stroke engine produced 49bhp @ 10,500 RPM, good for over 140mph off the showroom floor. The bike was a mainstay for privateers of the era, and a key part of Yamaha’s domination of 1970’s road racing. Read more…

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From the MotoDoffo Collection 1964 Zanela RK4 125cc

vintage Zanella motorcycle

The motorcycle that graces the 2018 Super Tinto label is the Zanella “RK4” 125. An Argentine manufacturer, Zanella was established 70 years ago and became an icon of Argentine industry, employing nearly 1,000 people and selling more than 100,000 motorcycles each year. Zanella originally used 100cc and 125cc engines that it acquired in a licensing agreement with Ceccato Motorcycles in Italy. The key here was that the engines were designed by Fabio Taglioni, the highly talented engineer who eventually left Ceccato to become chief designer and technical director of Ducati from 1954 until 1989. Talioni’s desmodromic 90º v-twin engine design is still used in current Ducati motorcycles. Read more…

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1994 Ducati 916

The Royal Tinto is a special wine, and only exceptional motorcycles are worthy of being featured on the label. For this reason we chose the 1994 Ducati 916, frequently referred to as “the most beautiful motorcycle ever made.” The Ducati 916 is one of the most iconic motorcycles of the last half century. Its predecessors from the late 80s and early 90s were boxy in all aspects; the 916 was given sharper lines, a thin waist, a racing inspired single-sided swingarm, and the signature design piece: a twin exhaust mounted high and tight under the tail. WOW!

 

The design of the 916 was a synthesis of form and function. The stylish swingarm was designed to make wheel changes faster during races. The underseat exhausts improved aerodynamic performance and gave the bike exceptionally clean lines.

 

Making its debut in 1994, the Ducati 916 was admired because of both its designs and its outstanding technical features. At the time of introduction, the 916 earned critical acclaim by winning every motorcycle magazine’s Bike of the Year award for 1994. Not surprisingly, Ducati sold out its entire first year of U.S. inventory before any had actually arrived here.

 

The MotoDoffo Collection’s Ducati 916 was a very early production model as noted by the Cagiva elephant on the gas tank and other body parts. My favorite part of riding our 916 was the power delivery and the silky smooth gearbox. The way the power translated from the twist of the throttle to the rumble of the engine, combined with the linear and predictable power, made this motorcycle an absolute dream machine. The noisy dry clutch rattling at every stop light draws attention like no other. Needless to say, the cool factor is built in when riding this bike. I was very sad to see this motorcycle go, but we know that this impeccable example of a 916 went to a very good home, where it will be enjoyed and revered for years to come.

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1970 Ducati SC 250

The 1970 Ducati “SC 250” is one of the rarest motorcycles in our MotoDoffo Collection. This particular motorcycle stuns even the most educated Ducatisti. The engine is number 34 of a rumored production of 50 motorcycles. The original frame is long gone and the SC engine was fitted to a purpose-built race chassis. The “SC” stands for Sport Corsa, which was the factory race bike designation, often referred to in the Ducati circles as the F3 line of bikes.

 

The differences between a standard production motor versus a factory race bike’s motor were straight-cut bevel gears and primary gears, as well as a dry clutch and a 42mm Dell’Orto carburetors.

 

Where this motorcycle really gets unique is the frame. The frame has very similar design elements of the famous “Seely” frame, but all of the sources we have spoken to have not been able to confirm if in fact the frame on this race bike is a Seely frame. The name “Vadim Ducati” is a bit of a mystery as well, as we were not able to
track down any references to “Vadim Ducati.” In fact, Google image searches produce photos of our motorcycle, as shot a few years back by photographer Phil Aynsley.

 

The idea to place this unique Ducati on the label of our 2017 Super Tinto actually started at the OG Motorcycle and Art Show that took place in March 2019 in downtown LA. The MotoDoffo Collection was asked to bring some motorcycles and wine to the show, and we happily obliged. As the show went on, Marcelo and Damian took their time enjoying all of the beautifully crafted motorcycles and art installations.

 

As they viewed a particular art installation whose preferred medium was Post-It notes, Damian quickly recognized a motorcycle in the artist’s art wall. There it was, our Vadim Ducati, as a water-color rendering on a 3-inch Post-It note! At this moment we met Doug, a young, incredibly talented and creative artist who has an uncanny ability to apply immense amounts of detail on such a unique medium.

 

Damian knew right then and there that Doug was going to be the featured artist for the following year’s MotoDoffo wine series. When the time came to choose which motorcycles were to be featured, it was an obvious choice to select the Vadim Ducati for the first label, as it was the catalyst that brought MotoDoffo and Doug
Breuninger together.

 

 

You can see the Vadim Ducati on display in the MotoBarrel Room as well as at motorcycle events and shows around Southern California.

 

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1951 Vincent Rapide

For most motorcycle enthusiasts, hearing the word “Vincent” brings to mind their most famous model – the Black Shadow. Few people know, however, that this legendary bike was really just a redesign of the Rapide, a performance machine in its own right. In fact, some say that if the Black Shadow had never come along, the Rapide would be the bike most commonly associated with the brand.

 

 

The Vincent Rapide began its life back in the mid-1930s, when the company was already well known for its large single cylinder bikes. They introduced a prototype Rapide at the 1936 Olympia Motorcycle Show, a bike that boasted a 998cc, 50 degree v-twin engine. It made 45 horsepower – “rapide” indeed! After World War II interrupted production, the Rapide made a comeback and for a time was hailed as the world’s fastest motorcycle, clocking 110mph.

 

This piece of motorcycling history features quite a few unique elements, including cantilever rear suspension, a gearbox integrated with the engine, and drum brakes that allowed for quick detachment of the wheels in an age when puncture flats were prevalent. This bike may never live up to the glory of the Black Shadow, but it is nothing short of a gorgeous machine that is fun to look at and even more fun to ride!

 

So how did this particular Vincent Rapide come into the possession of Marcelo Doffo? Through a rather unusual series of events, as it turns out. Marcelo’s friend and fellow collector, Mitch, had been insisting that Marcelo buy a Vincent. Marcelo was reluctant at first, due to the old history between Great Britain and Argentina. He swore he would never own an English motorbike! Soon enough though, Marcelo relented and admitted that if any English bike was to join his collection, it would have to be a Vincent.

 

 

In 2012, a 1951 Vincent Rapide became available through a friend of Mitch, none other than the former President of the Santa Clarita Vincent Owners Club. The day before Marcelo was supposed to pick up the motorcycle, the seller phoned Marcelo with some unfortunate news. It seemed that the seller had previously committed to sell the motorcycle to another interested party. The other buyer had been slow to pull the trigger and complete the transaction, that is until he caught wind that there was another serious buyer.

 

Marcelo, distraught from the back-and-forth, went out and bought a Ducati instead. And not just any Ducati, but the 2008 Desmosedici RR!

 

By 2017, Robert, the man who bought the Vincent back in 2012, decided he no longer wanted the bike. Apparently, amongst the paperwork that accompanied the purchase of the motorcycle, there was a printed email containing the conversations between Marcelo and the original seller. Robert expressed to Marcelo that he found the email thread and wanted to offer the very same motorcycle to Marcelo before he put it on the market. Marcelo took this as a sign that it was meant to be and jumped in a truck to go get his Vincent!

 

 

With this incredible motorcycle and the fantastic adventure of acquisition, we felt that it was more than deserving to have the honor of representing this year’s Royal Tinto. Makoto Endo’s original rendition of this legendary motorcycle is nothing short of breathtaking, and we know it will decorate workshops and wine cellars for years
to come.

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1947 Moto Guzzi GTW 500

We chose to include this amazing machine as one of the Makoto Endo art series labels not only due to its notable place in history for Moto Guzzi, but for its special place in the MotoDoffo Collection too.

 

Moto Guzzi produced the GTV model line and descendants from 1933 through the late 1960s, with the GTW model coming out between 1947-1949. The GTV was the backbone for many model descendants including the GTW, Astore and Falcone, which most would remember as early Army motorcycles and delivery tricars. The GTW was the higher horsepower model, producing 22bhp compared to the GTV which produced 20.5bhp at 4300rpm. Its engine is a horizontal 4-stroke 499cc single cylinder with a rather large exposed flywheel for which it was nicknamed the “Deli Slicer.”

 

Marcelo purchased this 1947 GTW in the city of Cordoba, Argentina. He then took the motorcycle to his cousin’s motorcycle shop in Rosario, Argentina, where he broke the motorcycle down into five large shipping crates of parts. Each crate was carefully packed for international shipping. Marcelo then strategically shipped one crate of “parts” to five of his closest motocollector friends in the United States. Once back in California, Marcelo made arrangements to ship each of the crates home to Temecula. Once the crates all made their way safely to Temecula, the fun began.

 

Marcelo called on one of his dearest friends, Enrique Suarez, to help him with the task at hand. A lifelong mechanic and fabricator, Enrique has built and worked on just about everything imaginable from his days as a young mechanic back in Argentina. Now a retired master mechanic, Enrique enjoys doing ground up fabrication and restoration of classic race cars from the 1920s. The self-imposed challenge for the day was to see if they could assemble the motorcycle from the boxes of parts and ride it by the end of the day.

The pair started bright and early at 8:00am with the unpacking of the crates and by 10:30am, the project began taking shape. The frame was on the hoist, and the foot pegs, handlebars, fenders, oil sump and the engine (which traveled in one crate) were secured on the frame. By lunch the seat was secured, the exhaust mounted, wheels and chain installed and they had a roller! After a quick lunch break the team really started clicking; one doing the electrical and the lights while the other focused on the mechanical installations. By 4:10pm the distinct sound of the big 500cc thumper echoed throughout the Temecula Valley.

 

You can see Marcelo’s Moto Guzzi GTW and Makoto Endo’s original artwork in the MotoBarrel Room at Doffo Winery.

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From the MotoDoffo Collection: 1947 Gilera Saturno Sport

World War II left Italy’s economy and infrastructure in disarray, and so began the rise of two-wheeled transportation that helped revitalize this nation. One company, Gilera, became known for producing affordable scooters and motorcycles for the masses, but in 1946 it began production on its most exceptional model to date: the Saturno.

 

This 500cc single cylinder machine was not your average daily rider, but a very sporty motorcycle that rivaled the famous Norton Manx and BSA Gold Star. It bristled with innovations. Its transmission and primary drive were all sealed in a unit construction engine which also held an oil sump, filter and pump. Additionally, there were no oil lines as the engine used internal galleries. The engine was part of the stress frame which improved the rigidity of the chassis and improved the bike’s handling by lowering its center of gravity.

 

This particular Gilera Saturno was originally purchased by the Chesta Brothers from Marcelo’s hometown in Los Surgentes, Argentina in 1948. As a young boy growing up, Marcelo would see the Chesta brothers drive by on the dirt roads around our family farm. Almost 40 years later, during one of Marcelo’s several trips to his hometown, a close friend, Luis, would always tell him about this bike. Luis informed Marcelo that the original owners would still fire and run the motorcycle through town every so often.

 

The chase was on! Marcelo tracked down Pitin Chesta and there began a 3-year negotiation for the bike. Finally in 2003, Pitin and Marcelo came to an agreement and the Saturno was his. The restoration that followed was another 2-year project led by Marcelo’s second cousin. After restoration was complete, the Saturno was imported to the United States and found its home in Marcelo’s living room.

 

 

In 2012, we received a phone call from the organizers of the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. They mentioned to us that they had learned of our Saturno and wanted to exhibit the motorcycle in their show. After the extensive application process and verification of legitimacy, Marcelo and the Saturno made the trek to Pebble Beach, CA. The Saturno showed incredibly and earned a Bronze Medal in its class, an incredible honor for a bike with an incredible history!

 

It’s the very history of this motorcycle that inspired us to make it forever part of MotoDoffo’s story by featuring the Saturno on the 2016 Super Tinto Label. On April 8, 2018, we welcomed motorcycle artist, Makoto Endo, to the winery for a very special live painting event. With the Argentina Grand Prix running in the background, Makoto applied ink to a white canvas to create his own unique rendition of Marcelo’s Gilera Saturno. This original artwork is immortalized on the 2016 MotoDoffo Super Tinto label, and is sure to be a collector’s piece for years to come.

 

You can see Marcelo’s Gilera Saturno and Makoto Endo’s original artwork in the MotoBarrel Room at Doffo Winery.