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.
The 1964 Zanella “RK4” 125 was one of three bikes built to run in the 1965 Daytona 200. The “RK” stands for Rivelli & Kissling, who specialized in preparing highly tuned race bikes to compete in racing events in the 125cc and 175cc categories. Their success was based on preparing race bikes using only Argentine-produced components, which was tremendously helpful for the local racers.
The three bikes that were built for the Daytona 200 carry a unique stamp on the engine cases with the words “Daytona 65” along with the race date. Notable modifications on the RK4 125 included an exclusively designed 4-speed gearbox and high compression head and piston, producing 20hp at 9800 RPM with a top speed of 96 MPH. The bike finished just outside the top 10, claiming 11th place in the famed Daytona 200.
The Zanella in the MotoDoffo Collection is the sole survivor of that original trio. Bike #1 remained in Argentina with Zanella, while #2 and #3 were crated and shipped to the States for the competition. After the race, #3 was left behind in Florida and was sold several times, eventually making its way to Bob Guynes in Redding, California.
Mark Hunter, a racing peer of Marcelo and Damian and avid vintage motorcycle enthusiast, was tipped off about Mr. Guynes’s motorcycle collection. Hunter tracked down Guynes and was invited over to see the collection. Hunter was searching for a motocross bike of his childhood but in the process found this hidden gem tucked away in the corner of Guynes’s garage. He recognized the Zanella brand from his visits to the MotoDoffo Collection and immediately phoned Marcelo. The negotiations were on!
In the interim of the correspondence between Mr. Guynes and Marcelo, Marcelo began contacting several of his vintage motorcycle aficionados in Argentina to verify the history of the motorcycle and its authenticity. Not only was Marcelo able to verify the authenticity, but he was also able to source the missing parts needed to bring the old race bike back to life!
A fun side note about the label: the artwork depicts the motorcycle with a yellow front fender. The actual motorcycle currently has no front fender. The yellow fender was placed over the front wheel by Marcelo Doffo while Damian Doffo shot a series of photos to share with the artist Chris White of the UK. The photos were emailed to Chris but Damian had forgotten to let Chris know that the fender was for reference and visual aid during his creative process. The label art was commissioned and 30 days later Damian received the images of the art. Damian immediately loved the artwork but immediately noticed his mistake. Working with the inhouse graphics team he requested for a digital correction of the art to change the color of the fender to match. When the digital proofs were sent to Damian, he had a change of heart as he felt the yellow fender had visual effect that was lost when the fenders matched. Also, there is something to be said about keeping the art original and highlighting a fun fact in the creative process!