Rome isn’t exactly short on history, but for one weekend each year, the past and future of motorcycling collide beneath the sinuous steel and glass curves of Massimiliano Fuksas’ “La Nuvola.” Now in its ninth edition, the Eternal City Motorcycle Show has cemented itself as one of Europe’s essential two-wheeled gatherings, and to their credit, the organisers clearly understand just how vital custom creations have become to the motorcycle world. This year, they dedicated an entire level of the venue to that culture: a space where Italian craftsmanship, international innovation, and pure mechanical art all share the same stage.
The show is a mega event, with every major manufacturer worth their salt in attendance, eighteen of whom offer free demo rides of their latest machinery. In total, there are 300 different models you can ride, adding a proper try-before-you-buy experience. There are also the usual displays, great food and drink, live music and talks. And for those in the game, the business-to-business day allows small shops the chance to rub shoulders with the big brass of leading aftermarket suppliers, a vital networking opportunity to help the entire industry thrive.
So, it makes sense then for the organisers to recognise the strong role the custom scene plays, and this year’s show marks the debut of Workshop Legends, a new hall dedicated entirely to the art of the café racer and the custom special, a space that feels more like a rolling design exhibition than a trade show. Under the creative direction of Andrea “Dopz”, known for his work with Emporio Elaborazioni Meccaniche, the aim is clear: celebrate the artisans who build motorcycles not just for performance, but for soul.
The lineup reads like a greatest hits of modern custom culture. Dotto Creations pushes boundaries with its sci-fi-inspired CX, while Manara Artworks blurs the line between sculpture and speed with a reimagined GSX-R. Cevennes Retromotors strips a Ducati 1100 Scrambler down to its DNA and rebuilds it as a snarling café racer, all muscle and minimalism. And in stark contrast, Plan B presents a Yamaha TR-1 left raw and unfinished, a reminder that texture and imperfection can be just as beautiful as polish and paint.
No great show is complete without a touch of global flair, and Rome doesn’t disappoint. Flying in from Japan, Kaichiroh Kurosu, better known as Cherry’s Company, unveils a new Highway Fighter in Ferrari red, a fusion of samurai precision and Italian passion. From Germany, Axel Budde of KaffeMaschine reveals two fresh Moto Guzzi builds: the elegant KM49 tourer and the wind-tunnel-sleek KM50 “Aerodinamica 4,” both finished in a subtle yet decadent Lamborghini green.
But the surprises don’t stop there. Officine Rossopuro lifts the cover off its Atlas Scrambler, based on the Moto Guzzi V85, reimagining the platform for off-road and style in equal measure. Fuchs Workshop, meanwhile, debuts its “Zeronove,” a flat-track weapon spun from Honda’s XL600 DNA, all stance and intent, like a coiled spring ready to launch and shoot long rooster tails of dirt into the air.
If La Nuvola is Rome’s temple of modern architecture, then Workshop Legends is its altar of mechanical devotion. Crowds flow between hand-built machines from France’s Cus’Tom Motorcycle and Italy’s Bottega Bastarda, Dino Romano, Motocicli Audaci, and Dreamer Motorcycle, each bike carrying a story of endless hours, hard work, and unrelenting vision. The diversity of donor bikes and the styles they’ve been shaped into means there’s something for everyone.
Recognition comes swiftly. Plan B’s Yamaha TR-1 claims the top prize in the Workshop Legends category, while the “International Pick,” presented by Cherry’s Company, goes to KaffeMaschine’s Aerodinamica 4, sealing its reputation as a benchmark of refined engineering and timeless design. As the sun sets over the EUR district, the echoes of exhaust notes fade into conversation and camera clicks. The Eternal City Motorcycle Show may be housed in glass and steel, but its heart beats in metal, oil, and imagination. For a weekend, La Nuvola becomes more than just a building, it becomes the Mecca for all good things motorcycling; and the custom bikes the star attraction.
[ Eternal Motorcycle Show | Photography by Virgilio D’Ercole ]