Cosmetic preferences can be subjective, but most people can agree that the Aprilia Moto 6.5 is one of the ugliest motorcycles ever produced. It was written by Philippe Starck, a French industrial designer and architect who is normally at the top of his game. The whole design of the motorcycle did not work well for him, however, and the criticism from the press of the time was absolutely relentless.
Visordown literally described the Moto 6.5 as “a crime against a motorcycle,” which could be a little hard if the opinion was not shared by a large part of the public. The model has not yet become one of those extravagant relics that grow on people over time, since it is still despised by the motorcycle world almost three decades after its release However, we can’t just blame this on the looks of the bike.
Its performance was nothing to write home about, so you’d be hard-pressed to find any redeeming qualities in this thing. There are, however, a few individuals who do, and Rick Geall in Northamptonshire, England is among them. He is the owner of Wreckless Motorcycles and always up for a good challenge, even if it involves fighting towards a seemingly impossible goal.
In this case, this meant returning to the Starck-designed April into something stunner, more beautiful and more imposing than any Moto 6.5 should ever have the right to be! The inspiration came from a digital rendering drawn up by Michael Bretherton of Charcoal Design, a graphic designer from Brisbane, Australia. He got a call from Rick one day and was more than happy to let his ideas come to life.
Then, Wreckless was acquired in 1996 Motorbike 6.5 and they immediately dismantled it. Starting at the front end, they repurposed the fork and lower triple caliper from a Honda Hornet, as well as a custom CNC-machined billet aluminum upper caliper. The latter part features integrated housing for instrumentation, which comes in the form of a Koso EX-02 digital dial.
Photo: Daniel Du Cros of Junction11 Studios
Further on, we notice a large headlight assembly with LED components and hand-made angular shrouds on all sides. Everything in that area is held in place by custom aluminum brackets, while the cockpit area houses Renthal clip-ons equipped with Brembo control levers, bar-end turn signals and a fuel tank. rhizome fluid. Additionally, a single aftermarket mirror can also be spotted on the right, small but wide enough to offer a decent rear view.
The front fender is a modified Honda CBR1000 unit, and the 17-inch wheels were kindly donated by an Aprilia Pegaso Strada. Michelin Pilot Power 2CT rubber is present at both ends, measuring 120/60 in the north and 150/60 in the south. Braking power comes from premium Brembo calipers, with an EBC floating disc up front and a Galfer wave rotor at six o’clock.
Wreckless finished off the upgraded suspension package with a Bitubo monoshock on top – a nice way to complement the Showa forks at the other end. In addition, the swing has been lengthened by 55 millimeters (about 2.2 inches) and a reworked subframe is now present higher. The latter supports a flat saddle in Alcantara on top, aluminum side panels on the sides, and a discreet inner fender below.
Photo: Daniel Du Cros of Junction11 Studios
An off-the-shelf tail ordinate is attached to the southernmost tip of the subframe, complete with integrated LEDs. Looking further down, we notice fresh sprockets and a DID drive chain that connects the bike’s gearbox to its rear hoop. Rick and his team paved the way for cafe racer ergonomics with the clip-ons we mentioned earlier, so they also added some aftermarket rearsets to bring it full circle.
Another cool little add-on is the quick-acting Lightech filler cap placed above the fuel tank. On the other hand, the mill of a cylinder of 649 cc of the motorcycle has been rebuilt from the inside and treated to some custom exhaust pipe. The stainless steel fountain leads back to a compact Akrapovic silencer on the right, doing so gracefully. Electrical upgrades include a new battery and replacement wiring.
For the paint job, Wreckless Motorcycles made use of hydro-dipping on elements such as the side panels, fuel tank cover and front fender. These were all covered in a film that mimicked the look of carbon fiber, while satin-black became the color of choice in most other areas. The orange highlights that form the letter X can be spotted on both sides of the fuel tank, accompanied by a small text representing the bike’s nickname.
He was baptized Moto 6.5.1 Starx by Rick Geall and his team, who have managed to turn one of the most hated two wheels in the world into a genuine head turner. Getting to this stage was no walk in the park, and few other builders have even attempted such a project in the first place! If a workshop can make an Aprilia Moto 6.5 look this good, this is undeniable proof of its world-class expertise.
