It’s not often that you get the opportunity to turn a passion project into a full-time business but should that chance arise, grab it by the horns and don’t let go.
Such is the story of Axel Budde from Kaffeemaschine Motorcycles.
“I started motorcycling on a BMW when I was 18 in 1994. I actually fancied old English motorcycles, but couldn´t afford them,” Axel said. “When I was 20 I was looking for a bigger classic motorcycle, but nothing was really satisfying. The BMW engine just didn´t speak to me, the English bikes were a bit too small, and 4 cylinders did not appeal to me aesthetically.”
That’s when a finely aged Italian came into his life, bringing with it the sense of fulfillment he’d been longing for all those years.
“By accident, I came across a vintage Moto Guzzi V2 and I was hooked instantly. The flat, stretched-out layout, the powerful engine with its unique sound, and the cast airplane appeal were so different from everything I got to know before. The mechanicals are pretty simple, yet effective and reliable.”
Despite the love at first sight, there were teething issues that Axel discovered. Moto Guzzis were inherently heavy and a bane to his sporty riding style. After acquiring a Moto Guzzi Le Mans IV, he took advantage of the bike’s customization potential and made it his own.
“I started modifying my Le Mans IV in a vintage racebike/cafe racer style. By modifying the drivetrain, frame, and suspension setup, you really get an essential and seriously fast motorcycle as proved by the vintage Battle of Twins and Classic Bears race series, which inspired and taught me a lot.”
After taking part in a few vintage races himself, an English gentleman saw pictures of Axel’s customized Le Mans IV in 2011 and asked if he would willing to build him a similar street version. That was the start of Kaffeemaschine.
“I was working in car photography those days, with special constructions for motion shots and precision driving,” Axel said. “CGI was quickly taking over and my job became redundant. The first years of Kaffeemaschine were crazy. I was working in an old, unheated 20 sqm (215 square feet) shed in the backyard of a rental building in Hamburg. I had lead times of at least 2 years as I was only able to build 3 Maschinen per year, which were ordered from all around the world.”
One of Axel’s builds even went to the owner of the world´s most expensive motorcycle, the Vincent used by Rollie Free to break the American motorcycle land speed record in 1948 on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Then a client who had commissioned a bike offered to join Kaffeemaschine and improve the company’s workflow and conditions. He owned a company that supplied aviation parts, which in turn gave Axel access to much-needed resources for expansion like high-tech part development and production for motorcycles.
“He became my business partner and we moved into a bigger workspace and hired two employees.”
With the newfound help, Axel’s Kaffeemaschine Motorcycles business continues to this day. They still build their “Maschinen” from scratch using the iconic Tonti frame Moto Guzzi models as a base. Apart from the highly modified frame and drivetrain, everything is produced and designed in-house, right down to the fork and switch controls.
A single look at one of Axel’s creations shows the respect he and his team have for their craft and the pedigree of the motorcycles they build upon. This is a café racer in its purest form, without any of the modern digital additions that would take away from the riding experience that put Moto Guzzi on the map.
I believe a quote from the Kaffeemaschine website perfectly summarizes Axel’s incredible journey as well as the equally incredible machines he and his team build: “Many dream, only a few have the privilege to live it.”
You can follow them on Facebook at KMmotorcycles or on Instagram at kaffeemaschinemotorcycles.
