The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

MV Agusta 500 GP Replica – JLspecial 503

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MV Agusta 500 GP replica - JL Special 503

JL Special 503 homebuilt gear drive for camsWhat do you do if you want an MV Agusta 500 3 cylinder GP bike, like one of those raced back in the 1950s and 60s? I have no idea how many survive these days, probably not very many, however, if you’re Jean-Luc Borgetto, you just head out to your shop and build one.

What he built is actually his interpretation of an original. Putting together the custom frame was step one but where do you find a 3 cylinder engine? Well, how about a Yamaha R6? Too many cylinders you say? No problem, just remove one then fab up your own gear drive for the cams.

This kind of workmanship just leaves me a little slack jawed. I continue to marvel at what some builders can put together when they have an idea, time and no shortage of skill. Absolutely beautiful!

Thanks for the tip, Aaron!

UPDATE: Jean-Luc Borgetto stopped by and pointed to his own site which I didn’t have the address for when I first wrote this. So check it out! Thanks, Jean-Luc!

Link: Moto-Station

Another photo below:
MV Agusta 500 GP replica - JL Special 503

Posted on Filed Under: Motorcycle Builders

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Comments

  1. It might run a little uneven if he used 3/4 of the stock R6 crank. He probably made his own 120degree crankshaft as well. Very beautiful indeed.

    Maybe this is the styling direction MV/Cagiva/Husky should take with the new single cyl. Mito 500.

    -todd

  2. Wow, that’s quite impressive, I wonder if he fabricated everything from scratch or if he started with a donor bike that was in pieces, I mean how would he really know what he was aiming for if he didn’t have a donor bike or a similar model.

  3. That’s awesome. Cutting apart and engine to make a triple out of a four is the mark of someone with a lot of free time and ingenuity.

  4. todd – remember the first laverda jota? I would expect 3/4 of a r6 crank would very much resemble the jota 180 unit. (not that that thing had a reputation for smoothness 😉 )

  5. Holy $#!+ !! Just a tinkerer, cet homme la, Jean-Luc, Mon Dieu!
    I’d love to hear it wail… (while astride it!)

  6. This level of extremely high quality work seems to be showing up more frequently these days as shown on The Kneeslider with the 1919 Excelsior and the V4 AJS. Is it better tools, more information available, more free time and money or something else?

  7. Being around metalworking and welding most of my life,I still am amazed when people cut apart motors and splice them back together. There’s just so much involved for what I think is not much benefit.

  8. The comments about the amount of free time and whether it was worth it are interesting. I’ll bet the builder has less time in that bike than the typical Internet surfer or video gamer spends sitting on his duff.

  9. What an outstandingly BEAUTIFUL pc. of work! What is his background and how long did it take to create this 2 wheeled diamond? Astounding…more pics and info please!! Appears to equal the work done by the folks at Barbers Musuem with their fully equipped shops. Just amazing! DFO

  12. hello american friends

    welcome to saint cergue in switzerland the 23 june 2007 for the venue of the beautiful jlsp503 and for the presence in race demonstration of giacomo agostini, gianfranco bonera, bruno kneubuhler, tepi lansivuori, jean-françois baldé and many more… bye ! mario borroni