I have always been of fan of minimalist art. My attraction to the minimalist aesthetic began while studying the work of artist Donald Judd during my undergraduate fine art studies at Virginia Commonwealth University in the late 90’s. Early in my art career I applied the minimalist approach to as much of my artwork as possible. Even today, I still think about the art of Judd. There is something wonderfully inherit in keeping things simple. I try my best to keep much of my lifestyle in a simplistic approach; using what I need, only when I need it.

So, when I decided that the 2023 Moto Morini SCR was the bike for me, the most important aspect to me at that time, was how this motorcycle looked. Viewing the Moto Morini in the showroom of Charleston Triumph, a local motorcycle dealership, I felt that this bike had a certain appeal that had me thinking about minimalist art. Unlike other motorcycles, the Moto Morini recalled an emotional connection to Donald Judd.

After a few weeks of riding and just looking at my new bike parked, I began wondering about if I could reduce this bike in terms of appearance. Of course, safety is important, and I did not want to risk too much. But I knew, less is more. My creative brain, which had not been used in some time as I am not activity making art at the moment, allowed me to question….do I really need this piece of plastic on my bike? Once that question lingered in my subconscious long enough, I decided to take action. After a few days in my Mom’s Garage, working on my bike, servicing my bike, I felt a certain level of confidence to really make my Moto Morini a true “naked” bike.

Yesterday, as I was looking down into a bin of about 20 pounds of plastic parts from my Moto Morini, I believe I have finally uncovered the bike that represents me at this time in my motorcycle career. I have simplified my bike. It runs great and the fact that so much of this bike is exposed that the lack of weight from all the missing plastic parts, results in a motorcycle that is very swift on the roads while turning this machine is a breeze. A lightweight bike is great for beginners like me! Maybe it is true what other motorcyclists say that your bike is an extension of you. I feel a specific bond with my Moto Morini and this gives me so much hope for future rides and when someone asks, “what type of bike is this?”. I can reply, “it’s a Rolf bike,” LOL.

Rolf