Nobody upcycles much like Roland Groteclaes. Based in Belgium, he is a multi-talented creative who divides his time between illustration, design, painting and sculpture. And the latter is almost always done with salvaged parts.

This approach to his art is reflected in the custom bike he just built. Dubbed the “Foray,” it’s best described as a Bimota/Ducati hybrid. But this wasn’t a simple engine swap job – instead it was assembled almost entirely from leftover parts from several donor bikes.

The inspiration for Foray came from a particularly unusual source. “A friend from England gave me a used Honda F1 carbon fiber heat exchanger,” Roland tells us. “He thought I could use it in a sculpture, but I was acutely aware that I should give this piece a new identity, as an upcycled motorcycle fuel tank.”

“So the creation of Foray – its very existence – revolves around one part: the fuel tank.”

Roland had to assemble a motorcycle to accommodate his new fuel tank, so he took stock of what he had in his garage. “I drive a Bimota DB3 Mantra,” he explains. “And like most motorcycle maniacs, I have a lot of new and used parts, all of which are kept with the idea that I might use them one day.”

Roland’s stash included a Bimota DB3 swingarm, a pair of DB4 Antera wheels and a DB2 exhaust system. Since these parts were all Italian sourced, he decided a Ducati engine would be a perfect fit.

After some searching, Roland found the perfect motor in Germany; an ex-Battle of the Twins 944cc race-ready Ducati mill complete with open Keihin FCR carburetors. He immediately sent it to a friend at a Ducati dealership in the Netherlands for a clean bill of health.

But there was one more part that Roland needed before the project could start in earnest: a suitable chassis. He managed to hunt down what he calls “the Holy Grail” – an original Bimota Tesi Omega frame. But that wasn’t a residual item either.

The Bimota’s frame was stripped down to its signature CNC-machined mounting plates, which were flipped to provide the correct geometry for a new trellis frame that Roland had conceived. “Constructing the trellis frame and cutting and filling the tubes into different shapes and angles was really complex and a complete mix of meditation, frustration and excitement,” he tells us.

“I’ve always been honest with myself and I’m aware that I’m not a good welder. And since all motorcycle frames have to be welded perfectly, I decided to delegate this task. So I contacted a friend who is a talented metalworker to help me.”

Roland’s TIG joint welded the whole thing together from 15CDV6 tubing—a low-carbon, high-strength steel used in the aerospace and motorsport industries. As befits a few upcycled scraps of salvaged aircraft steel were also added to the mix.

Once the frame was complete, Roland spent 18 hours using a silver marker to cover every inch with an intricate hand-drawn pattern. A few custom badges have also been sprinkled on to make it even more personalised. (Roland even added a stamped Ducati emblem just behind the steering neck, as the motor is the only truly identifiable part on this build.)

With a set of CNC-machined triple clamps from a shop in Germany and the Showa forks from a Ducati 916, Foray began to come together. The cockpit features a pair of CNC-machined fork preload adjusters, as well as BKG clip-ons, a Keihin throttle grip, Renthal grips, and Spiegler master cylinders. A custom headlight lights the way.

Foray does not have a speedometer or speedometer; Instead, Roland added a watch from his favorite watchmaker. “I love special Sinn watches from Germany,” he tells us. “I wanted a Sinn NaBo airplane clock on the bike so I could always be home on time for dinner.”

With the help of another friend, Roland completed the final electrical and mechanical work. The Bimota swingarm, wheels and exhaust he had on hand also made it onto the bike – but one final component was missing, and it required a quick trip to Switzerland.

“I wanted to put eight-piston Spiegler front brakes on the bike,” he explains. “But the owner of these parts insisted he would only sell them to me if I showed up and had a cup of coffee with him.”

“The Foray Project reflects work done with passion and determination, and a good measure of madness and caffeine that also drew heavily on camaraderie and craftsmanship.”

Sounds like a great recipe to us.

Roland Groteclaes | Instagram | pictures of Gregory Colienne