Mondial Piega Ziletti 1000 S.E.

The Piega 1000 is a handbuilt liquid cooled 999cc V-twin exotica with a real racing history and fantastic looks.

Mondial is not as famous as MV Agusta and Benelli, those recently reawakened Italian giants. But the Bologna firm won a string of road-racing world championships in the 1950s and showed HONDA the way round when the latter first entered foreign races. It was a good name for Ziletti to acquire, but he only realised how good when he approached Honda with a request to buy engines.

Mighty Honda doesn't normally bother with such requests. But almost 50 years ago Mondial had given one of its all-conquering race bikes to Honda, when the ambitious Japanese firm was starting out in racing. Now Honda wanted to repay the favour, which is how the Piega is powered by the 999cc V-twin engine from Honda's SP-1 sportster.

Easy handling, stability and precise steering are features that Mondial has conferred on its Piega through the employment of a trellis frame in tubular chromium-molydenum- vanadium steel to ensure lightness, strength, resistance to torsion, and excellent steering geometry combined with distinctly racing suspensions. The engine's fulcrum is on the frame resulting in a weight distribution of 52% on the front part. This, together with an Öhlins superbike-style steering damper, results in easier handling when entering a bend.

The heart of the Piega is its water-cooled, 4 valves per cylinder, twin-cylinder 90° V (DOHC) power unit delivering 140 hp at 9800 rpm, with a maximum 10.2 kgm torque at 8800 rpm and a 10.81 compression ratio. . Instead of an aluminium frame, the Piega uses Ducati-style steel tubes, fitted with classy cycle parts including front forks from Paioli, rear shock and steering damper from Öhlins, and Brembo's latest front brake system.

The body parts are manufactured by Carbon Dream. Much use is made of special materials, particularly autoclaved carbon, since this method gives the best results in terms of appearance and precise measurements. Whilst helping the whole bike to weigh 179kg – less than any Ducati or Honda's SP-2 V-twin. Two tiny stacked headlights add to the style. The Piega is as good as it looks too, combining the Honda motor's fiery performance with superb handling and braking. Mondial Moto have done a good job with the fuel injection, which seems smoother than the SP-1's snatchy set-up. The Mondial should be good for 165mph.