Bike of the month August/September '14Daboot Crew / Italy
Pictures by Cristopher Breda
Hi FORTY8 Fans,
I take a lot of care of my looks and my style, let’s say that it’s always been a bee in my bonnet. Since I was a kid I used to love drawing and expressing my thoughts: it was my way of differentiating myself from others. As a young boy I first started studying art at high school and then I graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Venice with a thesis in action sports photography.
Click on the Thumbnails to discover Alvaro Dal Farra's bikes:
My interest in style dates back to when I was a boy, first in snowboarding where we used to cut our pants so they would flare over our boots and attachments. We used to put rubber bands or tape around our knees so that they’d be closer together. Snowboarding in an unbuttoned and open denim jacket, wearing a bandana, and your crew’s logo spray painted and stencilled on the boards and clothes.
I applied my philosophy to life and style to my bike and my inspiration was Manu Troux and Drake Mcelroy, who always had bikes that were very different and betrayed a unique attention to detail.
  
Maintaining my style, slowly slowly I wanted to do my bike up as well, until I got to where I am today where technology and ideas have evolved so much that you get to do some incredible things.
Even though I’m no longer a pro FMX rider, I’ve kept a high profile in the world of FMX, so it’s essential for me to have a bike exactly how I want it to be. This is what motivates me when I use it, when I teach FMX to the guys, when I ride or even when I wash it. If I had a standard bike, maybe I wouldn’t even go riding anymore!
This year, together with my partner Andrix, I wanted to convey an image of how everyone has gotten to know how I am in this sport, energy, love of life and joy.... Ride to party!
We revised my slogan and used my face again which we had already proposed in ktm 2007. These two elements are the drivers behind the graphics designed by a one of our partners, together with logos and graphics that marked my past and present (Da Boot, CMYK, Superpark, Ride to party, from full metal boot, etc.) I wanted to use white because it had to be a lightweight bike and like a blank sheet of paper on which I could write. The purple represents my first bike (Honda CR 250 2T 2002 black and pink) an unusual colour but at the same time important because it stands out and is different, accompanied by a shade of light blue which makes it appear soft and sweet like candy.
  
All painted parts were then processed via Chromosynthesis by Fedon Technologies, highlighting a pattern in a shade of light purple to almost make it look like a lollipop. The screws and bolts were replaced in ergal (aluminium alloy) and titanium produced by Lightech. Some technical parts such as the levers, the guard, brake and clutch covers and the head have been replaced with special parts manufactured by Logic motocross.
Research then evolved into making special parts and components following the lines of colour and style of the graphics. The motorcycle was disassembled and powder coated and then placed in special ovens to 280 degrees to obtain the white cobalt colour, by Verniciature Bellunesi. The other aluminum parts were anodised in purple and blue by Dedo Racing.
  
The suspensions were prepared with ad hoc calibration to suit my style of riding by Tiziano Monti of TM Suspension. The graphics were created by Black Bird Racing with special and innovative printing techniques even on the saddle cover. Everything was then assembled by my friend and mechanic Andrea Casagrande, to obtain the final result of my new "motor candy" of the KTM candy edition.
In short, all the research that’s gone on to create my bike to the finest detail has been thanks to new techniques. The result is a bike that’s not only one of its kind, but that also reflects me, my style and attitude to life.
Ride to Party - Alvaro Dal Farra
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