photo: Motorcyclist magazine

The September 2011 issues Rider Magazine and Motorcyclist Magazine, each feature Moto Guzzi motorcycle reviews.  The bikes tested were the 2011 Norge 8V in Rider, and the 2012 Stelvio in Motorcyclist.

Both of the magazines gave very positive reviews. The Norge and the new 2012 Stelvio are rated as world-class motorcycles and seem to be very well deserving of the publicity.

The 2012 Moto Guzzi Stelvio 1200 8V featured in Motorcyclist’s “First Time Ride” got 3 full pages of coverage.  The test bike is “Sienna Earth” orange with black trim and some matte aluminum features such as the muffler, valve covers, chassis and forks.  Some of the new standard features on this adventure bike include traction control, ABS brakes, cast aluminum wheels, a 12V accessory outlet at the gauges, and a 8.5 gallon fuel tank.

The verdict on the 2012 Moto Guzzi Stelvio  from the Motorcyclist test is “This third generation Stelvio is no longer just a mere distinctive and quirky alternative to the deservedly popular BMW GS; it’s a legitimate rival that deserves to be taken seriously”.  Rivals listed are BMW R1200GS, Ducati Multistrada 1200, Suzuki VStrom 1000, Triumph Tiger 1050, and the Yamaha Super Tenere.  The Guzzi gets 4 out of 5 stars from the Motorcyclist test.

No price was listed at this time and availability of the 2012 Stelvio is said to be in the winter.   The new Stelvio NTX version will be outfitted with luggage, guards, and other accessories for adventure riding.

Why did the scores for Moto Guzzi dealerships decrease over the past two years in this study?  One interesting result was that more than 1 in 4 times were shoppers asked to consider a different brand for their purchase at dealers for Aprilia, Husqvarna, Kawasaki and Moto Guzzi (these 4 brands finished in the bottom 6 places).  Honda dealers also finished within last bottom 6.

So, what do we make of this year’s Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index for motorcycle dealerships?  Keep in mind this is a study about how effective dealers are at getting customers to buy.  It is NOT a study about how satisfied customers are with dealers AFTER they actually buy.  In our book, it is the after sales support and service that is really important.  How would Moto Guzzi dealers rank in that kind of study?

Moto Guzzi motorcycles that were selected for the classic motorcycle show are the 1981 850 Le Mans, the 1973 V7 Sport, and all years of the 750 Ambassador and the 850 Eldorado.

If you have one of these classic Moto Guzzi motorcycles, you can apply with Martin to have yours included in the event. The motorcycles in the show are by invitation only, so only certain examples will be allowed to be shown.

Martin Motorsports is a dealer for Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Triumph motorcycles and has been in business since 1996.  Show date is on Saturday March 12, 2011.

The Scrambler is another cool looking and practical variation of the proven V7 platform.

The most notable new feature on this Scrambler is the high mounted dual exhaust from Arrow.  It has the traditional vented heat shield, but the shield is not overly large like on other brands of scramblers.

The tires fitted on the chrome spoked wheels of the new Guzzi Scrambler appear to be Pirelli Scorpion MT 90 S/T, which are intended for about 95% on-road use.  If these Pirelli tires come on the production model, then we feel this is a very good choice since this motorcycle is about the traditional scrambler style and riding comfort, not actual off-road adventures.

As with the new California, there is no word yet on when the Scrambler will be available at dealers.  Unlike the prototype California, the Scrambler does appear to be ready to go and relatively easy to produce since it apparently is based on the existing V7.

The most important new feature of the Guzzi Convert (sometimes referred to as a “Guzzimatic”) was a semi automatic transmission with a torque converter that cleverly eliminated the need to use a clutch while patrolling city streets in stop and go traffic.

The odd name of “Convert” came from the torque converter. Cars had used torque converters for decades by 1975, but it was really quite unusual for a motorcycle to have one, and still is even to this day. The fact that Moto Guzzi did this, and did it quite successfully, is really a tribute to their long history of engineering creativity and daring to think outside the box.

The Convert overhead valve pushrod v-twin engine was rated at 71 hp at 6500 rpm. It had 88 mm bore x 78 mm stroke and a 9.2:1 compression ratio and was fed by two Dell’Orto VHB 30 carburetors.

The Convert transmission had only two speeds, “low” and “drive”.  Low gear was 1.133:1 ratio and Drive gear was 1:1. The final drive was shaft to a ring and pinion at the rear wheel, resulting in an overall drive ratio engine to rear wheel of 1.612 in Low and 1.458 in Drive.

The factory rated speed for the I-Convert was 82 mph (130 km/h) in “Low” gear, and 108 mph (174 km/h) in “Drive” gear, with a solo rider.  During the break-in period of the first 1000 miles (1600 km), the recommended max speed for Low gear was 60 mph (75 km/h) and for Drive was 75 mph (120 km/h).  Fuel consumption was rated at approximately 35 mpg.

The unique 2-speed transmission of the I-Convert included a hydraulic torque converter made by Sachs, but still required the use of a manual clutch for certain tasks.  It had a dry clutch and was lever operated on left handle bar as usual.  The clutch only had to be pulled when starting the engine and when up-shifting or down-shifting, but not when stopped at idle, like for a traffic light or stop sign.

Shifting from Low gear to Drive gear was typically only required when getting up to highway speed, otherwise Low gear was all you needed.  Because the transmission had a torque converter, there was no need to operate the clutch when stopping or when taking off from a stop.  That was the beauty of the Moto Guzzi I-Convert transmission. You could take off in Drive rather than low if you wanted to, but acceleration from a dead stop in Drive would be slower.

An amusing section in the V1000 I-Convert owner’s manual is the “Checking of Accelerating Ability”. It states: “To obtain proper results set the engine at maximum revs with throttle fully opened and brakes fully engaged; release then the brake controls quickly. Do not operate the clutch during this checking.”

The V1000 brakes consisted of dual 300 mm diameter front discs and single 242 mm diameter rear disc. The foot controlled rear brake pedal operated the left front disc and rear together. The right front disc was operated by the front brake lever on the right handlebar. With all three discs, the stopping distance from 60 mph speed was rated at 177 feet with a solo rider.

The most unusual feature regarding the brakes on the I-Convert was that it had a parking brake. Since the torque converter would allow the bike to coast, and there was no “Park” gear position like on a car, the motorcycle was effectively in neutral when parked or stopped. To prevent the bike from rolling while parked, it required a parking brake.

Moto Guzzi cleverly designed the I-Convert parking brake to be automatically actuated when the side stand was down, but the bike had to actually be leaning on the stand for the parking brake to work. The weight of the bike leaning on the side stand pushed against a mechanical lever that actuated the rear brake.

The instruments consisted of a combination speedometer odometer with resettable trip odometer.  The round gauge had a rectangular vertical row of warning lights at the left and at the right of it.  Aside from the usual green turn signal arrows and the usual blue high beam indicator (red on USA models) indicator, there were the following warning lights to get your attention:

• An orange starter warning light came on while the starter button was being pushed.
• A red generator warning light came on and went off after “a certain number of revs”.
• A red oil pressure light came on then went off after oil pressure was achieved.
• A green parking brake warning light indicated the parking brake was on and began blinking if you turned the ignition key to the run position. The engine could not start when the side stand was down (parking brake on).
• A red light on USA models indicated the parking light and the low beam headlight were on. This light was green on European models indicating low beam headlight was on.
• A red brake fluid warning light indicated low brake fluid in the rear brake and left front brake system.
• A red low fuel light indicated the reserve fuel position.

The lights were operated by a four position switch near the throttle.  The four settings were (1) off, (2) parking lights only, (3) low beam and (4) high beam.  There was a safety switch that had to be operated in order to turn the lights off.

The torque converter required very little maintenance.  There was a fluid reservoir located under the left side cover of the bike for the converter.  The reservoir cap had max and min markings on the attached dip stick.  The fluid level was to be checked after the first 300 miles (500 km) and then every 2000 miles (3000 km).  The recommended fluid for the torque converter was Agip F.1 ATF Dexron.  The torque converter fluid was supposed to be changed approximately every 20,000 miles (30 000 km). Cooling of the fluid in the torque converter was via a Forcellini radiator mounted under the steering head.

• US List Price $3750 (for 1976 model).
• Wheelbase: 58 inches (1.47 m)
• Max Length: 86.5 inches (2.2 m)
• Max Width: 33 inches (0.85 m)
• Max Height: 46 inches (1.1 m)
• Min Ground Clearance: 6 inches (0.15 m)
• Curb Weight: civilian model 572 lbs (261 kg), police model 600 lbs (272 kg)

The suspension and handling upgrades on the new 2011 Norge include new front forks and a new rear shock absorber.  These suspension improvements will result in better cornering and stability when the bike is fully loaded with gear for touring.

The power-adjusted windscreen (previously manual) ties in nicely with the redesigned fairing for better protection from the wind as well as reducing the wind noise.  The new fairings also serve to improve air flow for engine cooling.

The gauges, including trip computer, are now located closer to the rider’s view for easier reading.  For additional rider and passenger comfort, the seat has been improved to be anti-slip and includes a “body forming” foam.  Footrests are vibration-dampened.

The new 2011 Norge GT 8V also comes equipped with an improved center stand that has a different lever arm design than in the past.

All in all, the Norge has been and continues to be a real contender in the sport touring market and is now more competitive than ever against the usual players in this class.  The sound and feel of the Guzzi v-twin adds a certain element that can’t be replaced.  You have to ride one to be able to understand how addictive it is.

This limited edition special has several very attractive upgrades from the standard Nevada.   Guzzi not only modernized the bike, but has given it a very cool custom look.

The Guzzi Nevada Anniversario stands out from the standard Nevada 750 with a new sculpted seat, chrome grab bars for the passenger, a chromed tail light assembly, new rear fender, lower and narrower handle bars, new side body panels and a custom paint scheme on the tank.

In the eyes of this American writer, its a shame that this bike is not offered yet in the US market.  Like the Bellagio, Moto Guzzi has given the Nevada Anniversario the right style and formula for the US market.
This freshly styled Nevada would be a cool alternative for riders that won’t go for Honda’s new Sportster-like Shadow 750.

The study is performed by over 2000 anonymous “customers” that visited motorcycle dealers from June 2009 to April 2010.


Ducati, the most popular of Italian motorcycle brands in USA, came in first overall last year and second the year before that.

The Pied Piper prospect satisfaction index is mostly reflective of the salespeople at the dealers, not the manufacturer.  Of course, manufacturers can and often do train their dealers regarding how to sell motorcycles to prospective customers.

When looking at the scores in the Pied Piper index results, it looks more like a popularity contest for motorcycle brands in the US market.  Moto Guzzi, the oldest European motorcycle manufacturer, obviously should know a thing or two about how to train and assist dealers in properly promoting their brand and product line.  It seems reasonable to expect better results there.

On a personal note, one of the reasons I purchased my Moto Guzzi California when I bought it new in 2008, was because of the local dealer and the way they treated me and my family.  They took a lot of time to educate us regarding Moto Guzzi motorcycles in general, and made us feel at home.  I have seen them do the same with many prospective customers many times.  Other dealers we visited for other motorcycle brands were either very high pressure, or purely focused on financing instead of the actual motorcycles, or never bothered to try to help me at all!

Let’s hope for a better Moto Guzzi sales year in the US, improved support to the Guzzi dealers (we need them and want them to succeed) and a much better 2011 score on the prospect satisfaction index for Moto Guzzi!

The V7 engine was introduced in 1967, a time when 700cc was considered big for a motorcycle.  In fact, the V7 began life as a touring bike.

Things changed for Moto Guzzi in 1971 when the V7 Sport Telaio Rosso was introduced in limited production.

The Telaio Rosso, Italian for “Red Frame”, indeed had a red painted frame that made the motorcycle look fast even when it was just sitting still.  This red frame was much more than just flashy, it was a breakthrough in motorcycle design due to the improved handling it provided.

The V7 Sport Telaio Rosso was a real superbike in 1971.  The time was right for Moto Guzzi to get involved again in racing, as well as to promote a more modern, sport-bike image.

The mid-1960′s had not been good to Moto Guzzi financially.  Boosting the reliable V7 engine to near 750cc and putting it in the Ambassador proved to be a wise move for sales in the US.  But this was just a start.  Putting this new, more powerful V7 series engine into a new sport bike was really the key.

The 1971 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport is truly a rare bird, with only 104 produced according to several sources.  Some more were produced in 1972, but not many at all.  These combined to set the stage for the regular production V7 Sport.

One of the more important and impressive accomplishments of the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport is that became the world’s first mass-produced motorcycle to exceed 200 kph (over 124 mph).

The original v7 Sport developed excellent power, around 70 bhp.  The engine used timing gears and was tuned for performance.  As Moto Guzzi was forced to reduce manufacturing costs, the V7 Sport became the 750S  during 1974 through 1975 .  The 750S had features  including a timing chain instead of timing gears, dual Brembo front discs instead of a front drum, a new seat and black exhaust instead of chromed.  The 1975 Guzzi 750S was badged as a V7 Sport for sales in USA.

Furthering the reduction in cost, this motorcycle evolved 750S3 for 1975 and 1976.  S3 features included non-adjustable clip-on handle bars, a chromed engine guard, and a square tail light.  The famous Guzzi linked disc brake system was also included.

Overall, the 750S3 used a lot of the 850T3 design, including the mild camshaft.  While it isn’t immediately obvious to the eye, the 750S3 was not like the 750S or the V7 Sport in many ways, even though they looked fairly similar.  In the end, the Moto Guzzi 750S3 was replaced by 850 LeMans.  Also, the 750S3 was made obsolete by the Japanese motorcycles of that time period.

As a tribute to the fantastic styling and passion of the V7 Sport, Moto Guzzi launched the modernized version of the V7 Sport for 2009.  Now also available is the V7 Cafe Classic.  When something is done right, it becomes timeless, as the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport continues to be.