Fans of modern machinery may not understand how Moto Guzzi, with their clunky driveshafts and pushrod v-twins, is allowed even a grudging membership to the sportbike club. Of course, a look back a bit further shows Guzzi was very successful in a variety of racing classes throughout the 40s and 50s. But they wanted to…
It’s a shame we’ll probably never see a modern Moto Guzzi sportbike, since they’ve been nominated official “heritage brand” for the Piaggio Group. Especially disappointing, since Guzzi was active and successful in a variety of racing classes up into the 1970s. Guzzi even had a modern superbike in the works intended to compete head-to-head with…
KTM’s booming orange RC8 was a bit flawed when it was introduced, but still represented a hugely impressive effort by the first-time superbike maker. They’d worked out some of bugs of the new 75° v-twin using their earlier 990 Superduke that was a bit of a half-step between the supermoto Duke and the superbike RC8.…
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Japanese manufacturers engaged in heated competition in the quarter-liter class, creating some of the most exciting small-displacement motorcycles of all time. They were lightweight, highly-developed, and looked great. Unfortunately here in the USA, we didn’t really get to experience them at the time, as ever-tightening emissions regulations effectively…
Honda’s famed RC30 was basically designed from the ground up for competition, and seemingly only sold to the public to satisfy production-based racing requirements. That’s one way to go about it, but if you don’t have Honda’s practically endless resources, how do you create a machine that will help your racers to compete at the…
Very much a sportbike designed for the masses, the MZ Skorpion Replica has everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Included is a sophisticated frame, adjustable suspension front and rear, sleek bodywork, and a flexible, simple, reliable, and easily-serviced engine. What it doesn’t have is expensive, difficult to maintain technology, or an excess of power…
Update 10.12.2017: SOLD. Congratulations to buyer and seller! -dc Update 9.23.2017: Back on eBay with fresh pictures and a buy-it-now of $9,000. Seller note: Open to trades, would consider a trade up or trade down on a RC30, RC45, NC35 and possibly an Ow01 or Ow02, already have an NC30 so I’m good there. Yes,…
Guzzi is generally thought of these days as a purveyor of weirdo touring rigs, butch nakeds, and alterna-Harley cruisers, all with their big v-twins turned 90° from the expected orientation and the cylinder heads sticking out by the rider’s knees. But in the 1950s and 1970s, Moto Guzzi made genuine sportbikes and competed successfully in…