Shaft drive has well-known advantages in terms of maintenance and reliability but is rarely seen in the sportbike world as it limits gearing choices and generally adds too much weight to a bike like this Moto Guzzi Daytona Racing. In a world where every ounce counts and bikes are pared to the bone, sacrificing durability…
A sportbike powered by a 1064cc two-valve pushrod twin seems positively antediluvian in context and was absolutely outclassed by the competition even when new. But Moto Guzzi managed to take their rugged and very entertaining powertrain and fit it into their 1100 Sport that, while not cutting-edge, offered up charisma, handling, durability, and exclusivity. I’ve…
Relisted from last November, with a 20% price reduction – Martin In the early 1990s, Moto Guzzi was trying to revitalize their staid image and appeal to a younger, more sporting audience. Famous Guzzi tuners Ghezzi and Brian were brought in to style the new top-shelf sportbike, and the result was a machine uncharacteristically elegant…
If pure speed, cutting-edge technology, or drive chains are your thing, then today’s Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000 probably isn’t the bike for you. But if race heritage, character, and v-twin torque are things you enjoy, you can’t go wrong with this big Guzzi. The Daytona is certainly not light weight, but it does handle: with…
After giving the LeMans token updates for several years, Moto Guzzi made some great modernizations in 1993 and named the result after another endurance racing classic – Daytona. With help from the brilliant gentleman racer Dr. John Wittner, Guzzi fielded the four-valve per cylinder 1000cc engine in their long stable chassis. Though built in low numbers and not…
Much like the Ducati 900SS FE we featured last week, today’s reborn Moto Guzzi V11 Le Mans is a bike for riders who value a bit of history and real-world performance over high horsepower numbers, racetrack manners, and the newest technological acronyms. And when I say “legacy,” I mean legacy: the longitudinally-mounted 90° v-twin found…
Today’s Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000 is the living, breathing result of an almost unbelievable underdog story. Italian and British motorcycle manufacturers never seem to lack enthusiasm. But cash? Well that’s always a problem. So while manufacturers like Honda have the financial backing of large companies to drive development and new technology, brands like Ducati and…
Many of our readers will find it very appropriate that I’ve referenced a Ray Bradbury short story about dinosaurs for the title of this post. In a world of GSX-Rs and ZX-7s the Moto Guzzi Le Mans IV was indeed a dinosaur, long past its days as a world-class sportbike by 1987. But by then,…