Moto Guzzi Nouvo Falcone

Moto Guzzi had a long history of manufacturing lay-down singles from its earliest days with the 1921 Normale. The external flywheel was a feature of the original Falcone from 1950 right up until 1968 when the bike was redesigned. Moto Guzzi retained the basic concept when the Falcone became the Nuovo Falcone. The Nuovo was produced in response to a request from Italy’s police force and military for a more modern version of the old Falcone. Even if the Falcone had featured telescopic forks at the end of its life they were somewhat basic. Big Guzzi singles had run a swingarm of sorts from early days but what had been revolutionary in the 30s was old hat by the 60s; cantilever arms with ‘wind up’ friction dampers weren’t cutting edge. Most obvious was the huge alloy enclosure around the previously external flywheel along with a double-barrelled silencer, genuine twin-shock rear suspension, more modern forks and host of revisions to chassis, frame and electrics. Steps were also taken to refresh the appearance which had changed little. The 1969 onwards 500 single was called the Nuovo (or new) Falcone to differentiate it from the older model and any Guzzi single with an external flywheel. The Nuovo iteration was primarily produced as a robust and simple motorcycle that would withstand serious abuse. Some 13,400 ‘forces’ example were made along with nearly 3000 civilian machines. By 1976 the factory knew it was time the old warhorse was put out to pasture and the model was quietly dropped. Numerous decommissioned example of the ‘Militaire’ have donned civilian clothes to various degrees muddying the waters somewhat in terms of model ID. There was also a Nuovo Falcone Sahara that looks like a military bike painted beige.