Moto Guzzi

850 Le Mans

844cc OHV transverse V-twin || 440lb || 130mph || 1976-1993 Rivalling the Ducati 916 for the title of the most beautiful motorcycle ever made, the Mk1 Le Mans is a stunner, from the sexy curved nose fairing to the round rear light. It is a good as it looks, too, the power from the tuned-up engine matched by the handling. It’s less likely to drive you crazy than a 900SS or a Jota, and almost as capable of whisking you to Monaco in a day as a BMW, and in considerably more style, though the riding position may give you a few twinges. The Mk2 concentrated on those touring capabilities and unfathomably the designers managed to make it look less attractive, with an angular nose fairing and upper panels, though it’s still better looking than most. Revisions were made to the engine in 1981 with a new square cylinder head, angular bodywork, a new exhaust and updated suspension. The last 1000cc Le Mans with swoopy plastics was the longest lived, staying on the books until 1993. A Le Mans will suffer from that traditional 1970s and 1980s Italian condition of poor finish. A big motorcycle with buckets of soul.

Price

low £3500 || high £13,000

V35/50/65

490cc OHV transverse V-twin || 340lb || 105mph || 1977-1990 Although they mirror the big Guzzi Vees, the smaller engines were a new design for a lower-cost power plant as Moto Guzzi struggled financially in the early 1970s. The engine has a horizontally split crankcase, unlike the single casting of the bigger engines, and the cylinder heads were flat, with ‘heron head’ pistons. It is this basic design concept that survives in the Moto Guzzi engines today. These compact, good looking middleweights are well engineered and have excellent handling, as well as all of Guzzi’s style. The shaft drive makes them good tourers, though the 350cc V35 can struggle a bit. Originally fitted with electronic ignition, the Mk11 V50 has points, which might be old-fashioned but are easier to replace and less likely to fail. These bikes will leap along nicely, and the V50 Monza is a pocket-sized Le Mans II and lots of fun, if a little uncompromising.

Price

low £750 || high £4000