When the powers-that-be in Tinseltown are presented with a talented, yet unusual
thespian who doesn’t fit their idea of a leading man or sex symbol, they are
quick to categorize him with the ingratiatingly backhanded label of “character
actor.” However, with the fickle history of movies as proof, it is quite often
the character actors who leave an indelible performance etched in celluloid,
while the stars they supported have long since withered from memory in ephemeral
wisps of stardom. Well, if the roads of the world were the silver screen, and motorcycles the
actors that populate them, then the Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia would
undoubtedly be the character actor among them. Like their cinematic counterpart,
the Coppa Italia is at first hard to classify. It tends to defy most
enthusiasts’ idea of what constitutes a sportbike. However, shaking the tree of
racing history to see what falls and what remains in the branches reveals Moto
Guzzi’s rich legacy of road-racing championships, which stand as testament to
the brand’s serious competition roots. (Click image to enlarge)
Guzzis—as they are affectionately referred to by their clan—were at the
epicenter of the Italian motorcycling movement in Europe in the ’40s and ’50s.
Stateside, the exotic Moto Guzzi, by name and looks, helped propagate romantic
notions of quaint Italian villages dotting motorcycle-friendly routes weaving
through picturesque mountains. Brand loyalty among the “Guzzi-este” have helped
the manufacturer survive where so many have perished. Moto Guzzis possess a unique persona in both design and performance.
The legendary air-cooled V-twin motor, in the famous configuration that brings
the massive cylinder heads up on either side of the gas tank and in line with
the pilot’s knees, serves to constantly remind the rider—with stimulating
awareness—of what’s between the legs: horsepower and torque, delivered with a
primal, guttural exhaust note. A Moto Guzzi sounds like what we grew up
expecting a motorcycle to sound like: distant thunder of an approaching storm.
In our case, the storm was enhanced by the addition of Moto Guzzi’s performance
titanium slip-on exhaust cans that allow the engine to breathe a bit better.
 Helmet: AGV Ti Tech Rossi VR46, Leathers: Dainese S.F.C.
jacket with Firefly pants, Gloves: Dainese Tenshyn, Boots: Dainese
Mig-Touring. (Click image to enlarge)
The Moto Guzzi company spares no expense in equipping its motorcycles with
the finest components: Öhlins forks, shock and steering dampener, Brembo Gold
Series brakes and alloy wheels, excellent control levers and a tasteful touch of
anodized parts. The Coppa Italia’s massive engine and driveshaft give the
illusion of bulk, however, this erroneous assessment is dispelled with great
alacrity as soon as some speed and lean angle are entered into the equation. The
Coppa Italia purrs through corners as if the wheels were hooked on a rail. The
engine is the most responsive just off idle and at lower rpms where the twin’s
torque is available in abundance. The 1,064cc engine delivers 91 horses in a
smooth, predictable power band, without sudden, unwanted peaks or valleys—just
usable, tractable drive. Gear ratios on the Moto Guzzi’s six-speed transmission
are spaced evenly and succinctly to get the horses to the pavement.  The Coppa Italia grows on you—fast. The bike’s tricolor silver, red and green
paint scheme and bikini fairing are visually alluring, but it’s only after you
experience the performance of the V11 that the machine begins to take on the
affectionate terms “sexy” and “beautiful.” Another experience unique to the Moto
Guzzi is when you ride one, you are automatically, tacitly inducted into the
Guzzi family. You will be welcomed into the inner sanctum of this loyal crowd
whenever you pull into your local motorcycle meeting place. My time with the
Coppa Italia helped me to see why it’s been said, “Once you own a Guzzi, you
usually stay with a Guzzi.” (Click image to enlarge)
www.motoguzzi-us.com
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