Among dyed-in-the-wool motorcycle enthusiasts the Moto Guzzi name commands respect. Now add Le Mans, with its connotations of motor sport at its demanding best. Moto Guzzi Le Mans says it all.
Here we are looking at the V11 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Rosso Corsa which we were able to put through its paces recently in the Welsh mountains. The Rosso Corsa refers to the machine's racing red livery, but a black Grigio Titanium version is available for those of a more retiring disposition.
The heart of the machine, as with most Moto Guzzis, is its well-proven 1,064cc transverse 90º V-twin engine. Final drive is shaft drive, something rarely seen on sports bikes, other than BMW.
The bike's layout is sports or, perhaps more properly, sports tourer. A cowl covers the vestigial pillion pad, rendering it a single-seater.
Pillion footpegs are fitted - although Moto Guzzi claims "maximum comfort when riding with a passenger" we suspect, from others we met on our test, that it means "maximum comfortable for the rider".
Two pillion passengers we met did not rate it "pillion friendly". There are no grab rails, but then few would buy this machine for taking their passenger to the shops.
On our test ride we found the mirrors to be good by sports bike standards. The fairing gave better than expected protection from wind blast. Seat comfort is more adequate than impressive. Handlebars are low-set but not extreme. Instruments are analogue, clear and easy to read, if somewhat dated. There is no clock.
We found the Brembo Oro brakes - twin, four-piston 320mm disks at the front and a single two-piston 282mm rear disk - to be quite good, but not outstanding. Steering proved to be near-perfect.
Any 2-cylinder machine is likely to have some vibration - we found it more noticeable than unpleasant.
Gear changes on the six-speed box were good. The ratios were a bit on the wide side - closer ratio gears would have been more in keeping with this style of machine.
At slow speeds in traffic it proved to be well balanced. The clutch is hydraulically operated and is a marked improvement on some other Moto Guzzi cable-operated systems.
On roadholding, we gave it 9 out of 10, while for acceleration it earned the full 10 out of 10 despite the fuel injection system on this Press Fleet bike needing some minor attention.
In all a more comfortable sports machine than its looks suggest, and one with a definite "big bike" feel to it. It also feels it could well be a long-lived bike, one that could well still be going strong when its contemporaries have succumbed to mechanical senility. Moto Guzzi owners will tell you this is part of the appeal. Given that many of the Moto Guzzis seen in Ireland qualify for classic insurance (15 years and older), they have a point.
As with all the Moto Guzzi range, there is a full range of well-designed manufacturers accessories which typify the Italian passion for good design.
The most impressive aspect of this machine is the massive, thundering torque churned out by its legendary engine which reaches its 94 Nm peak at a mere 5,400 rpm. This, above all else, gives the machine that decidedly long-legged gait.
In even the smallest detail its Italian ancestry is evident. Moto Guzzi has its own way of doing things. It's been around long before the Japanese invasion and, despite the need to be competitive, seem determined to retain their individuality.
We see this in layout an approach that is markedly different to the vast majority of sports bikes. Herein lies the Moto Guzzi appeal.
So far no Irish dealers stock any of the Moto Guzzi range.
This means a trip to Britain, where the on-the-road price is £8,734. That includes two years unlimited mileage and two years roadside assistance (in the UK). Allow € 1,414 for VRT on importation and the total cost works out around € 14,353.
Well worth it, we think, to those who value Italian precision, passion and panache.