Moto Guzzi’s Modern Classic

Bikes

Somewhere back in the mists of time I spent a lot of time dreaming of riding a Moto Guzzi Le Mans 850. I was at the harrowing cusp of adolescence at the time, so this bike was about as unattainable as Farrah Fawcett (images of both the Charlie’s Angel and the Guzzi adorned my bedroom wall at the time).

A new supermarket opened directly opposite the place I lived, and the motorbike was on display as the first prize in some sort of promotional competition.

Needless to say, I got my dad to enter a couple of dozen times (as you had to be over eighteen to enter). Every day after school I would nip over to the supermarket and stare at the thing. I would pull its levers when the security guard wasn’t looking, and run my gaze over the engine and the exhaust and those mag wheels as if I knew what I was looking at.

The cliché goes that first loves never die.

And I have to admit, every now and then I sit and trawl the web for images of this machine. Trying to work out what remains so appealing about the bike, it’s now obvious.

At the time of its release in 1976, the streets were awash to full fairing Japanese machines with a colour pallet full of yellows and red white and blue stripes. The Guzzi’s stretched out, bulbous pots and duotone meanness represented everything other than that; everything exotic and desirable.

It represented, in other words, getting the hell out of there. And that is what I wanted to get.

Ironic, really, that a thing as banal and spirit crushing as the local supermarket should offer this powerful totem of escape as a promotional prize.

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18 Responses to “Moto Guzzi’s Modern Classic”

  1. John Cameron

    On Firefox 6.3.13 the page is showing with absolutely no left hand margin spoiling your otherwise attractive layout!

  2. Nick Atkinson

    Think you’ll find in 1976 that very, very few bikes had fairings.
    Yet another example of an Infux contributor knowing absolutely nothing about the subject on which he or she is writing I think!
    I hope Flux are more knowledgeable about the insurance market or we could all be in trouble.

  3. Tho276

    PREFERD THE LOOK OF THE S3 (if I remember correctly) BLACK WITH ORANGE DETAILING. YOU CERTAINLY CANNOT TAKE IT AWAY FROM THE ITALIANS EVEN THEN THEY HAD STYLE. THE STUFF A YOUNG BOYS DREAMS WERE MADE OF.
    SDT

  4. Wally Foote

    “At the time of its release in 1976, the streets were awash to full fairing Japanese machines…” That’s a long way from my recall of 1976. I don’t think there was a full fairing to be seen – lots of good stuff like Bonnies and Commandos, Kwacker triples, Honda 4s, but no fairings.

  5. Steven Black

    If my memory serves me correctly, there were few if any full fairing Japanese bike in 1976. That fashion didn’t take hold until the 1980’s. However, I do agree; the Le Mans was a beauty although after a test ride I opted for a BMW R100S as a more comfortable and practical option for my main transport. The luxury of a Sunday morning toy, in which role the Le Mans was perfect, was not within my budget.

  6. TerryRF600

    Just as yourself…I loved ( Stiil do ), the Guzzi Le Mans.
    BUT…the cover of the mag pictured has a very UGLY light mount, I do not remember the headlight poking-out like this, Unless it’s an “Import” model.
    Please, If you can, Elaborate this strange phenomenom. ( Spellin aint so great 🙂 . )

  7. Mike Parfitt

    Have to comment on the staement streets awash with full fairings Japanese machines in yellows etc. I started my biking career in ’76 and few if any machines had fairings at that time main bikes were 750 fours, z1’s and various Suzuki 2 strokes, all, in effect naked. Fairings didn’t really come into until the gold wing made it’s appearance!

    Re the guzzi lemans my best mates brother brought the original 750 version when it came out, lovely bike to look at but was so unreliable re electrics and rusted if you so much as breathed on it, he got rid of it after about a year.

    Like the magazine , always interesting and well written.

    Mike parfitt

  8. Andrewc

    Like Mike this was the machine to have, I drooled over it but ended up with Suzukis, no complaints,
    but i think this is still a very appealing motor cycle and a Guzzi at that.”mean exotic and desirable with no doubt loads of character and a deep throbbing exhaust roar!!!!

  9. Keith Over

    I first had a MK2 then a MK1 as per the photo and then a MK3 ,lovely bikes to own and ride (once you had sorted the electrics)

  10. I remember touring Southern Europe in 198o on a Kawasaki 1000 ST (I was 20 at the time) and thinking how well I was coping with the vet Swiss Alp roads, bending their way through the caverns and climbs – until a brace of local riders on Guzzi Le Mans past me and with a confidence that I could only have dream of on my Kwak!!!

    Guzzi Le Mans:
    Wonderful, timeless and I want one too ; )
    Paul
    UK

  11. Ahhhh, I used to have an 850 Guzzi cafe racer project. Based on a T3, but with LM heads, 36mm pumpers and an alloy tank. Alas the “credit crunch” took care of that and I sold off the part to pay my rent. My Morini 500 has survived thus far and provides much enjoyment. I vow one day to own a round cylinder Guzzi again.

  12. Martin Mcdonnell

    The most sad thing is that these dreams often take so long to achieve due to money, and ultimately, by the time you can afford them, are so hard to find as a viable purchase.

    My penchant was always a Z1 Kawazaki (and the Le Mans) for just the reasons described.

    Farrah Fawcett as a dream however was always likely to be a wish to far!!

  13. I am now fast closing in on 50 but I still have one!!! but also a california 1100 for sensible riding!!

  14. Friend had 1 in mid 70’s rode it a few times, fairly optimistic speedo! Nice but electrics where a pain, as was the finish and the reliability, typically Italian of the day lovely to look at (until it rusted) but a pain to maintain. Only faired bikes in the seventies were specials and the odd BMW sport tourer (R90S)

  15. funkymunky

    What a lush machine! my mate had one and rode it through an Elddis Firestorm; thats a type caravan to the uninitiated, though you probably didnt need to know that, dear reader.
    Still looks fresh and a ‘ hairy chested mans motorcycle’, not your plastic fantastic

    (anything further from a ‘Firestorm’ you coudnt wish to see)

  16. John Lightowlers

    I understand the drool. Having acquired my licence in the days before official off-road testing on a Honda Chaly (remember them? 70cc four-stroke mini-bike) and a Suzuki 125 sandbike (big fat rear tyres), I was ready for something meaner. A friend said he knew Moto Guzzi dealer and could get me a discount. I must admit, I didn’t know about Guzzis then and went along to the showroom thinking about maybe a 400cc as being a sensible transition from a 125, but saw the Le Mans and California gleaming, mesmerising standing side-by-side in the showroom. Unlike Alex, my heart was lost to the California. The sound, the weight, the handling, all the stuff of dreams. Bank loan was not an option… it was a necessity. Lotsa years later, several Californias behind me, they still tug at the heartstrings, Even though I am currently riding a joyous 1500 Harley I still, in the dark watches of the night, dream of settling onto the saddle of my first love

  17. Nico2

    It bulges out as it is a US spec sealed beam light unit. Makes it looks (almost) as ugly as a robber’s dog. Other sign that it is US model is the side reflectors on the CEV indicator bodies. And the price tag of the magazine – 75 cents…