Moto Guzzi Motorcycles
Moto Guzzi motorcycles — Italian bikes from Mandello del Lario since 1921, famous for the transverse V-twin and shaft drive. The modern range centers on the V7 roadster family, V85 TT adventure models, and larger touring platforms for riders who want character over anonymous horsepower.
History of Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi was founded in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, on Lake Como in northern Italy, by Carlo Guzzi, Giorgio Parodi, and Giovanni Ravelli. The eagle badge and lakeside factory became permanent parts of the brand story. From the start, Moto Guzzi chased racing credibility and distinctive engineering rather than copying whatever the rest of Italy built that year.
The transverse V-twin — cylinders sticking out into the airflow — became the house engine layout. Shaft drive followed as another Guzzi signature on many models. That combination still defines how a Moto Guzzi motorcycle feels: torque delivery, engine braking, and a mechanical character you notice at every stoplight.
Today Moto Guzzi is part of the Piaggio Group, alongside Aprilia and Vespa. The Mandello factory remains the spiritual home. In the US, buyers focus on the V7 family (Stone, Special, Sport), the V85 TT adventure-tourer, and occasional larger tourers and cruisers when dealers stock them.
Key milestones
- 1921 — Moto Guzzi founded in Mandello del Lario
- 1930s–1950s — Grand Prix racing success builds the racing legend
- 1967 — V7 arrives and seeds decades of transverse V-twin roadsters
- 2000s — Piaggio Group ownership stabilizes the brand
- 2010s–2020s — V7 revitalization, V85 TT adventure line, and Mandello-centered modern range
What Moto Guzzi motorcycles are known for
- Transverse V-twin — the across-the-frame twin is the brand's visual and mechanical identity.
- Shaft drive — common on modern Guzzis; less chain mess, different driveline feel.
- Mandello character — Italian touring and roadster ergonomics over race-replica aggression.
- Piaggio Group support — dealer and parts backing through a larger corporate network than tiny independents.
Moto Guzzi motorcycle model families
V7 roadsters
- V7 Stone — minimalist modern classic
- V7 Special — more chrome and traditional roadster trim
- V7 Sport — sportier ergonomics and styling inside the V7 family
Adventure / scrambler-touring
- V85 TT — the main Moto Guzzi adventure-touring platform in the US
- Related V85 variants (Travel / Strada-type trims depending on model year)
Touring / cruiser
- Larger Guzzi tourers and baggers when offered — including models in the MGX and Eldorado lineage historically sought on the used market
Who Moto Guzzi motorcycles are for
Moto Guzzi fits riders who want Italian style with shaft-drive practicality and a twin that feels different from a Harley, BMW boxer, or Japanese parallel twin. V7 shoppers often cross-shop Triumph modern classics. V85 TT shoppers compare mid-size adventure bikes from Triumph, Ducati, and BMW.
Browse Moto Guzzi motorcycles for sale on Motohubs, compare V7 and V85 TT prices, and ride both before you choose — the transverse twin is a feel decision as much as a spec-sheet one.