Moto Guzzi Owners Gather In Deep River

DEEP RIVER, CT – It was only after extracting the 1994 Moto Guzzi California 1100 from winter storage and getting it out on the road for the first time early this month – more than three months after buying it – that the question popped to mind, “What have I gotten myself into?”

While I’ve had friends over the years who have owned Moto Guzzi motorcycles, I’ve never seriously studied those who favor the Italian brand, despite attending the annual Italian Motorcycle Owners Club meet in Massachusetts several times.

What are Guzzi owners really like? Are they as fiercely brand loyal as Harley-Davidson or BMW devotees? Can they be justly or unjustly stereotyped like owners of other marques? Is a brand-specific “costume” required in the way of gear or perhaps some other embellishments?

A monthly breakfast gathering of Moto Guzzi owners at the Whistle Stop Café in Deep River on Sunday morning provided an opportunity for research. Shortly after sunrise, I set out on the 50-mile ride to Deep River, figuring to get there early. However, upon arriving, I saw that several Moto Guzzis were parked across the street.  Ah, Moto Guzzi owners are punctual.

Inside the snug eatery, nearly a dozen riders were already seated. After getting a mug of coffee as a hand warmer, I began introducing myself. Seated across the deuce was Bud Shurtleff of Old Saybrook. He had ridden in on a sparkling white 2014 California 1400 cruiser that he’d bought in December. “I have a whole 600 miles on it,” he said.

Shurtleff’s reason for buying a Moto Guzzi? “I wanted something different. Harleys all look the same to me. Moto Guzzi is appealing to me because they are so different,” he said, emphasizing that he has nothing against Harley. “Harley-Davidson is the best marketed company in the world. Can you buy Moto Guzzi underwear?” The answer there is no.

What makes a shaft-driven Moto Guzzi visually distinctive is its motor. It may be a V-twin in configuration, but unlike the V-twins found in Harleys, Indians and the Japanese brands, which sit fore and aft, Moto Guzzi mounts the engine transversely. The cylinder heads pop out on either side of the frame, right in front of the rider’s knees.

Shurtleff’s comments nonetheless suggested that perhaps Moto Guzzi owners do view Harley-Davidson as the Budweiser of bikes, while Moto Guzzi is more like a compelling craft beer.

“I like the Guzzi. I like the heritage. I like the people,” said Sebastian Vernali of Glastonbury, who came with his wife, Melissa, on a two-tone blue 1998 EV1100. He owns eight Moto Guzzis. Vernali shrugged at the suggestion of a stereotypical owner. “It’s people who like to work on their own things,” he said.

Melissa added one trait of Moto Guzzi owners. “They’re not in it for the image. They’re in it because they love to ride,” she said.

The Moto Guzzi brand dates back to 1921; the result of a dream of three friends in the Italian air force during World War I, two of them pilots and one a mechanic. Unfortunately, one of them, Giovanni Ravelli, died in a plane crash shortly after the war. Giorgio Parodi and Carlo Guzzi honored their former comrade by making the company’s logo an eagle in his memory.

Tom Bailey of Wethersfield likewise pointed to the uniqueness of the brand as to why he prefers Moto Guzzi. He was riding a black 1976 V1000 Convert with automatic transmission. “You don’t see a lot of them. They’re a good all-around motorcycle,” he said.

In hearing Bailey explain the different facets of his Convert, it was easy to surmise that Moto Guzzi’s appeal to him can be traced to their simplicity and reliability. “I’ve been into them for 35 years. People are concerned, ‘Where can you get parts?’ You don’t have to get a lot of parts for them,” he said.

The most eye-c atching Moto Guzzi outside the Whistle Stop Café was also the oldest – a red, single-cylinder 1955 Falcone owned by Steve Rossi, who heads the Connecticut/Rhode Island chapter of the Moto Guzzi National Owners Club.

“Part of the appeal, you’re seeing here – 15 guys on a Sunday morning,” he said. But the brand has other allures. “It’s the crowd it draws. I like the integrity of the bikes. They’re not the fastest bikes. They’re not the most nimble, but they’ve got a level of integrity and soul that you can’t find anywhere else,” Rossi said.

But is there a stereotypical Moto Guzzi owner? “Old and grumpy,” replied Steve Cote of East Windsor as we chatted outside, his comment also suggesting that Moto Guzzi owners also have a sense of humor. Cote owns several Moto Guzzis, including a 1977 Le Mans and a 1974 Eldorado. Is there any other trait that signals a Moto Guzzi owner? “Individualistic,” said Cote, adding that they “march to their own drummer.”

After a delicious breakfast of a Mexican omelet (with ham, red and green peppers, onions, beans and cheddar) and 90 minutes of conversation, it was time to head home – except that the bumblebee Cali wouldn’t start. Yes, the kill switch was “on” and the kickstand, which has a cutoff when extended, was up.

Fortunately, Cote stepped up and pushed me until I could pop the clutch and get the bike running. However, before lending a hand, Cote shot some video of Rossi starting his Falcone that also showed my angst in being unable to start my bike. He then posted it on YouTube. How embarrassing.

Here are some more pics from the gathering:

 Brian Raczkowski of Branford, CT and his 2002 Jackal

(Originally published in “The Republican-American” on April 25, 2015.)