BIKETEST MOTO GUZZI BELLAGIOMoto Guzzi's Bellagio has a fine touch of retro class about it, that puts it almost in the Harley-style iconic range, reports Conor Twomey
WHEN YOU buy a Harley-Davidson, you're buying more than just a motorbike - you're buying a lifestyle. There aren't many Harley riders who don't revel in the bad-boy image; cruising around in the black and orange leather enjoying the unmistable sound of an American V-twin bolted to a vast tailpipe.
But if you fancy a laid-back cruiser and don't necessarily want the baggage that comes with a Harley, your choices have been rather limited.
Japanese cruisers tend to look like wannabe Harleys, but the Moto Guzzi Bellagio offers something unique - some Italian cool.
The Bellagio isn't a brand-new bike, but I've been admiring it from afar since it was launched last year. Its most striking feature is its matte black paintjob, which gives it an unmistakable air of menace that's an easy match for its American rivals.
Not only is the attitude just right, the detailing is also perfectly executed - the drag bars, spoked wheels, traditional parallel tailpipes, the simple single headlamp and cropped rear overhang all bestow the Bellagio with a retro look without laying it on too thickly. They've even got the amount of chrome to use just right, while the riding position is surprisingly sporty, with well-placed grips and plenty of legroom too.
Naturally, the Bellagio is powered by an air-cooled V-twin engine, so it rumbles just as you'd expect of a big(gish) cruiser. With 75hp and 78Nm from its 936cc motor the Bellagio is no slouch, pulling strongly from low revs all the way to its 7,500 rpm redline - much livelier and more pleasant sounding than the equivalent Harley Sportster.
The six-speed gearbox is slick and light, the throttle is perfectly calibrated making it a very easy bike to rev-match on down shifts, while Moto Guzzi's shaft-drive (housed inside a single-sided aluminium swingarm) is wonderfully smooth.
The clutch is somewhat stiff for continuous two-finger shifts, however, which makes traffic hard work.
Despite the rather traditional appearance, the Bellagio has many high-tech components like adjustable, 45mm Marzocchi forks and powerful two-piston Brembo brakes.
These sporty parts, combined with the fine riding position, encourage you to ride the Bellagio much harder than cruisers are traditionally ridden, but the good news is it's more than up to the job, even over challenging roads (although the rear suspension does need to be adjusted to get the power down cleanly).
It doesn't take a huge amount of effort to reach Bellagio's limitations, as you'd expect, but it is forgiving and easy to control if you overdo things in a corner, which makes it an ideal machine for anyone returning to biking after a long absence.
The Bellagio is best enjoyed on wide, open bends where its impressive lean angle and solid footprint allow the rider to exploit the engine's performance to the full, while its impressive aerodynamics mean it's unexpectedly refined on the motorway, too, with none of the usual buffeting you expect from a naked bike.
You might just get away with using it as a touring bike, in fact, though you'd need some pretty good leathers to prevent the chill setting in.
All in all, then, the Moto Guzzi Bellagio proved to be every bit as good as I had hoped and proved to be a genuinely worthy competitor to the Harley Sportster. It's handsome, cool (in a European way), makes a distinctive sound, offers strong performance, solid handling, great comfort and the only baggage it comes with is the optional panniers you'd be wise to order with it.
The only real downside is the price which, at €11,500, is about a €1,500 more than the basic Harley.
You do get a more sophisticated machine for your money, but costing that little bit extra might just hold a few buyers back from taking the plunge.