Few motorcycle manufacturers can match Moto Guzzi when it comes to uniqueness and presence. Harley-Davidson is one that comes to mind, Ducati another, and maybe even some models of BMW.
But none of these - or anyone else, for that matter - has based their success on an air-cooled, transversely-mounted V-twin engine. Moto Guzzi has been doing so for years and all of their models feature this engine layout in various sizes. It definitely gives the bikes distinctive sound, feel, and performance.
One of the newest models to join the Guzzi line-up is the Norge 1200, pronounced Nor-Gay, a full-zoot tourer that comes with most of the modcons. The name comes from a road trip one of the original Guzzi brothers took, back in the 1920s....from Mandello, Italy, to Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle. The then-new rear suspension apparently needed testing and this is how the company went about it.
In this configuration, Guzzi's venerable transverse V-Twin engine displaces 1151 cc and is mated to a six-speed transmission. Power output is about 95 hp, and final drive is shaft with Moto Guzzi's patented rear swingarm suspension set-up. This latter feature pretty much tames the transitional power lag and drivetrain lash that afflicts many shaft drive bikes, and is a nice counterpoint to the less than smooth power delivery of the engine. Moto Guzzi describes its engine as "generous and tireless" and that may be so, but it also has a raggedness about it that you either love or hate. Me, I love it. It gives the bike personality and all kinds of bottom end grunt. Interestingly, the sideways twitch that usually accompanies throttle blipping is almost completely absent on this bike. Along with BMW boxer engines, you could always count on a Moto Guzzi to have this particular idiosyncrasy.
Some other numbers. The Norge weighs in at 246 kilograms dry, has a seat height of 800 mm, a fuel tank capacity of 23 litres and twin disc brakes with four piston calipers up front and a single disc with two piston caliper in back. It also has ABS.
The word that comes to mind for the Norge is "manageable". In just about every respect, this is a rider-friendly, easy-to-get along-with motorcycle. Power is plentiful and readily available but not overwhelming; the engine revs to about 10,000 rpm, but most of its usable power is below, oh, 7500 rpm. At 100 km/h in top gear, for example, it's ticking over at 3500 rpm, which is just about mid-range. What this means is that if you suddenly need a handful, it's there, without downshifting. Not the smoothest motorcycle I've ever ridden on the highway, the Norge is one of the more responsive and makes all kinds of the right noises.
Other standard equipment includes an electric-powered windscreen, locking hardbags, heated handlebar grips, a substantial front fairing, centre and side kick-stands, and handy little grab rails that are built in alongside the passenger pillion. When I rode this bike, it was sunny but unusually cold and I was as comfy as you can be at this time of year. No complaints in the creature comforts department.
However - and this is a common complaint of mine with Italian motorcycles - the foot controls are just too small. Do Italians have tiny feet or something? The shift lever on the Norge is absolutely Lilliputian, and it was all I could do to get my boot under it to change gears. Ditto with the foot brake lever. Apparently, you can adjust these two, but they're still undersized, and on a bike of this type, need to be larger and easier to get at.
On the other hand, riding position on this bike - at least for me - is just about perfect. For really long hauls, I'd probably bring the handlebars up a little, but undersized foot levers or not, this is a comfy bike. And for those who are inseam-challenged, you can order a different saddle, which drops the seat height down by some 30 mm. Other accessories include a TomTom navigation system, bike cover, and anti-theft alarm.
And I must mention the handlebar-activated power windscreen and heated handlebar grips; these are both excellent things to have on a touring motorcycle, and the heated grips actually have several settings. Nice. I was also happy to see that the Norge has fairly comprehensive instrumentation; speedometer, tach, gas gauge, and a digital readout for mileage and what-not. Alas, this last item is pretty much redundant, as I could hardly see it. Guzzi needs to do something about this feature; either eliminate it altogether or relocate it and make it more visible.
No complaints about the bike's rideability, though. For a fairly large machine, it's very responsive and quite flickable. Needless to say, the brakes are outstanding, and once you get a feel for it, the Norge is almost a sport bike in the way it handles itself. Almost.
Like I said: manageable.
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