"God loves a trier. It could be the motto of the Italian motorcycle industry. They have never let common sense stand in the way of a dream - the audacious dream of developing a production bike that just might make "
Italian Motorcycles: Winds of Passion
Rich Beach explores the Italian penchant for two wheeled style
Passion. Italians have it in spades. In fact, where we are all made of 3/4 water, the Italians are 75% pure passion. Passion flows through everything they do, from throwing a dish together, constructing an argument to building a motorcycle.
And the difference between Italians and the rest of their European brethren is starkly apparent when you have to sit through a pre-launch presentation from say, the press office of BMW motorcycles. Here, you’ll be efficiently bombarded with fact after German fact, number after number, dry weight, rake angle, torque curves… The spiel from a Japanese manufacturer will consist meanwhile of mind-bending new technology and nano-scale efficiency improvements, although admittedly with much talk of spirit. Honda is always particularly keen to remind we hacks of the spirit within their machines – albeit in a Zen kind of way.
But then you go to Italy, where a small almost cottage industry manufacturer (yes, Ducati is a cottage industry if you compare them to the Japanese), tucked away in the rolling countryside are releasing their latest machine – a machine designed with passion, powered by desire and marketed with dreamy, oozy desire.
Moto Guzzi’s beautiful Falcone of 1950
Outside the gates of the Moto Guzzi factory, in the tiny little picture postcard village of Mandello del Lario, the company’s slogan reads: The Winds of Passion (in Italian). Now, I won’t be so crude and repeat the interpretation some visiting bike journalists and myself made of this. Let’s just say we sniggered. But that was before we went inside and were stunned silent with awe as we were led around the museum filled with historic Guzzis. The only winds of passion came from the mouths of each employee we spoke to about their life dedicated to the town’s iconic marque. This was the factory their father dutifully toiled for, and his father before him. For each of them, it genuinely appeared to be an honour to work there.
The Germans and Japanese, also of course, have museums of motorcycle development. But in each case it feels just that – a pristine display of their ever forward marching progression. Inside the Italian factories on the other hand, it feels more like the scribbled pages of Da Vinci’s notebook, a scrapbook of ideas and family memories, faded pages and curled corners to boot. The history envelops you and, despite their current bikes’ modern technology, you still feel the weight of the history of the marque riding pillion with you. You get a feel for this inexplicable quality that is this ‘passion’, the joy. You experience it as you ride a Guzzi, or Ducati, Aprilia or even an MV Agusta.
MV Agusta is the ultimate Italian motorcycle marque. This 860 is one of our favourites
Italian’s don’t make food, cars or motorcycles; they make love. When you hand over £40-50,000 for a Ducati Desmosedeci RR – probably the sexiest, most desirable production supersports bike in the world, you’re riding a piece of highly efficient 200+mph, 170kg, carbon fibre filth. You dirty pervert you.
And it’s no coincidence the greatest motorcycle racer the world has seen is Italian. Valentino Rossi is storming towards his 9th World Champion title, despite the efforts of his Spanish and Australian title contenders. Not enough passion you see. No one celebrates a win, engages the public or showboats like Vale. He doesn’t like easy wins and he respects, not hates, anyone who can beat him. He’d do it if he didn’t get paid. Because of the passion.
If only the classic Italian automobilia were as reliable and consistent as Rossi. Which is a point that seems to prove the indubitable power of passion – if vintage, and even not-so-vintage Alfas or Ducatis, are renowned for breaking down, or suffering problems, which they are, then what is the attraction if a Japanese machine will run and run and run?
The difference is, the enthusiastas of the rich and frustrating world of Italian machinery know full well that to keep a beautiful motorcycle, or car, in good order, they must dedicate time, affection and constant maintenance to her. Just like the young Sophie Loren – she’s beautiful but highly-strung. Most importantly, she requires regular, attentive, passionate, extensive, joyous and expert servicing.
Give her these things and she will make you feel like God.
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I just returned from Italy and was shocked at the lack of Ducatis and Aprilia bikes on the road. It seemed all Honda’d up out there!
I had a MotoGuzzi V11 Sport a few years ago – this was the most charismatic – and perhaps surprisingly, most reliable – bike I’ve ever had. Far far better than my old BMW F650 which was forever breaking down. If/when I buy another bike, it will be an Italian!
Very good
Yes, we Italians are passionate about our motorcyles, we built them and ride in a way that is still inexplicable to most non italians. Many of us were born close enough to engine to smell the oil and feel the haet, we tuned them, race them and some even crashed them always admiring the red ducati flying past or the vespa with the sides cut off to accomodate a bigger engine. Many italian bike where built with one thing in mind; go fast around the tracks and be unreacheble by your opponent, perhaps this explain some of their famous unrelaiblity on the every day use.
Many years ago I had a brand new Yamaha RD350 (early version) which was fast, scary and not very good at bends. I drove it from Scotland to London and by chance got to ride a second hand Ducati 350. I was hooked. I traded ‘down’ losing some money in the process but now I had a machine that handled beautifully. It was pure pleasure to ride and maintain and reliability was excellent. It even survived a high speed puncture by 1 part skill, 1 part luck and 1 big part Ducati engineering. I wish I still had it – no weather protection, no fancy modern brakes,transmissions,plastic bits etc, but just pure bl***y good motorcycle.
That perfect article. THANKS! You guys do a great blog, and have some great contests. Keep up the good work.
I’ve been riding bikes since 1958, (when I was 16), mainly Triumphs. I’ve had, over the years, BMWs, Yamahas, Hondas, Kawasakis etc. The bike I’m riding at present, a Kawasaki ZX12R Ninja, I consider to be probably the best bike I’ve ever had, and the worst? an Italian Binelli 750 sei (six cylinder). Total and utter crap, and I’ve been wary of Italian iron ever since (besides, I prefer multi cylinder bikes anyway).
Hi, Great and awesome images of bikes, really this is true “we Italians are passionate about our motorcycles, when i was in Italy I bought Italian Motorbikes, Yamaha for racing. Unfortunately, when i came back to UK, here really i didn't see much heavy bikes and racing programs of motorbikes. I just shocked too. Ducatis and Aprilia bikes are great.
I like these motorbikes, great. I have gone to the show in Japan earlier there was so many new models cars I have seen of Toyota and Honda, really all Japanese Cars like Toyota and Honda are the best and I like these two cars brand to drive and for buy. Thanks for suggestions
Whereas the big Japanese bike manufacturers spent the late 60’s and 70’s pushing the envelope as far as power and speed was concerned, it was the European manufacturers who pursued a blend of power and handling. Japanese used cars|Japanese used vehicles sale
This article really hit the nail on the head. I did my motorcycle license on a horrendous Yamaha xv virago 535, my learners bike was a Suzuki RV-90J for precisely 2 weeks and I did a safety course on a GP Track with a Honda CBF1000. However I did not feel any passion for the bikes…Now I own two Ducatis for the passion, sound, smell and joy of riding them. There is nothing like an italian motorcycle
I was hooked. I traded ‘down’ losing some money in the technique but now I had a machine that handled beautifully.