1. Moto Guzzi Norge 1200

2016 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200GT 8V. 2016 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200GT 8V Review. 2016 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200GT 8V on www.Totalmotorcycle.com. Travel first class, with style and horsepower Named in celebration of a Moto Guzzi’s 4000-mile journey to the Arctic Circle in 1928, the Moto Guzzi Norge GT 8V is born to satisfy the driving pleasure without.

Not Bad For A Budget Tourerby, onNovember 27, 2017, 17:00came up with its latest version of the 1200 GT back in ’11, and that design has withstood the test of time as it looks to be a direct carryover into at least the 2018 model year. The factory retains the service of the “four-valve” engine with its 100-plus horsepower and transverse V-twin layout. In keeping with its heritage, the latest falls well within the sport- bracket with the protective features and cargo capacity the U.S. Market expects of its long-distance bikes. How will it stack up against the American V-twins and the new?

We’re going to find out, but first let’s take a deeper look at the current Norge GT.Continue reading for my review of the Moto Guzzi Norge 1200 GT. Stowage falls to the two side-load panniers, which make it difficult to get the maximum capacity from the boxes and they aren't very big, so the Norge seems to be woefully lacking in 'overnight-ability'.The blunt entry of the front fairing sports a quartet of projectors set within two eye-like recesses to give the Norge an almost predatory visage. Up top, a vented, push button-adjustable windshield provides the rider with protection while relieving the vacuum in the pocket behind the screen to minimize the head-buffet effect.Cheek fairings connect the upper section to the chin fairing with a cutout to accommodate the exhaust pipes as they sweep their way aft. Another cutout midway up the sides gives us a peek at the rocker covers, and even though the engine still manages to stick out from the rest of the bike just a bit, the fairings go a long way toward mitigating that unusual transverse V-twin look.Body panels cover the rest of the bike to keep most of the innards a secret to the casual observer, and the net effect is a clean, well thought out bike with far less bulk than you get from a U.S. Style machine. The rider’s triangle, however, would be familiar to and riders because of where the foot controls fall; forward and lower than the jockey position typical of sport-tourers. There’s a bit of pullback and rise in the bars, so it places the rider in a rather upright position with a tendency to not want to lean forward too much for too long.

In other words, a bit more “tourey” than “sport,” but that’s fine if you want to stay in the saddle for long stretches.’Guzzi thoughtfully shaped the fuel tank with a knee flange on top if you’re the type to throw some body English around. The saddle carries just the slightest rise to the P-pad, and though it comes without a passenger’s backrest, your human cargo can take comfort in the JC handles that brace the rear end.Stowage falls to the two side-load panniers, which make it difficult to get the maximum capacity from the boxes, and they aren’t very big to begin with. Compare it to an, or and the Norge seems to be woefully lacking in overnightability.

The front fork sports an adjustable preload feature and the rear shock has the obligatory preload adjustment plus a rebound-damping adjustment that gives more flexibility than we are accustomed to getting from the homegrown brands.The chassis got buffed up a bit with a set of 45 mm stems up front that sport an adjustable preload feature that, while fairly basic, put the Norge miles ahead of its domestic competitors. Same with the rear shock that comes with the obligatory preload adjustment plus a rebound-damping adjustment that gives more flexibility than we are accustomed to getting from the homegrown brands.A pair of 320 mm brake discs and four-pot calipers slow the front wheel with a 282 mm disc and twin-pot anchor out back with ABS coverage all around, whether you want it or not. Cast rims mount 17-inch hoops fore and aft, and the rubbers come with some beef to them with a 120/70 up front and a 180/55 out back; about the same size as nearly every worth mentioning, but the similar look doesn’t necessarily translate into similar handling. The Norge is a bit reluctant in the corners, and not nearly as agile as a straight-up sport, but that’s to be expected and is part of the trade off for the touring capabilities. The seat falls out at 31.88 inches off the ground, flatfoot for many and tip-toes for the rest, but not unreasonable for any bike with “ sport” anywhere in its genre. The Norge lacks any sort of TC or rider modes whizbangery, but it does have a central control for injection and ignition timing and a thermostat-controlled cooling fan on the oil cooler to give you that extra layer of protection when stuck in slow traffic and filtering isn't an option.’Guzzi’s 1,151 cc “GT 8V” engine gets its name from its pair of four-valve heads.

Moto Guzzi Norge 1200

The transverse V-twin layout has long been synonymous with the brand, and as cool as some folks think it is, I gotta’ say it worries my nerves to have the delicate and expensive rocker boxes and heads sticking out where they could contact the ground. Just me?No matter where you land on that, there’s no denying the 76.7 pound-feet o’ grunt that comes on fully at 5,500 rpm or the 102 ponies that top out at an even 7,000 rpm. The Norge lacks any sort of TC or rider modes whizbangery, but it does have a central control for injection and ignition timing and a thermostat-controlled cooling fan on the oil cooler to give you that extra layer of protection against lubrication breakdown due to high ambient temps and/or slow traffic.

Very comforting if your adventures/commutes take you through rush hour somewhere. Power filters through a six-speed transmission with a shaft-type final drive that uses the single-side swingarm as a housing. The Norge comes out the clear winner at the cash register.The Norge is going to be vying with the likes of Harley-Davidson, Indian and for a slice of the U.S.

Touring market.