SPIED! Moto Guzzi Bagger

Remember the rather radical concept bike that Pasadena, California-based Miguel Galluzzi designed for Moto Guzzi and was displayed at the EICMA show last year? It was called the MGX21, and it featured radical front-end geometry with a 21-in. front wheel and a Vespa-style bulged rear section.

As designed, the MGX21 would not make very practical custom-touring bike, but the response from the American public in a number of clinics throughout the US have confirmed it would be a hit, another way to leverage the healthy technical base offered by the Moto Guzzi California.

These spy photos show one of the prototypes circulating in Italy, going through the customary developmental work on the road. As on the MGX21 concept bike, the styling of this production Guzzi still indulges in some radical solutions, like the bat-style fairing (or should I say Batman-style?), but that is part of the game. The bags integrated in the rear bodywork have given way to much more practical removable ones; in this case, they are from the California Touring. For production, don’t be surprised to see bags designed specifically for this bike, since the whole project is still a work in progress.

Then there’s that 21-inch front wheel, which will distinguish this Guzzi from the rest of the California family. The engine is the familiar 1380cc longitudinal-crank V-twin, which puts out a claimed 96 horsepower. As for the chassis, it’s very likely derived from that of the Audace, which has 32 degrees of steering axis rake and 33 degrees of fork rake, plus a very long wheelbase.

Look for the MGX21-influenced bagger to go into production early in 2016; US sales of this new Moto Guzzi bagger are expected in June.