The 2018 Moto Guzzi Open House is going on this weekend at the company's legendary Mandello del Lario factory. Open to gearheads and Guzzi nerds from all over the world, this is Guzzi's big annual party where it unveils new models and generally buffs up its image.
OH, MOTO GUZZI...
The Open House just started today, September 7, so not a whole lot has hit the internet about what's going on over there. Aside from drinking a lot of red wine and riding a bunch of fiery, passionate Italian bikes that is. We did get one piece of interesting news today out of Mandello, though. The new V9 Bobber Sport is here, and it's spectacular.
This thing has all the required bits and bobs that make a factory bobber—drag bars, low-profile solo seat, stripped-down appearance, gaiters, cut-down fenders, aggressive lines, etc. It also has some pretty fat tires and a liberal application of black paint and powder coating throughout to really cement its cattivo ragazzo image.
It's not all style over substance, either. The new bobber has some trick Öhlins shocks with external reservoirs, and the 850cc V-twin is as pleasant as ever.
Look, we talk a lot of trash about Moto Guzzi—out of both love and frustration—but we do it because we're fans. Moto Guzzi is a storied marque and we want to see the company succeed. To do that it needs to start bringing out new and exciting bikes that really grab riders' attention. Will this new bobber be one of those bikes? Eh, we're not sure. The bobber market is getting pretty saturated, and every company that can is bringing out a factory custom "bobber" to grab what they can of it. We like Guzzi's new bobber, it's nice and clean and not too fussy or tryhard, but will enough potential customers like it? We shall see.
The new Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport made its debut at the Moto Guzzi Open House 2018, the must-attend event for all Eagle brand lovers which livens up the historic Mandello del Lario plant over the weekend from September 7-9. Thousands of enthusiasts expected over the weekend in Mandello del Lario will be the first to discover the latest evolution of the V9 range.
V9 Bobber is the sport custom that gave life to the medium engine capacity bobber segment. It is a bike with a unique personality, essential in its shape and with a look marked by its numerous total black details and its oversize tires, just like the ones mounted by the riders in the post WWII era who gave life in the United States to the bobber phenomenon, racing on dirt flat tracks. It’s precisely this “racing” origin that inspired the new special Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport series with a decidedly mean look and the revelation of the sportiest side of its character.
The new V9 Bobber Sport stands out with its lowered single-seat saddle which, combined with the usual low drag bar supported by lower risers, leads to a more accentuated “low ride”, with a compact and sport-oriented position.
Frame and suspension qualities, riding pleasure and easy handling are enhanced by the Öhlins shock absorbers, adjustable in spring preload and hydraulic compression and rebound to ensure better damping capacity and more control in fast riding. The unmistakable sound of the Moto Guzzi 850 V-twin is enhanced by the street legal slip-on exhaust pipes painted matte black and with an aluminum bottom, characterized at the end by a sleek, oblique shape.
The special dedicated color scheme, a brand-new gritty orange, covers the fuel tank - with the Moto Guzzi eagle done in a burnished finish which also extends to the aluminum side panels, thereby mixing with the V9 Bobber's typical matte total black look. The dark shades also spill over into other parts such as the engine cooling fins, the fuel cap in billet aluminum, the headlight frame and the instrument cluster graphics.
Other specific details give the front end of the new Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport an even more gritty and muscular presence: the front mudguard has been shortened, whereas the lowered headlight is framed by a tight black aluminum top fairing. Last, but not least, the fork tubes are protected by classic dust boots.
2019 Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Sport Pricing and Availability:
United States
MSRP: $10,690
Availability: December 2018
Canada
MSRP: $11,790
Availability: January 2019