Italian Moto Guzzi dealer and custom shop Guareschi Moto specializes in race-ready builds. The brand’s GCorse kits quickly convert V7 III and V7 Sport models into venerable race machines with an assortment of custom components. While Guareschi Moto is closely tied to Guzzi endurance racing, the V85 TT presents an opportunity for the firm to branch into the rally scene.

In stock form, Moto Guzzi’s “classic travel enduro” weighs in at 505 pounds (wet) and features road-oriented suspension and tires. To equip the V85 for the Italian Motorally Championship, Gianfranco and Vittoriano Guareschi installed Andreani cartridges in the fork and replaced the stock monoshock with an Öhlins unit. A titanium Zard element exhaust system sheds precious pounds and provides extra grunt for clearing obstacles.

The original wire-spoke wheels received Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires for better off-road traction and dual 290mm Biting Performance brake discs help slow the middleweight adventurer. A new tower control center displays a roadbook and tripmaster while the handguards, robust skid plate, and dirtbike-style saddle also align with the rally aesthetic.

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“The modifications were aimed at reliability and weight reduction, and given the tight schedule, I’d say that we definitely held back a bit,” noted Vittoriano Guareschi. “We removed everything that could break, simplified the electrical blocks, and fitted guards that would be efficient without hindering the driver.”

The rider Guareschi was referring to is Francesco Montanari. Entered into the Motorally’s G-1000 Class, Montanari and the GCorse V85 TT finished in the mid-pack. Considering the Guzzi’s performance deficits, the team turned in an impressive performance. While the Yamaha Tenere 700 and KTM 790 Adventure dominated the podium, Montanari passed a few T7s and 790s on the way to the finish line.

“Nobody expected two such tough races,” added Guareschi, “but both bike and rider performed really well: 9th place on Saturday and 8th place on Sunday, considering that in the Sunday race only 13 out of 26 riders actually made it to the end.”

The GCorse V85 TT Rally is just the beginning for the Parma-based shop, however. The Guareschi brothers are already hard at work on a V85 TT Baja variation that will adopt an 18-inch rear and 21-inch front wheel shod in aggressive knobbies. We can’t wait to see how the dirt-focused V85 TT performs and where Guareschi Moto takes the model next.

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