Moto Guzzi Open House 2014: Three Days Inside The Legend From 12 To 14 September.
Mandello final preparations are feverishly underway in anticipation of the peaceful invasion by Moto Guzzi fans who traditionally descend upon the Larian town in the second weekend of September.
Friday 12 September, at 3:00 PM, the famed red gate with the golden eagle at Via Parodi 57 will open to welcome enthusiasts who want to discover or relive the experience of visiting a unique factory. An appointment with history to appreciate the industrial architecture, the ingeniousness of the Wind tunnel and more than 150 motorcycles on display, from the original GP (Guzzi-Parodi) to the MGS01, as well as the first Normale manufactured in 1921 which was returned to the Museum this year in all its antique splendour after an extensive restoration.
Moving on from the historically significant bikes to modern ones, this year visitors will once again have the chance to test the major models in the 2014 range for free, from the luxurious California 1400 to the refined V7 in all of the various versions, taking a ride which will lead to the entrance of Lecco and Varenna. To do this, fans will need to sign up directly inside the plant at the “Test Ride” area.
A feature of the 2014 Moto Guzzi Open House edition which is sure to be popular is the Custom Area, where fans will be able to admire not only the major models in the 2014 range, but also the most prestigious “Specials” built on small and big block bases by the most famous “custom made shops” in the sector: RossoPuro, South Garage, Millepercento and the German Radical Guzzi bikes.
The bookshop will contain plenty of new articles with a sneak peek of the 2015 fashion and accessories collection as well as the chance to purchase the previous collections at outlet prices.
In the spirit of the hospitality and warm welcome that makes Mandello a place any biker loves, this year visitors will be able to camp for free again in the Lido area under a starry sky (at least that’s what everyone is hoping for!) and with one of the most beautiful views of the Lario.
Here is the schedule of events:
12-14 September 2014
Friday the 12th: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Factory opens (shop, museum)
•
Saturday the 13th/Sunday the 14th: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM (doors close at 5:30 PM)
• Factory opens (shop, museum, wind tunnel, engine assembly, motorcycle assembly line);
• Moto Guzzi range test rides.
• Custom Area opens
THE LOCATIONS OF THE MOTO GUZZI LEGEND AND PASSION:
TEST RIDE
This is an opportunity not to be missed by any motorcycle enthusiast: the opportunity to test the motorcycles in the Moto Guzzi range, right here in the place where every Moto Guzzi is born, on the magnificent roads that run along Lake Como.
Test riding will be held on Saturday 13 September and Sunday 14 September from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM with registration opening at 9:30 AM.
Also included in the bikes being tested is the magnificent California 1400, powered by the most powerful V twin ever manufactured in Europe. For those who sign up for test rides a comfortable area outfitted in true Moto Guzzi spirit will be available, where they can wait their turn to ride and then compare notes on the models they have tested when they return.
THE MUSEUM
From 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Friday 12 September and from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday 13 September and Sunday 14 September, the Moto Guzzi Historical Museum will be open to the public. This space contains more than 150 models that have made the history of the Mandello Eagle, an extraordinary path going back to the roots of the Moto Guzzi legend.
Factory bikes, racing bikes, prototypes and engines are accompanied by an exceptional collection of never before seen photographs and documents which narrate the deeds of one of the most noble brands in global motorcycling, capable of producing models which became legends.
ENGINE ASSEMBLY LINE
This is the area of the plant where the legendary twin cylinder engines, the emblem of Moto Guzzi, are assembled by hand, one by one. Here a unique engine was born and made history, an engine that marked the history of Moto Guzzi and global motorcycling and which, in its subsequent evolutions, came to represent the largest V-twin engine ever made in Europe in the 1400 version that equips the brand new California.
MOTORCYCLE ASSEMBLY LINES
Here the Moto Guzzi bikes take shape. Here the finished twin cylinder meets the motorcycle that will accompany it for the rest of its life. On the line visitors will be able to follow, step by step, operation by operation, the birth of that jewel of technology and Italian end product that each Moto Guzzi has represented for more than 90 years.
WIND TUNNEL
First commissioned in the Mandello del Lario plant in 1950, this was the first example of a wind tunnel for aerodynamic motorcycle testing. A singularly fascinating place, today it is the testament to a technological first and a glorious history that only Moto Guzzi possesses.
CUSTOM AREA
This is the area where visitors will find the test ride accreditation desk and the area reserved for the pre-ride briefing and post-ride debriefing, meeting the Mandello-based manufacturer engineers and admiring the specials built based on Moto Guzzi models
