Forza Italia! Milan Show Highlights

Forza Italia! Milan Show Highlights

ROUNDUP

IT PAYS TO EXPECT THE UNEXpected from the Italians, and the 1989 Milan Show reinforced that lesson.

Motorcycles that seemed likely candidates for show space—the new Cagiva-Ferrari Four and the Mamola-replica Cagiva, for instance—were not on display. Instead, showstoppers came from unexpected directions. One of the most interesting of these bikes was the Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000 (see page 54 for a full report). Moto Guzzi also displayed the Quota 1000 explorer bike, a massive beast powered by a detuned version of the 950 Le Mans engine; the cruiser-style 750 Nevada; and the 750SP, a downsized version of the 1000SP sport-tourer.

Financially troubled Laverda, which now operates as a cooperative backed by private finance and funds from local government, showed oddly styled bikes that all carried Spanish names. Typical was the El Cid dual-purpose bike, powered by a 688cc, fuel-injected, vertical-Twin. Promised, but not shown, was an l lOOcc V-Six.

Bimota. known for its cost-is-noobject two-wheeled jewels, showed its first proper two-seater, the FZR600-powered Bellaria, which offers a more-upright and spacious riding position than previous Bimotas. In tests, this little beauty was clocked at l 53 miles per hour, so it seems that making a morecomfortable bike doesn’t always mean making a slow bike.

If the Bimota isn’t exclusive, or expensive, enough for you, then how about the new Gallina Four?

GP team manager Roberto Gallina plans to build at least 200 of these, and will power them with fuel-injected, 750cc engines. Neither the bike’s price nor the final shape of its bodywork has been set. Undoubtedly, both will be stunning.

Alan Cathcart