Cw First Ride 2016 Moto Guzzi Eldorado
Ignition
MOTO GUZZI ELDORADO → GUZZI’SAPP → ARAI CORSAIR-X → THE RIGHT BIKE FOR YOU
THE RIDE STARTS HERE
CW FIRST RIDE 2016 MOTO GUZZI ELDORADO
BY THE NUMBERS
1921 YEAR Moto Guzzi was founded by Emanuele Vittorio Parodi, his son Giorgio, and Carlo Guzzi in Genoa, Italy.
285 TOPSPEED in km/h (177 mph) of Moto Guzzi’s V-8-powered 500cc Grand Prix racer, which was designed by Giulio Cesare Carcano and raced between 1955 and 1957.
A beautiful combination of luxury and performance
Peter Jones
Yes, your knees are close to the Guzzi’s cylinders, but heat is not a problem on the new Eldorado.
It has an eagle in its logo and a long history of making aircooled V-twins. Its newest cruiser was designed in Pasadena, California, at the Piaggio Group Advanced Design Center by Miguel Galluzzi and is dressed in glossy black with lots of chrome, plus pinstripes, floorboards, whitewall tires, and wire wheels. The company is the third oldest in the world to be continuously manufacturing motorcycles. But it’s not for riders who follow the pack while humming “Born to be Wild.”
Would you, could you, own a Moto Guzzi Eldorado?
The Eldorado sports a 1,380a:, airand-oil-cooled, 90-degree V-twin that made its debut in the 2013 California 1400 models. This classic longitudinal-crank engine produces a claimed 96 crankshaft horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 89.2 pound-feet of wide-ass torque from 2,400 to 5,600 rpm.
A single 52mm throttle body feeds the fuel. The EFI has three selectable maps: Veloce, Turismo, and Pioggia, for performance, comfort, and safety (in the rain), respectively, and can be changed on the fly. The unlinked brakes feature ABS, and the adjustable traction control is labeled 1,2, 3—the lower number is least intrusive. Cruise control is standard.
The chassis features the “elastickinematic” engine mounting system, allowing the engine to “float.” The result is some shake at idle with ultra smoothness in every rpm from just off idle to redline. Other details include a six-speed transmission, adjustable hand levers, polyelliptical headlight, a round gauge featuring an analog tachometer, and a centered digital display for pertinent information. Braking is by 320mm dual discs up front mated to radial-mounted four-piston calipers, and a 282mm disc out back.
Seat height is set at a low 29.1 inches, and the wheelbase is a lengthy 66.7 inches, with front-end geometry set at 32 degrees of rake and 5.7 inches of trail.
There are a plethora of options such as heated grips, a windshield, billet controls, super-cool red valve covers, and much more. In the US, the Eldorado is only available in Nero Classico, which is Italian for black and shiny. It weighs a claimed 691 pounds, with all fluids except gasoline.
First impression: The Eldorado is an engine with a motorcycle built around it. The cylinders cut into the fuel tank, and the rider’s knees are but an inch from each combustion chamber. There’s no hiding this big engine from view at any angle, even when you’re sitting on the bike. But there’s no reason to hide it.
Fired up, the Eldorado chugs side to side for an obvious reason. But due to damping, the vibration completely disappears above idle. In fact, this might just be the smoothest-feeling Vtwin in any cruiser chassis.
Once the Eldorado gets rolling, it’s an experience of contradiction. Generally, riding a big cruiser briskly down a winding mountain road makes you feel like you’re doing something the machine doesn’t like. But the Eldorado likes it and is particularly at home where roads get fun. It handles even the tightest of switchbacks with the easiest effort. This is particularly surprising considering the length and weight of the bike.
Comfort is a matter of feel and feedback. When it’s right, a motorcycle behaves with a natural, intuitive ease, and that’s exactly how it is to ride the Eldorado. This Guzzi has some of the highest horsepower in the class. This is well appreciated when passing cars on short straights. The power is full access—no waiting, no downshifting, no nervous wondering.
The 7,000-rpm redline provides a nicely wide rev range, adding to the bike’s appeal on or off the interstates. Braking is smooth and powerful for such a heavy machine, and the chassis is well sprung and damped, eliminating any undue weight shifting when transitioning from throttling to braking to cornering.
As for riding expressways, the Eldorado is a tour-all-day machine with supple yet effective suspension, totally adequate wheel travel, and a well-engineered big seat. It took the biggest pothole in Italy to get the bike to bottom out. The pulledback bars are well positioned for a relaxed riding position, and the fit and finish are world class, from the pinstriping to the chromed “windows” on the tank.
There might not be another big crusier with this handling, power, suspension, electronics, features, comfort, or class. In short, the Eldorado is majestic and elegant, a beautiful combination of luxury with performance.
In the market, the only thing the Eldorado has going against it is this: It’s not a Harley.
MG-MP APP
The Moto Guzzi Media Platform (MG-MP) is optional. This app allows you to display a speedometer and tachometer, plus engine power and torque, instant and average fuel consumption, average speed and battery voltage, and longitudinal acceleration and trip computer on your smartphone. When the fuel light comeson, MG-MP locates gas stations.
It can also locate the bike, as long as it’s parked where you left it. Additionally, no longer does it take a passenger punching you in the back to suggest slowing down. The “Grip Warning” displays traction control in real time to road conditions, alerting of poor grip. A roll-angle indicator uses the phone’s gyroscopic abilities and algorithms developed for Moto Guzzi.
2016 MOTO GUZZI ELDORADO
ENGINE TYPE air-cooled OHV V-twin
DISPLACEMENT 1380CC
SEAT HEIGHT 29.1 in.
FUEL CAPACITY 5.4 gal.
CLAIMED WEIGHT 6911b.
PRICE $15,990
