European Tour + GMG 2022.

Also see: GMG 2022 Video & Cycle World feature: Celebrating Moto Guzzi’s Birthday

We covered a total of 2,170 miles during this year’s 2-week European tour. Both Jane's 144,500-mile Breva 750 and my 16,800-mile V85TT ran faultlessly.

On Saturday 10th September we managed to see the V100 Mandello for the first time (albeit from a distance) during the Moto Guzzi factory tour. We look forwards to when they're available for test rides in the UK.

After the hustle and bustle of Saturday in Mandello del Lario, which was the busiest we've ever seen the town in 10 visits, we went for a tour on Sunday 11th September of the Valsassina (a valley in the Alps of Lombardy) on the SP65/SP62. This road is classed as a 'Scenic Route' and it isn't hard to see why. Conveniently for us it runs through the village of Esino Lario where our apartment was located.

In the valley is the town of Primaluna where the Bianco Hotel is located. Prior to setting off on our tour we’d read about an exposition of vintage Guzzi motorcycles to coincide with the GMG 2022 at this hotel. What a pleasant surprise when we arrived, stunning vintage Guzzis dating from 1924 were on display in a typically beautiful Italian setting.

Jani, the owner of the hotel, is a member of the local motorcycle club, Primaluna Moto D’Epoca and owns an ex-police V50. He made us very welcome and provided excellent hospitality. Lunch was exceptional and his staff couldn’t do enough for us.

In addition to the vintage Guzzis on display was a 1974 Le Mans Mk1 based endurance racer. This machine won the Italian endurance championship in 2020. It bears a few racing battle scars and looks well used.

Hopefully, the pictures on page 4 give a flavour of that unexpectedly memorable day in Valsassina.

Saturday 3rd to Saturday 17th September. 

September 3rd, Sat. Hull to Europort Rotterdam.
September 4th, Sun. Hochheim, Germany. 
September 5th, Mon. Schwaighausen, Germany. 
September 6th, Tue. Mittersill, Austria. 
September 7th, Wed. Pfund, Austria. 
September 8th, Thur. Esino Lario, Italy. (Near Mandello del Lario) 
September 9th, Fri. Esino Lario, Italy.
September 10th, Sat. Esino Lario, Italy.
September 11th, Sun. Esino Lario, Italy.
September 12th, Mon. Eisenbach, Black Forest, Germany.  
September 13th, Tue. Eisenbach, Black Forest, Germany.  
September 14th, Wed. Cochem, Mosel, Germany. 
September 15th, Thur. Cochem, Mosel, Germany. 
September 16th, Fri. Europort Rotterdam to Hull. 
September 17th, Sat. Home.