logo


loading
Product
The arrival of electronic controls has taken motorcycle performance to previously unthinkable levels, and at the same time ensured even greater rider safety. But do these controls limit the choice of tyres? The answer is no, if the system can be calibrated.
No sooner said than done on Aprilia bikes

PUTTING THE FUN INTO CALIBRATION

Although a certain number of riding “purists” still consider themselves better than any electronic system, there is no doubt that today’s dynamic control platforms are appreciated by many bikers. Nevertheless, like anything that “elbows” its way between the rider’s wrist and the back wheel and functions independently, the introduction of electronics has sometimes been greeted with diffidence. The truth, of course, is that it is only thanks to electronics that today hugely powerful motorcycles can be ridden without difficulty, are perfectly manageable and won’t throw a tantrum even when crawling along at snail’s speed.
The key to all this is encompassed in three words: Ride By Wire.
The electronic throttle control receives rider input on the required acceleration and opens the butterfly valves to provide the exact torque required, delivering the best performance both from mid-size engines and from engines developed essentially from racing bikes.
Together with Ride by Wire technology came traction control, the motorbiker’s guardian angel, ready to prevent the potential problems of an overly uninhibited riding style. The Aprilia APRC system (Aprilia Performance Ride Control) comprises a wealth of solutions to improve riding safety and dynamics. Like ABS, traction control is one of the engineers’ breakthrough applications for motorbikes, a life-saver based on a complex combination of charts, computations and road tests.
But is it really all sunshine and light? Don’t these systems have any weaknesses? There is one. Modern motorcycles are developed right from the start in parallel with the electronic controls, which the engineers and testers fine-tune day after day to match a specific vehicle configuration. Suspensions, tyres, brakes and wheels are all fundamental elements during development, and the model under production obviously leaves the factory with the ideal set of components to achieve optimal results from the electronic control systems.

PHOTO GALLERY

But what would happen if the bike’s owner wanted to change the make or size of tyres? Would the electronics be as impeccable and safe as on the original configuration? The answer is no. When you change diameter and profile, conditions are no longer optimal and although the traction control system will continue to operate, the situation will no longer be perfect. Not that this puts the rider at risk, of course: the traction control can still be adjusted to the most suitable level for the specific conditions of use, but an ideal setting will not be possible. So what can be done? Will you have to go on using the tyres mounted on the bike when you bought it? Again, the answer is no, but only if you ride an Aprilia. This is because Noale’s engineers have developed what is currently the only electronic system in the world capable of “learning” which tyres you’re using, or at least their measurements and circumference. In other words, Aprilia bikes (RSV4R, Factory and Tuono) are able, with a quick procedure, to “read” the rear wheel circumference and consequently optimise the electronic controls.
This calibration is rather like the oboist playing the A so that the orchestra can tune their instruments. Otherwise, although the orchestra would still be able to play the piece, some of the instruments would probably be out of tune. Calibration opens up a whole new world for bikers who enjoy trying different types of tyre, or for people who use their bikes on race circuit track days or for racing.
This is a development all constructors will introduce sooner or later, but Aprilia was there first.

HOW TO CALIBRATE
THE APRC SYSTEM

With the engine on and the motorcycle stationary, press the Mode button on the left-hand electric pad to activate the instrument menu.

On the menu, go to the “Calibrating” function.

Keep the button pressed until the display shows the initial page, and the “Calibrating" sign flashes.

Ride in second gear at about 40 km/h (you need to be precise) for 8 seconds, until the “Calibrating” sign switches off.

You can then turn off the engine and turn it on again, checking that all the aPRC settings are still in the previous set-up, i.e., before the calibrating procedure.

If the “Calibrating” sign does not turn off, it means you are not in second gear, or that you are not riding at around 40 km/h, or that you didn’t keep at 40 km/h for long enough. If so, repeat the procedure.

Have a good ride!
Product
Spring is nearly here: time to get your two-wheeler back on the road, but not before checking all the main components. Functionality and safety are the priorities

MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE IN FIVE MOVES

It may still be winter, but it will soon be time – at least for people who don’t use their motorbike or scooter during the coldest months of the year – to get your beloved two-wheeler back on the road. The evenings are drawing out, the temperature is milder, the temptation to leave the car at home even just to go to work in the morning is growing. But before you get on the saddle, you should check the various components that might have deteriorated or become less efficient during the winter. Tyres, roller chain and brakes are the first things to look at to make sure everything is in 100% working order.
Below is a quick overview of what to check before riding out for the first time.

TYRE PRESSURE AND CONDITION

During the winter months, motorbikes and scooters should be kept on the central stand, with the front wheel resting on a small block of wood to insulate it from the damp in the ground. The first thing to check is tyre pressure, which will have changed over the period the two-wheeler was standing idle – or possibly from even earlier: when was the last time you checked the pressure? Pump the tyres up to the pressure shown in the handbook. And while you’re there, check the condition of your tyres: how old they are and how much wear they show. At the end of the season, people usually tend to “make do” with their existing set of tyres, so that by the following spring, they find themselves with old and/or worn out tyres.
The best advice is to start with a fresh set, to guarantee top performance and maximum safety. If you ride a scooter all year round and use winter treads, now is the time to replace them with summer tyres. There is nothing to stop you using winter tyres during the summer, although wear will be greater, and grip will be weaker. So why throw away money and forego performance?



BRAKES

A small torch (even the one on your smartphone) is all you need to check the wear on your brake pads. Here too, the material not only wears, it also tends to age: so if it’s been more than two years since you changed the pads, you should get new ones. And it would be best to do it now, so you don’t have to take your two-wheeler to the mechanic a few days after you start using it again.



BATTERY

Prudent riders will have equipped themselves with a charge maintainer, others will have disconnected the terminals. The less attentive will have left everything just as it was and, inevitably, will find they have a flat battery. Hopefully, it won’t be sulphated, otherwise you will have to throw it away; otherwise, leaving it to charge overnight should return it to its original condition.



ENGINE OIL

In theory, if there are no leaks (easy to spot on the ground below the motorbike or scooter), the engine oil level will not have dropped. But once again, when was the last time you checked? A quick look and you can set off without any worries.



ROLLER CHAIN

During the winter, grease tends to turn rancid and to harden, thereby losing its lubricating properties. If so, you should wash the chain (a tricky job) and then lubricate it. If this isn’t possible, the answer is to lubricate the chain generously and then spread the new lubricant: the heat from the engine and the chain itself will soften the old grease.

Product
ACCESSORIES SPECIAL REPORT

THE ORIGINAL KITS FOR THE MOTO GUZZI V7 MY 2014

Moto Guzzi accessories are developed and tested to enrich each detail of the bike. A unique catalogue, designed to enhance the emotional appeal of every Moto Guzzi and deliver a memorable riding experience. The accessories range for the V7 is an irresistible invitation for the biker to personalise their Guzzi and create a bike as unique as its rider.
  • Moto Guzzi V7 Racer
SLIP-ON RACING EXHAUST KIT
Developed in cooperation with Arrow, the kit consists of a pair of polished steel silencers, not approved for use on public roads. The conical shape is reminiscent of the competition silencers on the V7 bikes that took part in race for production-based models during the 1970s. The silencers mount on the standard manifold without requiring any modification, using the original supports and brackets. They need no specific ECU mapping and guarantee a significant reduction in weight and improved performance at medium RPM and maximum power, for more responsive acceleration and a sportier sound.
SINGLE-SEAT EXHAUST BRACKETS KIT
Two brackets in high-quality anodised aluminium to replace the standard brackets, allowing the rider to eliminate the passenger foot-pegs and turn the bike into a single seater
(per V7 Stone e V7 Special).
BITUBO SHOCK ABSORBERS KIT
This pair of Bitubo shock absorbers with separate gas tank is specifically designed for the V7 and equipped with adjustable spring preload and hydraulic compression and rebound damping. The calibrations can be regulated to ensure greater comfort and better rideability, besides giving the bike a truly unique look.
FUEL TANK PROTECTION KIT
Two soft rubbery guards to be applied to the sides of the fuel tank where the rider's knees rest, in order to increase riding comfort.
ALUMINIUM SIDE FAIRING KIT
The side fairings in brushed and anodised aluminium help create a more streamlined profile for the V7. The style is reminiscent of the handcrafted creations typical of races in the 1970s.
TOP FAIRING KIT
The kit consists of a top fairing in unpainted injection-moulded plastic and aluminium brackets.
TOURING WINDSHIELD KIT
Designed to provide better aerodynamic protection without compromising the aesthetics of the V7. The kit is type-approved to the strictest standards (DOT and TUV) and has been road tested in all weather conditions by Moto Guzzi test riders.
INJECTORS COVER KIT
These covers are made in aluminium and are designed to protect the injector area from accidental contact with the rider's knees.
LEATHER PANNIERS KIT
Two genuine leather panniers with an approx. volume of 20 litres.
The panniers are water-repellent and fitted with a chromed steel buckle.
LUGGAGE RACK KIT
This excellent accessory performs two important functions, as a luggage rack and as a sturdy grip for passengers, thanks to the two built-in handles. It is made in high-resistance TIG welded steel and then chrome plated.
AFT-MOUNTED FOOT-PEGS
The setback foot-pegs are derived from the standard pegs on the V7 Racer version, for a sportier riding position.
They are in anodised aluminium (for V7 Stone and Special).
SLIP-ON RACING EXHAUST KIT FOOTREST BRACKET
Brackets with built in foot-pegs to permit use of the V7 slip-on racing exhaust kit without sacrificing the original two-seat configuration (for V7 Stone and Special).
TOP BOX BAG
Attaches to the special luggage rack with straps and is made in water-repellent genuine leather.
Easy to carry using the rear handle.
TANK COVER
Tank cover band in water-repellent genuine leather, with a handy pocket and hole for refuelling.
TANK BAG
Nylon and water-repellent genuine leather tank bag with two side pockets and a top map-holder pocket. Fastened with quick hook-ups to the tank cover, which can be kept on the tank thanks to the refuelling hole; easy to remove and transport using the handle.
SEMI-RIGID PANNIER KIT WITH BRACKETS
With a load capacity of about 42 litres, this pair of semi-rigid panniers is ideal when transporting larger amounts of luggage. The panniers are in synthetic leather and hook easily onto the brackets provided in the kit. The reflective profiles increase visibility at night.
GEL COMFORT SADDLE
For people who always require maximum comfort, this saddle has a gel insert in both the rider and the passenger seat. Its streamlined sides allow both feet to rest easily on the ground.
LOWERED GEL COMFORT SADDLE
In this saddle, the comfort provided by the gel inserts combines with the practicality of the 20 mm lower profile, enabling everyone to get their feet securely on the ground.
SEMI-HANDLEBAR KIT
Lowers the riding position to that of the V7 Racer. Includes throttle control cables and dedicated front brake hoses. (for V7 Stone and Special).
V7 RECORD KIT
The name Record evokes the Moto Guzzi V7 prototype, which broke 19 speed records in the 1970s. The shape of the kit components recalls the typical aerodynamic solutions of the 1970s racer. The kit consists of a rounded top fairing housing the single V7 headlight, with side profiles that join the fuel tank area, and a saddle that encompasses the single-seat tail fairing, shaped to form a spoiler at the end. The sport saddle is made from a special dual-component fire- and water-proof foam material with shape memory, the cutting edge in technology derived directly from the sport world. The components are in fibreglass, in compliance with approval standards. The Record kit is also available for the V7 Stone and Special, adding the semi-handlebar kit.
TWO-SEAT KIT
For the V7 Racer, with everything to turn the bike into a two-seater.
CENTRE STAND
Another accessory designed and engineered to comply with stringent safety and strength standards. It is made in cataphoresis-treated and powder-coated steel to make it impervious to weather conditions.
MOTORCYCLE COVER
Made from black scratchproof fabric, enhanced with the Moto Guzzi logo on both sides.
su ambo i lati.


click on Moto Guzzi accessories for more details
AWARD
MCN SUPER NAKED GROUP TEST: FIRST PLACE FOR THE TUONO V4 R ABS

APRILIA DOCET

The Aprilia Tuono V4 R ABS ranks number one in the super naked group test conducted by MCN, the authoritative British motorcycle magazine, confirming its status as the motorbike to beat, not just on the racing circuit, but on the road too.
That the Aprilia Tuono V4 is the most impressive super naked on the race-track is already an established fact, given that over the last few years it has come out top in all the group tests organised by the leading trade journals, regularly outperforming competitor bikes on racing circuits, where the stopwatch is the final judge.

The modifications introduced on the latest version of the naked from Noale, the Tuono V4 R ABS, have actually improved and increased the bike’s race-track performance, eliciting enthusiastic comments from the specialist journalists who came in from all over the world to test ride it on the San Martino del Lago circuit at the end of 2013. At the same time, some of the adaptations have made the naked model derived directly from the invincible RSV4 even more accommodating for daily use, a requirement to which this type of bike must necessarily be able to deliver an excellent response.

The more comfortable standard regulation of the new suspension and the unusually padded saddle have raised the Tuono V4’s game on the road, without detracting from its distinctive personality: pure, sporty, with a streak of wildness. An iron fist in a velvet glove, in other words. The philosophy has proved an immediate success, and has already brought the new Aprilia its first major accolade: the bike came out top in the group road test conducted by MCN magazine. The journalists from the British weekly took the sportiest super nakeds in the segment down to the famous Route Napoleon in the south of France, one of the most exciting roads in the world as far as bikers are concerned, with an uninterrupted sequence of challenging bends from Cannes to Grenoble.
On the smooth French asphalt, the Aprilia Tuono V4 R ABS took on and outpaced the stylish Triumph Speed Triple and, above all, the mighty KTM Super Duke R, on paper the favourite in a road-only test with its powerful 1290 cc engine.
Expert journalist Adam Child, MCN’s senior road tester, admits that “physically, for lightness and handling, the Aprilia feels like a 1000”. Riding the Tuono V4 is like having a bike with multiple personalities: you travel along as you wish, quietly or more aggressively, by selecting the appropriate riding mode, which, like the traction control, can be adjusted on the move. The Tuono’s electronics are not just the most effective and complete, they’re also more user friendly. The chassis, clearly derived from the SBK, is the absolute best, for a bike that handles and responds well, but is also stable and fun to ride, even when road conditions are less than perfect. The three British journalists taking part in the trial also liked the Aprilia’s engine: the V4 delivers its 170 hp exceptionally smoothly, accompanied by an exciting exhaust sound and a quick shifter for perfect gear changes. The last paragraph in the report seals the verdict on the Aprilia: “from every point of view the best bike in the test”.
Award
MORE TRIBUTES FOR THE MOTO GUZZI CALIFORNIA 1400

IN USA, ELECTED BEST CRUISER BY “MOTORCYCLIST”
IN AUSTRALIA, AN AWARD FROM “TWO WHEELS”

The list of plaudits attributed to the widely admired and highly desirable Moto Guzzi California 1400 by international critics in 2013 continues to grow. The most recent came at the end of the year, from the USA and Australia.

Motorcyclist, a US specialist monthly founded in 1912, one of the world’s best-selling motorcycle journals, named the California 1400 the Best Cruiser in 2013. It comments that the new Moto Guzzi successfully meets two goals: it pleases Eagle devotees, bikers enamoured of the brand’s unique technical and geographical features, and has won over those who consider these sentimental values an alibi for a motorbike with standard performance levels.



The California 1400 has taken this public of sceptics by surprise, by raising the technology bar to an unprecedented level: the twin-cylinder’s traction-control, ride by wire and cruise control systems and three mapping strategies are refinements never seen before in this category, for a bike that curves, brakes and holds the road like no other. Also, and equally important, the California’s powerful engine enables it to deliver the best speed performance in its class.
The verdict from Motorcyclist columnist Frank Melling is as effective as it is brief: “The California 1400 looks and rides like a motorbike, but it’s as fast and modern as an executive jet”. Motorcyclist’s award is the third won in the States by the Moto Guzzi California: it has also been named “Best Cruiser” by Cycle World and “Best of the Best” by the stars and stripes luxury bible, Robb Report.



The applause for the Moto Guzzi flagship is just as strong on other continents.
In Australia, readers of the Two Wheels monthly magazine gave the California 1400 the Reader’s Choice Award.

The award presentation ceremony was held at the Hard Rock Café in Sydney, where two motor racing celebrities, Kevin Magee and Steve Martin, presented the award to Kris Matich, general manager of John Sample Automotive SA, the Australian importer of Moto Guzzi and Aprilia.

click to enlarge
Event
The Milan show, the world’s most important two-wheeler exhibition, is celebrating
its first century with a new logo, a video and an advertising campaign

EICMA CELEBRATES ITS CENTENARY

EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale del Ciclo, Motociclo e Accessori), the annual Milan show that provides a world stage for the best in global two-wheelers and the latest production advances, is about to celebrate its one hundredth anniversary.



The first show was held in 1914 in a prestigious location, the Kursaal Diana Hotel. A symbol of Milan’s belle époque, a favourite meeting place for the city’s affluent classes, but also an incredibly small location considering the dimensions subsequently reached by EICMA, today the most important motorcycle show in the world, the venue chosen by all the top manufacturers to present their latest products.



From the Kursaal Diana the exhibition transferred to the Milan Veloce Club from 1920 to 1923, and then to the Palazzo per le Belle Arti ed Esposizione Permanente, where it stayed until 1939; subsequently, until 1952, it was held at the Palazzo dell’Arte.
During the postwar and economic boom years, EICMA was housed in the new pavilions of the Milan Fiera. It stayed at the Fiera until 2005, when it made its debut at Milan’s brand new exhibition centre in Rho, just outside the city.
An extraordinary journey, with astonishing statistics: in one hundred years, the EICMA exhibitions have occupied more than 2 million square metres, and housed 28,722 exhibitors from 40 countries. Over the years, the show has provided the stage for more than 5,000 product world previews for over 25 million visitors, who have flocked in from all over the world.

PHOTO GALLERY

In 2014 EICMA celebrates its first century: an anniversary that, in the intentions of the organisers, will be the stage for a vision of the present and the future consecrating the two-wheeler as the protagonist of a new concept in mobility, as well as the focus of an abiding, deeply rooted passion.
EICMA is preparing for its centenary edition – at the Rho exhibition centre from 6 to 9 November – with a whole package of new developments. Beginning in 2014 EICMA will become the “Esposizione Mondiale del Motociclismo” – World Motorcycling Exhibition – to underline its now consolidated absolute leadership, and will present a new image. For this, a new logo celebrates the show’s 100-year history, a fascinating video looks back over the milestones of the Milan show with photos of its various locations, and a new advertising campaign promotes this autumn’s event.
The two-wheeler becomes the focus of communication with an image celebrating the engine, the beating heart of a vehicle animated by the passion every biker feels for his machine.
Last year’s show (the 71st, given that many editions were not held in wartime and the show was not always an annual occurrence) confirmed EICMA’s excellent state of health. Well over half a million visitors attended; the six enormous exhibition halls and the outdoor area, covering a surface of 280,000 square metres, housed 1,408 exhibitors from 38 countries, 11 international races and 600 riders and two-wheeler “artists”.
Media coverage confirmed EICMA’s global leadership as the world’s top event for the motorcycle industry, with almost 7,000 journalists, photographers and TV crews in Milan to report on the show.
So we’ll see you at the 72nd EICMA: Esposizione Mondiale del Motociclismo ( www.eicma.it).
racing

2014 APRILIA RSV4 SBK:
A SILVER FIREBALL ON THE HUNT
FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

REIGNING WORLD SBK CHAMPION APRILIA RSV4 UNVEILED AT PHILLIP ISLAND (AUSTRALIA), THE BIKE THAT MARCO MELANDRI AND SYLVAIN GUINTOLI WILL USE TO TAKE ON THE 2014 WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP. THE REFLECTIVE FINISH OF THE METAL ENHANCES THE AGGRESSIVE LINES OF THE ITALIAN SUPER SPORT BIKE, REIGNING MANUFACTURER WORLD CHAMPION, HOLDER OF APRILIA'S 5 SBK CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES AND REFERENCE POINT FOR STREET BIKES
Phillip Island (Australia) – Aprilia Racing, reigning Manufacturer world champion and winner of 5 championship titles in the last 4 seasons, unveiled the number 33 and number 50 RSV4s that Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli will ride in the hunt for the SBK championship title
Leaving the black and red colour scheme from recent years behind, the Aprilia RSV4 transforms into a silver fireball. In fact, the pure metal colour is the distinctive trait of the 2014 RSV4 SBK. This is a stylistic revolution that enhances the form and technological content of the Italian bike, crowned as the street sport bike leader by the specialised press all over the world and absolute protagonist in World Superbike. With two Rider world titles and three Manufacturer world titles won in the last four season, the Aprilia RSV4 has written some fundamental pages in recent motor sport history and it moves into the starting gates for the 2014 season with renewed ambitions, worthy of the Aprilia collection of 52 total world titles won, 294 World Motorcycle Championship GP races won and 38 Superbike victories.
The extreme lines of the RSV4, a true racing thoroughbred, are highlighted by the sharp red and black inserts (traditional Aprilia colours) which, together with the carbon parts and the reflective surface of the pure metal, enhance its compact size and racing soul. The hashtag #beAracer appears on the RSV4's fairing, this is an expression of Aprilia's intention to create a closer bond between the racing world and motorcycle enthusiasts through digital technology. The dual beam aluminium frame, a sculpted work of art that harnesses the more than 230 HP unbridled by the exclusive, extraordinary 1,000 cc narrow V4 engine, is enhanced by the surface treatments and colour combinations.
This choice did not go unnoticed by riders and mechanics, who fell in love at first sight with a bike that, besides astonishing with its technical characteristics like highly advanced electronic control equipment developed entirely by Aprilia, also stands out from the crowd with a brand new elegant look.
Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Technical and Sport Director and Piaggio Group Bike Technical Centre Manager: “A large part of a racing bike's attraction, obviously besides pure performance, has to do with its visual impact. These are exclusive objects, moving sculptures to be admired, and the RSV4 has definitely blazed an important trail in this area. Its compact size due to the exclusive architecture of the V4 engine and its magnificent polished factory frame are both functional elements and distinctive design traits at the same time, enhanced by the new livery which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful and unique that has ever taken to the track.”

Marco Melandri, number 33: “Very rarely has a bike ever impressed me like this one. I liked it straight away. It looks aggressive and elegant at the same time, with a really original colour combination. As a rider I obviously focus on speed, but as an enthusiast I can appreciate a beautiful and well refined bike. Aesthetic details are often synonymous with careful development and particular attention to all aspects of the product.”

Sylvain Guintoli, number 50: “It is simply beautiful! I have always liked the RSV4. It has an aggressive and decidedly racing look even in the factory version. Its lines scream speed and everything is in the right place to guarantee maximum performance. The new colour scheme is the cherry on the top. If it's as fast as it is beautiful our rivals won't stand a chance. This livery would be absolutely beautiful on the street version - I would want one immediately!”

APRILIA RSV4
SUPERBIKE 2014
Technical Specifications

Engine
Aprilia 4 cylinder, four-stroke longitudinal 65° V-twin, engine, liquid cooled with dual overhead camshaft (DOHC), four valves per cylinder

Engine capacity
999 cc

Maximum rpm
15,500 rpm

Maximum power
> 230 HP

Fuel system
Variable height intake ducts controlled by the engine ECU, electronic injection with 8 injectors and latest generation Ride-by-Wire management

Compression ratio
15:1

Gearbox
6 speeds extractable

Clutch
Multidisc in oil bath with anti-slip system

Electronic management
Aprilia Racing ECU for ignition, injection, variable intake duct adjustment, management of the Ride-by-Wire, traction control and anti wheelie system

Frame
Adjustable aluminium dual beam with cast and pressed elements in sheet metal

Suspension
Öhlins

Brakes
Brembo

Weight
165 kg
racing

#bearacer
From Aprilia, all the thrills of competitive motorcycling for people with racing in their blood

Authenticity, passion, emotion and technology. Mixed with the heady ingredients of challenge and high-speed racing.
This is #bearacer, the network access key to introduce motor-racing enthusiasts from all over the world to the Aprilia universe.
Be a Racer is not just a slogan turned hashtag, but an invitation – irresistible to the true believer – to experience the thrills of the racing circuit and the race from the rider’s point of view. Thanks to Aprilia, everyone can get a taste of the passion that drives each member of the five-times world champion team in the last four SBK seasons.
The Be a Racer website (www.bearacer.com) will of course offer fans of world-level racing full information about Aprilia Racing. News, interviews with the riders and mechanics, photos from the Noale factory and from race-circuits all over the world, the circuits where the Aprilia Racing RSV4 bikes ridden by Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli are competing to retain their lead at the top of the Superbike World Championship.
#bearacer is also a hashtag giving the followers of the main social networks entry into the Aprilia world of excitement and cutting-edge motorcycling technology; putting them right at the source of the passion for top-level motor-racing.
racing
In Australia, a win and first place in the standings for Sylvain Guintoli. Marco Melandri brings home an excellent second place finish in Race 1 and third in the championship. Aprilia immediately takes the lead in the Manufacturer Championship

WSBK 2014: APRILIA IS A KEY PLAYER
STRAIGHT AWAY IN THE FIRST ROUND

PHOTO GALLERY

Aprilia Racing turned up as a key player at the first round of the 2014 World Superbike Championship. On the exciting Phillip Island circuit in Australia (a true university of world class motorcycling) Sylvain Guintoli's and Marco Melandri's silver RSV4s picked up in WSBK where they had left off at the final race of last season, a year filled with wins and first places. One win and another two podiums (which makes three out of a theoretically possible four) declared yet again the superiority of the RSV4, which took to the track in a spectacular new metallic colour scheme and showed that it is more than ready to defend the Manufacturer Championship title earned last season. The first part revolved around the duel between the two Aprilia standard bearers, Melandri and Guintoli, along with Irishman Laverty who, after making a comeback on the leading pack, which also included Giugliano for a long time, kept his rivals in check in the final laps. Marco Melandri made an excellent second place finish, crossing the line just ahead of his team mate Guintoli (third) who had led the pack at the beginning stages of the race for a long time, however costing him wear on his tyre so that in the final laps he had nothing left on the rear to be able to fend off Laverty's attacks.
In Race 2 the leading pack also included Rea, Baz and Sykes, making a comeback from the rear spots. Guintoli led the first part of the race and after being overtaken by fellow leaders Baz and Laverty once, he took back the lead in the 12th lap. Two laps later an engine failure for Laverty - riding second at the time behind he French Aprilia rider - with a consequent oil spill on the track, forced Laverty to withdraw and the marshals to suspend the race. This meant that the finishing order was decided by the last lap completed, which had Guintoli winning in front of Baz and Sykes.
With this performance the Frenchman provides an encore of last year's success (also with the Aprilia RSV4) and, thanks to his third place in Race 1, puts him in the lead for the Rider Championship. Sylvain's win and Melandri's second place in Race 1 place Aprilia at the top of the Manufacturer standings, an excellent bounty for the new season.
After his nice second place in the first race Melandri had a bit of a moment during the eighth lap of the second race, running on after braking too hard and having to re-enter the track in 14th place. From there he made a bold comeback to finish in eighth place, earning 8 points that put him in third place in the rider standings.

Sylvain Guintoli: “In Race 1 maybe I was a little too over confident. I started off strong and toward the end I lost the right feeling with my rear tyre. The conditions were much different than they had been over the last few days but we did a good job anyway. In the second race I tried to look after my tyre and it worked. If I think about everything that happened during the winter I can't help but be pleased with our weekend. I'm finally back on the top step of the podium. I want to thank the guys who looked after me during my recovery. I'm pretty tired now but I'll have a month to recover before the next round.”

Marco Melandri: “Race 1 went well. I got off to a good start and then I was able to ride smoothly in the first few laps to conserve my tyres for the end. Unfortunately after about mid-race the bike was sliding around a lot. I wasn't able to be incisive so when Eugene took the lead I preferred holding onto second place. In Race 2 I wanted to use the same tactics again but to overtake Rea I braked harder than usual and the rear wheel came off the tarmac so I was forced to run off. I'm disappointed because I threw away some important points. I'm sure I still need more experience adjusting to the way the bike reacts and adapting the settings to my riding style. The track conditions also brought out some problems that I had never had before. Now I need to get a handle on the situation so that I'm ready for the next race.”
RESULTS FOR THE FIRST ROUNDD
PHILLIP ISLAND – RACE 1
1. Laverty (Suzuki)
2. Melandri (Aprilia)
3. Guintoli (Aprilia)
4. Giugliano (Ducati)
5. Baz (Kawasaki)
6. Rea (Honda)
7. Sykes (Kawasaki)
8. Davies (Ducati)
9. Salom (Kawasaki)
10. Canepa (Ducati)

PHILLIP ISLAND – RACE 2
1. Guintoli (Aprilia)
2. Baz (Kawasaki)
3. Sykes (Kawasaki)
4. Giugliano (Ducati)
5. Rea (Honda)
6. Haslam (Honda)
7. Davies (Ducati)
8. Melandri (Aprilia)
9. Elias (Aprilia)
10. Salom (Kawasaki)

WSBK 2014 – RIDERS
1. Guintoli (Aprilia) 41
2. Baz (Kawasaki) 31
3. Melandri (Aprilia) 28
4. Giugliano (Ducati) 26
5. Laverty (Suzuki) 25
6. Sykes (Kawasaki) 25
7. Rea (Honda) 21
8. Davies (Ducati) 17
9. Salom (Kawasaki) 13
10. Canepa (Ducati) 11

WSBK 2014 – MANUFACTURERS
1. Aprilia 45
2. Kawasaki 31
3. Suzuki 28
4. Ducati 26
5. Honda 21
6. BMW 6
7. MV Agusta 3
Innovation
Safety, sustainable mobility, lower emissions and consumption:
the innovation race towards an ever “greener” future

THE PIAGGIO GROUP
AND EUROPEAN FUNDED RESEARCH

Let’s start with a question: why does Europe finance Innovation and Research? Funding for research, at both national and international level, seeks to provide guidance and support to enable business, universities and research centres to develop better solutions for the needs and difficulties of the Community.
click to enlarge In other words, it is a political and financial tool that steers research, including industrial research, towards socially useful fields by providing industry and public/private research with financial support. Funding covers all fields of research activity conducted in Europe, from Agriculture to the Social Sciences and Nanotechnology.
The Piaggio Group, of course, is concerned with the sector that represents its core business, mobility, and individual mobility in particular. This is a huge area, embracing the technical side of traditional and innovative engines, new technologies and materials, the development of new vehicle concepts, safety, electronics, development of new ways to use vehicles, and much else besides. All these issues also have a prominent place in Community policies.
Over the last few years, the Commission has placed particular importance on Sustainable Mobility, due to growing awareness of the need to reduce CO2 emissions (by 20% by 2020 with respect to 1990). Consequently, significant effort has also been put into research into electric vehicles, batteries, and development of a recharging infrastructure. These are fundamental questions for the future, but at the moment their industrial returns are low, and so they need financial political support. The same is true of the increase in road user safety, in terms of education, infrastructure, vehicles, intelligent transport systems, etc.

PIAGGIO’S COMMITMENT TO CUTTING-EDGE PROJECTS
For many years, Piaggio has used the funding instruments made available by national and European bodies to support its most innovative R&D work. Participation in funded projects provides support for the two main R&D areas in Piaggio, development of new mobility solutions, through improved vehicle functionality and safety, and reduction of environmental impact and consumption, thanks to increasingly eco-sustainable, high-performance engines.
Participation in these schemes provides Piaggio with many advantages, such as the opportunity to work in consortia with a wide variety of national and international players (business organisations, research centres, universities), to fuel knowledge, to facilitate the technological transfer of scientific research results, and to boost its own competitiveness and international reach.

Safety in motion

In recent years, the Piaggio Group has been involved in a number of projects: the APROSYS project for studies on passive motorcycle safety (simulations and crash tests); the WATCH-OVER and SAFESPOT projects for the development of cooperative vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems; SAFERIDER (7° FP), for development of on-board information systems (navigation, remote diagnosis, emergency call, etc. ) and rider support systems (collision alerts, dangerous bend, etc.); the 2BESAFE project on motorcycle riding behaviour and car/two-wheeler interaction; ESUM for the promotion of virtuous practices in urban mobility (e.g., safe vehicles); the VERITAS project for the development of new ergonomic design systems that cater for the needs of the elderly and disabled.
sim
click to enlarge
Piaggio was the leader on the SIM project (Safety in Motion), funded under the European Commission’s 6th Framework Programme and completed in 2009, for the development and testing of active, preventive and passive safety systems. The outcome was a working three-wheel prototype (MP3), equipped with an advanced braking system (three-channel ABS), semi-active suspensions and a combined passive safety system (frontal airbag and inflatable jacket) and innovative man-machine interface. The results of the SIM project provided input for many innovations subsequently put into mass production.
The projects listed above brought the Group resources totalling more than € 1,580,000 and enabled cooperation with leading international companies and constructors, and with:
Research Centres: Centro Ricerche Fiat, Cidaut (Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo en Transporte y Energía), Dekra, TNO (Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research), Fraunhofer Institut, PERCRO (Perceptual Robotics Laboratory), INRETS French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research.
Universities: University of Pisa, University of Florence, University of Bologna, University of Stuttgart, Technical University of Chemnitz, Czech Technical University in Prague.
Municipal agencies: Rome (Mobility Agency), London (Transport for London), Paris (Mobility Agency), Barcelona (Traffic Division).

FROM 2014 TO 2020: THE HORIZON 2020 PROGRAMME
As the EU website says, Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe’s global competitiveness.
horizon2020
Seen as a means to drive economic growth and create jobs, Horizon 2020 has the political backing of Europe’s leaders and the Members of the European Parliament. They agreed that research is an investment in our future and so put it at the heart of the EU’s blueprint for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and jobs. By coupling research and innovation, Horizon 2020 emphasises excellent science, industrial leadership and tackling societal challenges. The goal is to ensure Europe produces world-class science, removes barriers to innovation and makes it easier for the public and private sectors to work together in delivering innovation. The Horizon 2020 programme will provide funding for the transport sector as a whole, from ships to aircraft, to minimise the impact of transport systems on climate and the environment through the development of smart equipment, infrastructure and services, and the improvement of urban transport and mobility. Horizon 2020 aims to make the mobility of people and goods safer with a significant reduction in traffic congestion, through development of new freight transportation and logistics concepts to reduce accident, death and injury rates and improve safety. Horizon 2020 supports global leadership for the European transport industry by strengthening competitiveness and the performance of the European transport manufacturing industry and related services.

THE RULES OF THE GAME
To receive European funding, project should be presented in response to a specific call for proposals. The project specifies purpose, timing, costs, partners, expected results. An international consortium has to be formed with high-level competences, to guarantee that the expected results are achieved. Applications are assessed by the European Commission and a score table is drawn up.
eu parlamento
The European Parliament

If the project is approved, it must be completed in the time and with the budget set out in the proposal. The European Commission conducts regular inspections to check technical stage of completion (under the responsibility of the Production/Innovation Development & Strategy Division), as well as economic progress (under the responsibility of Subsidised Funding). These checks generate disbursement of intermediate payments through to completion of the project and payment of the final contribution.
Operating from 2014 to 2020, Horizon 2020 continues the legacy of all the previous European Framework Programmes, as a single tool: with a budget of approximately 80 billion Euro for seven years, it is subdivided into three main sections: excellent science, industrial leadership and societal challenges.

PIAGGIO AND HORIZON 2020
The contents of the Horizon 2020 program were drawn up with the active contribution of the European technology platforms, bodies promoted and coordinated by the European Commission. The platforms are composed of public and private players who together set out the priorities for research, development and innovation themes and recommend medium/long-term development paths.
The Piaggio Innovation division, together with Institutional Affairs, provided active support for the ACEM (Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motocycles) and was directly involved in the work panels concerned with the Group’s core business: traditional engines, road safety, urban mobility. The panels are promoted by the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC), the EC reference technology platform for the Transport sector.
The Piaggio Group has joined the new European Green Vehicles Initiative Association (EGVIA), as a key interlocutor for recommendations with regard to electric two-wheelers. Research and innovation themes for light vehicles have been included in a specific call for proposals in the “Green Vehicles” area for category L electric vehicles, with a budget of 5 to 8 million Euro, with a free grant up to 100%.
Piaggio was involved in the drafting of the “Smart, green and integrated transport” programme, with particular attention to issues such as electric vehicles for the future, development of new low-emission powertrains, innovative vehicle architectures and development of safety solutions for vulnerable road users. Compatibly with the corporate research strategy, these will be the main areas of Piaggio research work in the coming years.

IN ITALY: PROJECTS OF EXCELLENCE

In recent years, Piaggio has also worked on a number of important projects with national funding. The MUSS project for safe, sustainable urban mobility, was presented under the “Industria 2015” (Industry 2015) call for proposals of the Ministry for Economic Growth, for the development of innovative technologies for eco-compatibility and sustainable urban transport
industria 2015
The project, led by Piaggio, involved many industrial partners and research centres, and produced significant results in the study and development of new engines with lower consumption and emissions, engines using alternative fuels, vehicle improvements through study of dynamics, reduction of weight and friction, Life Cycle Management, study and introduction of active and passive safety systems (advanced braking systems, traction control and stability, crash simulation and tests …), study of man-machine interface systems and on-board information systems, increased comfort (thermal, acoustic and meteorological) and ergonomics, study of new layouts for electric and hybrid vehicles, study and development of new safe tilting vehicles.
At national level, too, the latest ministerial initiatives reflect the intention of encouraging active participation among players and convergence with the objectives of the Horizon 2020 programme. In 2012, the Italian Education Ministry promoted the creation of National Technological Clusters bringing together bodies of various kinds to focus on specific technological areas, in order to boost competitiveness and domestic economic growth.
trasporti italia
Piaggio took part in the “Trasporti Italia 2020” cluster, contributing to the formulation of a strategic plan for the development of innovative, eco-sustainable means of transport for road mobility. Simultaneously, the Italy 2020 project proposal for the development of new smart, green and interconnected vehicle solutions was presented and later approved for funding.
Piaggio, in other words, plays an active role in using public funding to support and improve its research over the coming years, cultivate ties with institutions and the community for consensus on research goals of public interest, and develop excellent innovations for more sustainable, safer mobility.
Market

Moto Guzzi Norge GT8V Road Police:
on the Milan-Serravalle highway next april

The Moto Guzzi Norge GT8V will soon be donning the uniform of the road police patrolling the A7 Milan-Serravalle motorway. The new outfit joins the uniforms of the municipal police forces of Milan, Varese, Trento-Monte Bondone and the Penitentiary Police, and, abroad, the polices forces in Berlin and Libya.
The descendant of the tourer that won the heart of Giuseppe Guzzi on his famous journey from Mandello to Scandinavia in 1928 will be supplied in a consignment of fourteen motorcycles, for the patrol service on one of Italy’s busiest motorways. Configured to meet a stringent set of requirements, the prototype received final approval last November, during the concluding trials at the Mandello del Lario facility attended by officers for the road police and executives from Arval, the long-term vehicle hire company that manages the fleets for the Milan police force.


Compared with the standard model, this special version of the Norge GT 8V features a number of customised devices and controls to meet police requirements, which significantly change the aesthetics of the Mandello bike. They include LED lamps, an adjustable saddle, and a tail with a writing surface. Electronic devices include a radio and microphone, a GPS navigator, a telepass, as well as the usual sirens and flashing lights. The left pannier houses the rider’s machine gun, and the ancillary controls for the sirens and flashing lights are also set on the left side. These features are in addition to the Norge GT8V’s standard features, including ABS, electrically controlled windshield and heated handgrips.
The special consignment went into production in December 2013; to see the bikes out on the road – the A7 motorway – we shall have to wait until the beginning of spring 2014.

PHOTO GALLERY


Market

THE MOTORCYCLES OF THE HIGHWAY POLICE
FROM THE FALCONE TO THE V7 CHOSEN BY THE US “CHIPS”

The motorbike that best symbolises the Highway Police’s more than 60-year history is without doubt the Moto Guzzi Falcone 500, in service between 1947 until the end of the 1960s. Before the Falcone, during the years of the Highway Militia, which was disbanded in 1943 after the invasion of the Germans, the leading two-wheeler was the Moto Guzzi Sport 14, in an elegant blue. Four years later, as traffic levels soared, the Italian Ministry of the Interior decided to form a special corps to monitor traffic, road safety and vehicles. The new body was the Polizia Stradale, the Highway Police, 2,800 agents in a uniform with the symbol of Sagittarius, the archer, and equipped with a fleet of shining red Moto Guzzi Falcone bikes.
By 1959 the force had 8,000 agents and the indefatigable Falcone had been joined by the first “panthers”: Alfa Romeo 1900 TI cars for officers licensed to drive at high speed. The license was also extended to the corps’ motorcyclists, who were frequently invited to put on acrobatic riding displays at important events: breath-taking exhibitions where they rode through hoops of fire and in special configurations: the figure eight, the star, the human pyramid, the human bridge. That same year, the fleet’s cars and motorcycles, which until then had been black and red respectively, were given a new livery, a more martial grey-green colour.
click to enlarge
In the early 1960s the Falcone Sport and Tourism fleet was joined by the Gilera B300, Italy’s first mass produced twin-cylinder. Nimbler and quicker off the mark than the Moto Guzzi, the Gilera was used mainly for despatch rider services for the mobile units and local police stations. The spread of the Gilera was curtailed at the end of the decade by the arrival of the revolutionary Moto Guzzi V7, a bike whose devoted followers were perhaps even more numerous in the USA, where it was immediately recruited by the Los Angeles Police Department and the San Francisco Police Department.
Back in Italy, 1971 saw another make-over, this time from grey-green to a brighter white and blue offering greater visibility. In 1977 after a lot of years of dedicated service, the legendary V7 700 ceded its place to the modern T3, the first Moto Guzzi bike fitted with the innovative Guzzi-Brembo integral braking system. In the 1980s, Moto Guzzi consolidated its cooperation with the Highway Police with the powerful 850 T5, an impressively fitted bike with an unusual fairing.

click to enlarge In the 1990s the Police brought in the NTX 750 PA enduro, a significantly more agile and manageable bike than the T5, and for this reason used chiefly in urban environments. In 2003 the Moto Guzzi monopoly ended when the nifty Aprilia Pegaso 650 joined the NTX and the T5. The first prototypes of the new Norge GTL 1200 were outfitted in 2007 for the fleets of a number of municipal police forces, while the Highway Police is waiting for delivery of the more powerful GT8V to continue more than 60 years of collaboration with Moto Guzzi.
The State Police’s Automobile Museum in Rome is well worth a visit: in addition to the force’s most notable cars, including the famous Ferrari 250 GTE used by the legendary Italian policeman Armando Spatafora, the main motorbikes mentioned in this article are on display, fully restored.
museoauto.poliziadistato.it
Market

FROM LONDON TO BERLIN:
THE "MET" AND POLIZEI IN THE SADDLE

The special “Police” configuration for motorcycles and maxi-scooters includes flashing lights, sirens, a radio and the equipment needed by police motorcyclists patrolling the roads and preventing crime. In cities around the world, dozens of fleets of Piaggio Group two-wheelers, with customised colours and reflecting graphics, have been chosen by the police.
In Berlin, for example, the “Polizei” has a fleet of Moto Guzzi Norge 850 bikes, while the London Met uses the MP3 250; in Spain, Madrid’s “Securidad Ciudadana” has a fleet of 70 vehicles, comprising the Aprilia Pegaso 650 and the Piaggio XEvo 250 maxi-scooter. Specially configured Piaggio scooters are also used by the local police forces (policia de barrio) in Seville and Cordoba. In Greece, the Hellenic Police Force have almost 500 Aprilia motorcycles – Pegaso 650 Stradas, Mana 850 GT ABSs and almost 200 Dorsoduro 750s – to support the “Dias” teams who patrol the roads of the main Greek cities, including Athens and Thessaloniki. The MP3 is also used by the police in Israel; they are a common sight on the streets of Jerusalem.
Thirty Aprilia Mana 850 are part of the fleet of police in the Chinese city of Chongqing, while in Tibet's capital Lhasa, the police chose the Piaggio MP3.

PHOTO GALLERY

WHEN THE “AMBU-CYCLE” CAN SAVE A LIFE

The “Red Shield of David”, Israel’s Red Cross, has just augmented its vehicle fleet with a consignment of Gilera Fuoco 500 bikes for emergency medical aid. The Red Shield of David already has 150 MP3 250s, fitted with an Intensive Care Unit and customised with the association’s colours and logos.
Even the medical relief organization United Hatzalah of Israel has recently included in its fleet some scooter Piaggio XEVO 250, perfectly equipped for emergency medical assistance, with sirens, flashing lights and a first aid kit doctor. Are called "ambu-cycles", ie. scooter-ambulance, able to quickly arrive on the scene of an accident. The United Hatzalah is a national organization with more than 2,000 volunteers spread across the country. Its mission is to just reach those in need of medical care within the first few minutes after the accident, and in need of assistance first aid.

PHOTO GALLERY

People
Minneapolis director Eric Tretbar casts his beloved 1000 S in a starring role in his latest film, a tale of love and freedom on two wheels

GIRL MEETS BIKE:
FREEDOM THANKS TO A PASSION FOR MOTO GUZZI

Eric Tretbar is an independent filmmaker from Minneapolis with a passion for Moto Guzzi bikes and indie-rock. After seven films, winners of important accolades such as the Audience Award at the Berlin Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Award at the Indie Film Festival in LA, Tretbar has finally had the chance to write a script starring his Moto Guzzi.
Shot in the small town of Northfield, Girl Meets Bike is the story of Kat (Ruth Menard), a young high-school teacher who decides to sell her wedding dress to buy her first motorbike, an old Moto Guzzi 1000 S. She wants to use the powerful twin-cylinder to follow her boyfriend James (Sam Scherf) and his biker friends, and win a degree of freedom and independence. After receiving a warm welcome from the group, Kat begins to feel oppressed by their excessive attention and recommendations on how to ride and look after her bike.

PHOTO GALLERY


All this is too much for her new-found free spirit, and she becomes convinced that the group is more intent on controlling her rather than on looking out for her safety and teaching her to ride. So she decides to take a 400-mile trip, but with her lack of experience the distance proves too long and she has a bad fall. Injured and shocked, at first she decides to give up the journey, but thanks to her friends she finds the determination to resume the trip, because she will only regain her freedom by getting back on her Moto Guzzi.
The story draws heavily on the experiences of Eric Tretbar, beginning with the bike, a splendid Moto Guzzi 1000 S, purchased on credit by the director on a sunny October day from a dealer in Minnesota. The dealer looked him in the eye and said: “You’re the right person for this bike”, and accepted an advance of just 150 dollars and Eric’s promise to settle the outstanding amount by the end of the summer.
The main character of Kat is based on the story of Eric’s sister Kirsten. After her divorce, Kirsten confessed to Eric that she wanted a motorbike, but that her ex husband had always said no, because he hated motorcycles. She decided to buy a heavy and bulky BMW R60/5 from 1972, ignoring her brother’s advice to choose a more docile, easier to manage Honda 350. Kirsten and her new bike enrolled at a driving school where, among the forty students, all men, she proved to be the most skilful on bends and when braking. Two weeks later, Kirsten felt she had tamed her powerful machine and, like Kat, set off alone, on a trip from Los Angeles to Simi Valley.
A few years later, Eric discovered another similar story in the book “The Perfect Vehicle” by Melissa Holbrook Pierson, who, coincidentally, rides a Moto Guzzi V65 Lario. The director realised that the leading actress for his eighth movie was sitting in his garage. So the first take for Girl Meets Bike began with his dark Moto Guzzi 1000S.
Don’t miss it!

GIRL MEETS BIKE A Moto Girl Film Production
Executive Producer
ROBERT LEMON
Written and directed by

ERIC TRETBAR

Style
Technical jacket and pants, gloves and helmet: style and protection for true riders

THE PERFECT BIKER LOOK
FROM MOTO GUZZI

With the fantastic Moto Guzzi apparel collection, coordinating garments with accessories couldn’t be easier. Make your choice from the latest items, enjoy mixing and matching to create a perfect biker look, knowing that the style and quality of the garments and materials you choose is guaranteed, for an ideal outfit for two-wheel travel, in the city or farther afield, protected against the unpredictable Spring weather. This is the winning combination.
  • TECHNICAL JACKET
    In cordura and nylon, waterproof and breathable, with removable protectors on shoulders and arms. Removable lining with adjustable waistband for maximum comfort. Padded shoulders and arms. Air intakes with zips. Reflective strips for enhanced rider visibility.
  • TECHNICAL PANTS
    In nylon, polyurethane and polyamide, waterproof and breathable, with knee protectors. Adjustable lower leg. Reflective strips.
  • WINTER TOURING GLOVES
    In leather and polyamide, with waterproof and thermal fibre membrane, protectors and reinforced palm. Embroidered Moto Guzzi logo applied on oval rubber patch.
  • SUMMER STREET GLOVES
    In leather with perforations, protectors and reinforced palm. Embroidered Moto Guzzi logo applied on oval rubber patch.
  • MODULAR HELMET
    Shell: in injection-moulded reinforced resin. Polystyrene internal protection in two sizes (M and L). Double P/J type approval for use as full face and jet. Visor: injection-moulded, with pre-integrated anti-scratch treatment. Quick-action internal sun visor. Retention system: simple and robust, quick release. Type approvals: ECE 22-05 EUROPE. Also available in ECE Bluetooth SCS version.
SHOPPING THROUGH DEALERS.
The above items and the Moto Guzzi accessories & lifestyle collections are available through the official dealer network (www.motoguzzi.it).
On The Road
Eighteen islands in the middle of the Atlantic: mass tourism has never come here.
A destination that guarantees a close encounter with unspoiled landscapes

FAROE ISLANDS
THE ENCHANTMENT OF NATURE

You hear about them during the qualifying heats for the World Cup, when a team of dentists, teachers and bakers takes on the top national sides. Then the Faroe Islands retreat into silence, with their capital city Torshavn, the world’s smallest capital (15,000 inhabitants), their rugged landscapes, their coastlines battered by the North Sea and millions of seabirds, the undisputed masters of these lands. The Faroe Islands lie halfway between Scotland and Iceland and are an obligatory stop-off point for bikers heading for Iceland from Denmark, when the ferry disembarks everyone for two days while it goes back to pick up other travellers in Norway.
click to enlarge
Because the stop-over is unavoidable, it might sometimes be considered a waste of time by travellers on their way to Iceland. Very few make these islands their destination, yet in terms of nature, scenery and history they have much to offer. They are home to the Roykstovan, Europe’s oldest wooden house (nearly 1,000 years old), which is still inhabited, and the Magnuskatedral, a cathedral built in stone in 1100, which was never completed. But the Faroe Islands’ most enthralling sight is its nature, which is completely unspoiled.
The roads are all well paved, so there is no need for an enduro bike; a tourer is perfectly adequate, provided it is in perfect running order, since, understandably, finding spare parts on the Faroe Islands can be a tricky business. Travel among the eighteen islands is by boat or helicopter. You should not miss Mykines, the smallest of the islands, with its village of 15 residents and a school from out of the last century. The trip to Mykines is an adventure in itself: both the boat and the helicopter make only one journey a day, so once you arrive, you necessarily have to stay overnight in the island’s only hostel (booked in advance). The excursion is well worth the effort, since this is a trip you will long remember: you find yourself side by side with millions of birds, including puffins and every type of seagull, who build their nests directly in the cliff face, creating an unforgettable natural spectacle. On the Faroe Islands, motorbiking is combined with trekking: so go suitably prepared. And of the many ways you can get to the islands and explore them, doing so on a motorcycle is certainly in a class of its own.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
The sea voyage is handled by the Smyril Line company, which leaves from Hirshtals, in Denmark, bound for Iceland, and reaches the Faroe Islands after 38 hours at sea. You need to be good sailors: once you have passed the Scottish coast and are in open waters, it will be a pretty bumpy ride if the sea is rough.
In Italy, the Danish tourist office deals with the Faroe Islands. Torshavn is the capital city and the nerve centre for all island activities, with schools, the port, trade, offices, and most accommodation, from hotels to hostels in lodgings left empty by students during the summer: the latter are certainly the cheapest solution.
The roads are well maintained, linking even the smallest centres, and well sign-posted. Traffic is almost non-existent: there are more sheep than cars, but since the sheep cross the roads as and when they please, they are a potential hazard. So take care. Although the islands are small, it’s not difficult to clock up more than 1,000 km. For a full visit, even without travelling to the southern islands, you need at least a week. At the same time, you need to keep an eye on the frequency of the sea crossings, with a single trip per week.
The climate is extremely variable: the weather can change many times during the day; the temperature is around 10°-15°C. The Faroe Islands are part of Denmark, so an ID card is sufficient, as the islands are signatories of the Schengen agreement on the free circulation of people, even though their inhabitants are not European citizens. The local currency is the Faroese krona, different to but worth exactly the same as the Danish krone.

TRAVEL NOTES:
PLACES NOT TO MISS

Off the northern coasts of Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic, midway between Iceland and Norway, lie the Faroe Islands: eighteen islands with unpronounceable names and an unspoiled beauty, inhabited by just fifty thousand souls.
Not to be missed: the Island of Stóra Dímun; Suðuroy with its impressive lighthouse on Akraberg, the southernmost tip; the spectacular Vestemanna cliffs; trekking on the island of Eysturoy, which offers paths through enchanting scenery. Then there’s the “witch’s finger” (Trølkonufingur), an offshore shard of rock that rises up skyward from the water. Mykines, home to three hundred different species of birds, including cormorants, petrel ducks and puffins with brightly coloured beaks.
The island of Streymoy where Tórshavn, the world’s smallest capital city, is located, is compulsory. Saga musem; the ruins of St Magnus Cathedral, in the Kirkjubøur area; and the Kirkjubøargarður, with displays of typical islander household objects and furnishings, tools and equipment.
Community

WHERE EAGLES DARE:
INTO THE MARBLE QUARRIES ON MOTO GUZZI

The riders from the Griso Guzzi social forum organised an unusual expedition recently, to the Carrara marble quarries in Tuscany, in the Apuan Alps. “This was a first,” say the guides who accompanied the group down the impressive underground tunnels normally used by the equipment used to excavate the blocks of precious marble, and certainly not by motorbikes.
click to enlarge
The idea of a tour in the marble tunnels came from two Guzzisti of the Griso forum: Giovanni (nick-name Il GriGio) and Nicola (BigNick), both from Sarzana. The memorable trip saw the large group of bikers travel from the blue of the sky and sea into the white of the quarries, immersing themselves in a unique, almost lunar landscape at a depth of 600 m.
Flavio Grespi, one of the leaders of the lively forum, sent Wide these sensational photos of the tour and the “scream” video clip: a liberating chorus of yells in that very special place.
Preparations have already begun for the next adventure: a “Round Italy on Griso”, from 10 to 25 May 2014. The tour has been organised for charity: the funds it raises will be devolved to the La Bula cooperative, active in education and social integration for disabled youngsters.
After leaving from Mandello del Lario (the home of Moto Guzzi), the group will ride through Lombardy, Piedmont, Tuscany, Lazio and Campania, on to Sardinia and Sicily, and then ride back through Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Trentino, with a second stop in Mandello and a last night party in Parma with the youngsters from the cooperative. A total of 16 stretches, for a distance of 3,646 km and daily averages of 243 km. The event will be a relay, with Griso riders from the various Italian regions handing the baton over at each stage, during events open to all Moto Guzzi devotees. The tour will also include a visit to the Piaggio Museum, on 13 May.

For info about the Griso tour:
www.grisoguzzi.it
info@grisoguzzi.it
MotoGuzziGriso on Facebook and @grisoguzzi on twitter

The new motorcycle rally season gets underway

The motorcycle rally season is upon us. Here are the main dates in the 2014 calendar of the Moto Guzzi World Club: the “2nd Mediterranean Area Rally”, from 25 to 27 April in Thessaly (Greece); the “National Meeting” (30 May/1 June) in Versilia (Tuscany); the “International Meeting” (29 to 31 August) in Port Valais, Switzerland. Also: the “Moto Guzzi Trophy and Gentleman Cup 2014” (6 events, from April to October, at the top Italian racetracks “for safe fun on the track”); and the Moto Guzzi international meeting in Anzanigo (Huesca) in Spain, 3 to 4 May. Outside Europe, the official Guzzi clubs are in Australia, Japan, USA.

Info: motoguzziworldclub.it
The German Guzzi Stammtisch club in MÜnsterland has also drawn up an exciting calendar (online at www.guzzi-stammtisch.de).
And there are many fairs and exhibitions for bikers, from Dortmund to Rome, including events dedicated to vintage vehicles in the UK, France and Germany.

PHOTO GALLERY

THE BEST VIDEO OF THIS ISSUE
AT THE BRNO RACE-TRACK IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

ON BOARD: RACING THRILLS
WITH ALEX HOFMANN AND THE APRILIA RSV4

Bends, chicanes, straights: the superlative racing thrills of the MotoGP racing circuit in Brno in the Czech Republic. Video cameras on the rider’s helmet and forearms and we’re off, on a roaring Aprilia RSV4 aprc. The same Aprilia that is the reigning world champion and a formidable competitor as the 2014 WSBK season gets underway. The powerful bike is ridden by a true expert, Alex Hofmann, a former MotoGP and Superbike racer, and for many years an official test rider with the Aprilia Racing team, involved in the development tests on the RSV4. In this video, the German rider and Italian bike provide viewers with a truly powerful experience. Ready? On board!

PHOTO GALLERY

MY BIKE MOVIE

YOU AND YOUR MOTORBIKE ON WIDE!


For true bikers, their motorcycle, whatever its age, is a cult object to be treasured, cared for and kept proudly for years; a faithful companion for travel and adventure. The new WIDE feature “My Bike Movie” is dedicated to everyone who rides off to work on a brand new bike in the morning, to everyone who fondly conserves a bike handed down in the family from generation to generation, to everyone who lovingly cherishes a vintage motorcycle.

MAKE YOUR BIKE MOVIE!

Make a short video of your Aprilia or Moto Guzzi motorbike to tell us what it means to you. You can tell the story of your bike or recount a trip you’ve made together. You can include shots of daily life, or evoke the emotions you have shared.
The videos we select will appear on Wide, in the new feature “My Bike Movie”, to present you and your motorcycle, the most special bike in the world, to bikers all over the globe.
Because every bike’s story is unique.

Send your video clip to: wide@piaggio.com