Just Roam With It

A pricey Italian with a lot of attitude. No, not a supermodel, but the Guzzi Roamer.

- Jared Solomon

The retro and classic motorcycle scene continues to heat up across the world, and because of that it seems that Moto Guzzi is making a bit of a resurgence. The oldest European bike manufacturer is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year, and we couldn’t be happier for them. Even though we haven’t had much experience riding many of their bikes, the brand’s legendary status means that its allure is impossible to ignore.

Under Piaggio ownership, the Italian bike maker was officially brought into the Indian market last year, and it’s still a relatively unknown brand here. But, Moto Guzzi has been a niche market player for decades now with global sales figures averaging about 6,000 units a year, so it’s not a shocker that mass market consumers in India haven’t heard of the brand.

I first got a taste of Moto Guzzi when I rode the Audace last year – a high priced exotic Italian cruiser. It certainly seemed like a fine motorcycle, but, in all honesty, it didn’t really stand out or impress me in any particular manner. More recently though, I got my hands on the V9 Roamer, which is a small Italian custom motorcycle that also comes in another avatar – the V9 Bobber.