I’m undecided about this bike… the looks are, well, different. But has anyone ridden one, or better yet owned one?Do they handle OK? Do they pack a punch? Do they sound good? Are they comfortable?Any opinions would be welcome.I’m narrowing it down to one of these, or a Griso (test ride of that on Monday), with the Cali as a possibility.Opinions, extreme or not, welcome!
I have owned my Bellagio Luxe for 4 years and love it to bitsHandling - excellent round twisty bits and good stabilityPunch - use the revs and most people will be surprised how well it goes, but surprisingly good torque in mid range too.Sound - mine has a Quill can and sounds excellent.Comfort - works for me, but appreciate we are all different. No problem with 3 to 4 hour journeysAdditionally, mine is averaging about 55mpg and can achieve nearly 70mpg on a run if not hurrying.A different machine to most, but surprisingly capable and mine has also been dead reliable.
Thanks Ray. I’ve heard good things about the engine.Like the Griso, no centre stand of course. Can a ‘garage stand’ be bought to park it vertical rather than leaning over on the side stand in the garage?
No centre stand is a pain, but I have an ABBA stand for a V11 and have been able to adapt it for the Bella. You would have to experiment with other stands.Having something to lift the back end is really useful as you need to ensure the rear suspension linkage bearings and swing arm bearings are greased properly
[QUOTE=GZK6NK] I’m undecided about this bike… the looks are, well, different. But has anyone ridden one, or better yet owned one?Do they handle OK? Do they pack a punch? Do they sound good? Are they comfortable?Any opinions would be welcome.I’m narrowing it down to one of these, or a Griso (test ride of that on Monday), with the Cali as a possibility.Opinions, extreme or not, welcome!
[/QUOTE]
I just rode mine from Norfolk to Moscow. Plenty punch for me and Danish/German motorways. Sounds great with a Quill. Comfort? I did 13 hours on her yesterday. Ok, I hurt at the end, but come on. Most importantly she performed heroically in conditions no road bike is designed for: hundreds of miles on supposed roads that were really just dirt/gravel/mud. And in hours and hours of heavy rain. She only let me down once, with a dead battery, but the bike’s 5 years old and I suspect it’s the original battery. And she’s weeping some oil from a cylinder head. I call that reliable.
I haven’t tried a Griso or California, but I’d recommend the Bellagio pretty much unreservedly. Find a good one and bring your wallet.
Where you going to get one from???
Rare as rocking horse poo
I should add that one was sold stupidly cheap on here last week.But i dont think those sort of bargains will be happening again the way prices are rising
tonewuk2013-07-25 12:06:21
A bike full of suprises.
Mine is a bit different from the rest,i run sports bike 17 inch wheels.
But i wobbled round a bend last night and though thats bit crap.Then i relised how fast i was going.
So not to bad really.
Number 8 of 72
i get an average of 50mpg and i ride quit hard. The Bellagio do like to like to rev.
ive had a good few test rides on them and the engine is brill ,it handles well good .Its the most under rated newer guzzi out there .
johnno2013-07-27 19:13:05
Hi “GZK6NK” …Ahhhh, that was my mothers name!
Was your dad n optician by any chance?
Anyway, yes the Bellagio is a very fine motorcycle, and as some of the other owner/rider good friends on here that i have made since joining the club have already mentioned, these are probably one of the best of the new era Moto Guzzi’s you can get.
Basic styling is not to everyones taste, but they make a great platform to lightly customise to whichever style you prefer be it ‘Cafe’ Street Rod or light tourer.
It’s the twin spark short stroke motor that is the jewel in the crown, and with a few tweaks, this bike becomes a very capable B road burner as well as a beautiful head turning machine.
Very rare now, Only 70-ish registered or sorned in the UK
You will probably have to settle for a Griso and wait for another rare opportunity to arise to buy a used model.
Good luck and “happy hunting” D1V (D4)
Still shown as being made and available on MG’s own web site or am I missing something? http://www.motoguzzi.com/en/scuderia
[QUOTE=Mike H]
Still shown as being made and available on MG’s own web site or am I missing something? http://www.motoguzzi.com/en/scuderia  [/QUOTE]
Haven’t been sending them to the UK for nearly a year. It’s nuts: all the UK dealers I spoke to while hunting said they could sell Bellas if they were given them. However MG have started importing them to, er, India
Ooh-kay … Possiblee get one abroad and bring it back?
[QUOTE=Mike H]
Ooh-kay …  Possiblee get one abroad and bring it back? [/QUOTE]
If I was in the UK that’s what I’d do. Teo Lamers say they have Bellas: buy there, run in for a few days, get first service, then Hook of Holland back to England. I considered that, but registration and customs for Russia looked like a nightmare. Be easy for the UK though.
Oh I get it now, Piaggio have big business interests in India (scooters and a 3-wheeler vehicle), starting to make more sense now ~ Google for ‘piaggio india’ ~ as a subsidiary MG have likely been ‘instructed’ to export to India http://www.piaggio.co.in/category/about-us/india.aspx
Corsa Italiana had Bellagio available on order for £7999 right up to very recently, but disappeared from website now (I just checked).
Their Corsa Speedshop are still offering Specials, maybe they’ve got a couple salted away.
Lucky old India, I say
Phil
The Indians will copy it and make their own.
Ah, the Bellagio. Just joined this forum to see what people make of the things. I bought one in 2008 when they came out. A test ride sold me. It was my 3rd Guzzi. Looks are ho-hum, but you can’t see what it looks like when you are riding it. I really loved it. Comfortable, and very user friendly. Alas I had to sell it in a hurry to raise some quick cash for another bike project.
When the time came to get another bike, I bought a 2nd hand Cali, which was a disaster. Tried to like the Griso but couldn’t get used to the steering. Then I bought an 8v Norge. Great, but too bulky and not a daily rider. All this when I knew perfectly well I shuld have kept the Bellagio. I was disappointed when I heard they were discontinuing them in Aus. The looks may put people of, because too many see them as a cruiser.
Then I saw a low mileage used one last week at a good price. Just had to do it.
They come up on eBay fairly regularly. I was looking at one on there before I decided I couldn’t live with its looks, and decided to go for the Griso.
If you don’t like the looks - you could always do this to it?!
http://www.bikeexif.com/moto-guzzi-bellagio
Amazing.