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Engines with more or less vertical cylinders have always been so much the norm that only a few motorcycle manufacturers have consistently adopted a different layout. Harley-Davidson has stuck with its V-twins, which look and sound so good, BMW has persisted with its logical flat twins and sensible shaft drive, and for the last half century Moto Guzzi has espoused transverse V-twins, which combine the virtues of each.

It wasn’t always like that, however. From its foundation in 1920 to the last Nuovo Falcone of 1976, Moto Guzzi championed single-pot engines with their cylinders laid down almost horizontally. And this layout also makes a lot of sense. It lowers the centre of gravity, which is always a good thing, it means you can have a neat and effective exhaust, and you don’t have to fight gravity getting oil