ONE OWNER FROM NEW
In 40 years, the Moto Guzzi is only vehicle I’ve ever owned from new. I bought it when I was 20, in 1979, and the only reason I could afford it back then was because someone ran a red light and knocked me off my Suzuki GT500. I needed transport for my imminent holiday so part-exchanged the repaired GT500 and got £565 for it against a brand-new V50 costing £1364 from Kings of Birmingham – the insurance pay-out for the accident meant I could just about afford it. I kept the Suzuki’s rubber-mounted mirrors and fitted them to the V50, so they’re older than the rest of the bike and date back to 1975.
I liked V-twin engines and the idea of shaft drive, especially after adjusting and replacing chains all the time – they didn’t last too well in the 1970s. I couldn’t afford a BMW on the pay of an apprentice mechanic, and the boxer’s seat was also too high for me. Likewise, I heard about the emerging Honda CX500, but when it arrived it was tall, big and heavy. Then I saw a roadtest about the V50: small, light and one of
