Motorcycle News says Moto Guzzi is updating the factory.

[twowheeladdict]

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2025/august/moto-guzzi-factory-transformed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawMUvYdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF2TURYdEdCOWNOMDBzRGRMAR6LzZKYteeihpwvVfv7mkf1-_-TKIprkM1iW4CYptxKwZulykHnYIEbnSMxVA_aem_64Y9J24e4kLhYoP2fnAfQg#Echobox=1755776488

[sign216]

Thanks for posting this.  Glad they are keeping the factory up and running. 

[Bulldog9]

When we went last summer (first time) the Guard was telling me about the new factory, museum and amenities. Looks like 2026 is the next trip!

Glad to see they are taking the brand into the next century. Sadly, nothing, even the new V7 Sport has any draw for me. I'll just keep on keeping on. THough I am thinking of finding a Heron Head Racer (red frame) and making it look like this.





Will need to sell a couple bikes before hand though. Anybody want to trade or buy a beautiful and perfect 750 Breva? 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The new Moto Guzzi Factory  https://youtu.be/Fp4WVraRifM?si=kyhHCvhH1UoO3Kbk

[Tusayan]

How sad.  A superficial American building designer leading a contrived Disneyland approach to managing Italian history that he doesn’t appear to understand or respect.  His repeated use of the phrase “very unique” says it all: it’s either unique or it isn’t, there is no such thing as ‘very unique’ except to a blabber mouth.

I’m glad my first of many trips to Mandello del Lario was in 1988, as a kid far from home, with no crowds.  In my mind that really led to an understanding of Moto Guzzi. My trip there in ‘98 was probably the most memorable because we saw the whole factory, including all the real industrial activity that was still there at that time.  Since then probably five or six more visits, each time thinking the scene and Guzzi enthusiasts are wonderful, but the spirit of the place and marque itself is progressively dying. The only positive thing is that Piaggio was prevented from moving production 20 years ago and creating a ‘brand’ that would by now be dead, versus something which is still real to some degree.

[SIR REAL ED]

The new Moto Guzzi Factory  https://youtu.be/Fp4WVraRifM?si=kyhHCvhH1UoO3Kbk

Looking at the architecture, I wonder, how does all this fixed capital expenditure "art" affect the final price of the bikes they hope to sell?

He sounds like someone who has never realized that form should always follow function, not the other way around.

I would guess he does not have a blue collar or a mechanical back ground, but I could be very wrong.

He may very well be someone who truly understands the "new way of the world" better than an old fart like myself ever could.

I wish them the best of luck.

[bad Chad]

How sad.  A superficial American building designer leading a contrived Disneyland approach to managing Italian history that he doesn’t appear to understand or respect.  His repeated use of the phrase “very unique” says it all: it’s either unique or it isn’t, there is no such thing as ‘very unique’ except to a blabber mouth.

I’m glad my first of many trips to Mandello del Lario was in 1988, as a kid far from home, with no crowds.  In my mind that really led to an understanding of Moto Guzzi. My trip there in ‘98 was probably the most memorable because we saw the whole factory, including all the real industrial activity that was still there at that time.  Since then probably five or six more visits, each time thinking the scene and Guzzi enthusiasts are wonderful, but the spirit of the place and marque itself is progressively dying. The only positive thing is that Piaggio was prevented from moving production 20 years ago and creating a ‘brand’ that would by now be dead, versus something which is still real to some degree.

This made me chuckle.

[Bulldog9]

This made me chuckle.

I rolled my eyes..........

[Tusayan]

Looking at the architecture, I wonder, how does all this fixed capital expenditure "art" affect the final price of the bikes they hope to sell?

He sounds like someone who has never realized that form should always follow function, not the other way around.

I would guess he does not have a blue collar or a mechanical back ground, but I could be very wrong.

Well put.  The guy is the wrong guy for this job, and it’s painful to watch such a mismatch. It seems to me like an Orange County shopping mall designer remodeling a church. Hopefully whatever Disneyland crap is being built will fade away with time, and this guy will go back to decorating the food court at South Coast Plaza.

[SIR REAL ED]

I can only imagine all the discussions among Moto Guzzi employees and department managers.

"How much did management take from our Engineering/Styling/Testing/R&D/Pension/Maintenance/Health Care/Bonus/Vacation budgets so they could build observation platforms so the Eloi could watch us Morlocks assembling motorcycles they would never even dream of buying?"

Like the scene from the movie Legally Blonde, "Oh look!  Jury people!"

The internal battles for which department's ox gets gored so another department's ox can get fed more are always interesting.

If Moto Guzzi has any unions, I bet they are thinking: "It will be awesome to bring up architecture expenditures next time they want us to financially sacrifice for the good of the company!"
 

[SIR REAL ED]

If they just cut the amount of grease that they use for wheel bearings, drive shaft splines, and steering stem bearings by 5%, they can probably easily afford the new campus......

[Frulk]

It’s about time Guzzi upgraded to 1940’s production methods.

[PJPR01]

Trying to understand why Piaggio created the Piaggio Fast Forward group...it's a somewhat bizarre concept.  Why they hired this guy 3 years later after the founding to lead it is also somewhat mysterious.

However, the factory doesn't look too bad, in and of itself, it should draw more people to Mandello I hope and more people to support the brand...although I personally prefer the older style and setup, everything eventually gets some type of modernization.  I hope this doesn't turn people off, but ultimately strengthens the company financially.

It would be good if they take a poll at this year's GMG to see if people like the factory or not...

AT the very LEAST, they didn't hire the idiot of a designer who fabbed up the new Jaguar concept...that would have had people abandoning Moto Guzzi by the thousands in an instant!

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

There was an interview with Claudio Domenicali the CEO of Ducati a while back where he talked about the worker conditions, management negotiation with the unions, etc. They have strong unions, they have guaranteed vacation time in Italy's constitution, there are national holidays off, and they might have more paid time off guaranteed in their contract. I imagine Piaggio are in a similar situation being in the same industry. So I'm sure there are always things that are not in the favor of the workers, but in general it seems like their benefits aren't likely to be cut into harshly as if they were at an American company or not unionized, unless they were to reduce staff as a result of it.

It sounds like a smart move to me to make the campus even more of a public attraction. I'm probably biased as I love visiting museums, but even as someone without a ton of interest in Harley-Davidsons, I've been drawn to their museum many times over the years. If it's provided an opportunity to update machining that's out of date at the same time, that's even better.

As some may know, Ural moved their motorcycle production out of Russia and into Kazakhstan 2022-2023. With that move they updated their machining and finally fixed many small issues that had been identified in their designs and manufacturing.

[MerleLowe]

I wonder how many motorcycle manufacturers could generate such interest for touring a factory to watch the machines being built.  That sounds like an unusual level of interest in the product from the public.

As for it cutting into vacation time budgets, it looks like there's at least a mandatory 20 days in Italy, so they doing pretty good to begin with.

[kidsmoke]

This designer is one of the more credentialed and lauded Architects working in the world today.

Moto Guzzi is unique. Both in it's mission and it's history, and everything about it's business model HAS BEEN antithetical to success for half a century at least.

I think it's wonderful, and a good business move, to acknowledge that reality and create a destination that regards more than just the bottom line as sacred. Industry seldom treads on romantic or nostalgic territory, but this may be THE shining example of the exception to that rule, globally. In 2025, a factory on it's original site with 5th generation descendents of original employees walking to work to produce a competitive, technologically advanced product sold the world over. It makes absolutely no sense. Bravo!

[kidsmoke]

Well put.  The guy is the wrong guy for this job, and it’s painful to watch such a mismatch. It seems to me like an Orange County shopping mall designer remodeling a church. Hopefully whatever Disneyland crap is being built will fade away with time, and this guy will go back to decorating the food court at South Coast Plaza.

Named one of the worlds most influential living architects more than 20 years ago, by credentialed judges. Guess your phone wasn't charged?

Key Architecture Awards
Golden Lion, Venice Biennale of Architecture (2008)
American Academy of Arts & Letters Architecture Award: (2003)
United States Artists Fellowship: (2010)
AIA Award: from the American Institute of Architects
Progressive Architecture Award
Awards for Other Projects
Red Dot Best of the Best Award: for the gita robot in the "Innovative Products" category (2020)
Spark Silver Award: for the gita robot (2017)
Other Recognitions
Honorary Doctorate Degree: from the Academy of Fine Arts & Design, Bratislava (2003)
ACADIA Award for Teaching Excellence: (2013)
Named one of the "100 Most Innovative People in the World" by Time Magazine (2001)
Named one of the "Ten Most Influential Living Architects" by Forbes Magazine (2005)

[bad Chad]

Thanks, Smoke, I was thinking of doing a similar post but failed to follow through.

[PJPR01]

Maybe lots of awards...but who here would be a Gita Robot (either when Piaggio founded it) or when the architect became the leader of the group.  I'd bet that zero Gitas would be sold to anyone we know...

Architecture is very and extremely subjective...no doubt...lots of awards...ultimately we'll buy bikes because of the bikes and not because of the building, but maintaining and modernizing the connection to the nostalgic era and history is important for continuity and who knows maybe even motivation for the factory workers, but also the bikes have to be good quality enough to attract and maintain new owners.

I do think the new factory looks interesting, I hope it brings in lots of visitors which adds $$/Euros to the coffers so Guzzi can keep going...but it's still hard to understand what Piaggio Fast Forward really is as a concept...

Imagine if Ferraris decided to start selling a vacuum cleaner...just because it's fashionable...would anyone buy one?  So Guzzi riders should buy a robot?  I still don't get it.

[SIR REAL ED]

It is a fascinating project, extremely complex project, with infinite possible interpretations.

Will the result of this expenditure be good, great, or horrible?  Could the effect ever be proven?

How to evaluate the infinite number of data points?

I suspect us old farts are the last ones to ask how to interpret the modern world.

How many people buy motorcycles?  Or do they buy name brands, lifestyles, status, or images to project?

I can only imagine the high level meetings that led to the decision to start this project.  The resultant meetings in the future to decide who gets credit or who gets blamed could be turned into a TV soap opera.

Hard to tell from my perspective, but Harley Davidson seems to have lost much of their former allure.  Could be simply due to electronics replacing mechanical items in terms of appeal.

Good to know the company has money in its pockets.

[rocker59]

What a bunch of curmudgeons...   

This is good news for Moto Guzzi and the motorcycles that we love.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9ob5b4

[kidsmoke]

I do think it's pretty ironic that the most prominent and progressive design feature of the new structure mimic's the most frequently binned OEM design feature of any Guzzi bike to my knowledge. That's pretty funny.

Very few buy a GRiSO 8V and keep the exhaust. 

[PJPR01]

I do think it's pretty ironic that the most prominent and progressive design feature of the new structure mimic's the most frequently binned OEM design feature of any Guzzi bike in my knowledge. That's pretty funny.

Very few buy a GRiSO 8V and keep the exhaust.

Ironic and Iconic at the same time!   

Ironically, and iconically, I just put back my OEM exhaust on the Griso after months of testing the Termignoni as I could now definitively say that the Termignoni, despite its improved sound, looks and weight advantage vs. OEM does make the Griso lose its mid to top end capability even with a Beetle map, so back to OEM we go and all of the power is restored.

[kidsmoke]

termignoni has had a rough go on these 8V bikes. Which makes no sense to me! Glad it worked out and it must be fun to have that throttle response back after your trek through the wilderness! 

Maybe lots of awards...but who here would be a Gita Robot (either when Piaggio founded it) or when the architect became the leader of the group.  I'd bet that zero Gitas would be sold to anyone we know...

Architecture is very and extremely subjective...no doubt...lots of awards...ultimately we'll buy bikes because of the bikes and not because of the building, but maintaining and modernizing the connection to the nostalgic era and history is important for continuity and who knows maybe even motivation for the factory workers, but also the bikes have to be good quality enough to attract and maintain new owners.

I do think the new factory looks interesting, I hope it brings in lots of visitors which adds $$/Euros to the coffers so Guzzi can keep going...but it's still hard to understand what Piaggio Fast Forward really is as a concept...

Imagine if Ferraris decided to start selling a vacuum cleaner...just because it's fashionable...would anyone buy one?  So Guzzi riders should buy a robot?  I still don't get it.

so Greg Lynn - the architect in question - is a Co- Founder of PFF, though not originally the CEO. That title belonged to another of the three co-founders, who is still a C-suite member of the leadership team, and a tech guy.

I think where many go wrong is thinking that PFF is focused on bikes. They're not. It's more of a 'motive technology' think tank, trying to push the development and application of new technology, through which advances might be made that can benefit their other businesses, but more importantly have them in play as stake holders for 'whatever comes next'. 70 year old combustion engine enthusiasts - while they're happy to take our money - are not their target audience.

[Tusayan]

Mandello del Lario isn’t part of the “modern world’, it is a roughly Edwardian-era resort that was once enjoyed by the wealthy Milanese escaping summer heat, and it hasn’t changed a lot since 1915 or so.  The factory ended up in such an unlikely but attractive place because the founders parents were already there for that reason. The architecture and beauty of the area is absolutely nothing like the modernistic Disneyland warts now being added to the Guzzi factory. 

Piaggio, as ever, is clueless and superficial in their understanding of Guzzi and a lot of other things too.  Their choice of architect is equally clueless in regard to Guzzi and Mandello. This initiative is simply tasteless.

And OBTW, it’s going to be quite a while before I’m a 70-year old curmudgeon. 

[kidsmoke]

And OBTW, it’s going to be quite a while before I’m a 70-year old curmudgeon.

same for me. That statement is a nod to the avg of this board.



And your recount of the history shows that the current development is directly in line with the founders (lack of)vision. Seems copacetic.

[rocker59]

And OBTW, it’s going to be quite a while before I’m a 70-year old curmudgeon.

same for me. That statement is a nod to the avg of this board.

Curmudgeonentia can begin relatively early in life and is tied directly to your age when you first rode a Moto Guzzi.  Attending rallies and campouts can be aggravating enhancers.

Why, I've seen 30 year old curmudgeons around here, over the years.

[bad Chad]

That's for sure Rocker!  Curmudgeon isn't an age, it's a view of life.

[SIR REAL ED]

Curmudgeonentia can begin relatively early in life and is tied directly to your age when you first rode a Moto Guzzi.  Attending rallies and campouts can be aggravating enhancers.

Why, I've seen 30 year old curmudgeons around here, over the years.

Peer pressure can be a Hell of an influence!

[SIR REAL ED]

Mandello del Lario isn’t part of the “modern world’, it is a roughly Edwardian-era resort that was once enjoyed by the wealthy Milanese escaping summer heat, and it hasn’t changed a lot since 1915 or so.  The factory ended up in such an unlikely but attractive place because the founders parents were already there for that reason. The architecture and beauty of the area is absolutely nothing like the modernistic Disneyland warts now being added to the Guzzi factory. 

Piaggio, as ever, is clueless and superficial in their understanding of Guzzi and a lot of other things too.  Their choice of architect is equally clueless in regard to Guzzi and Mandello. This initiative is simply tasteless.

And OBTW, it’s going to be quite a while before I’m a 70-year old curmudgeon.

I have no idea of the strength of the Moto Guzzi magical mystic in Europe, or America, or anywhere else.

If the mystic is strong, then Moto Guzzi are walking the same tightrope Harley Davidson had to walk when attempting to modernize.  Too new or different and you piss off the anchor buyer who will defend your brand to the death.  Too little change and you won't convince new blood to part with their money.

I do think the Disney land aspect seems crazy.  But it may actually bring in some tourist dollars or interest potential new buyers.

It would be interesting to poll the workers after a couple months of tourists watching them work like ants in an ant farm. Perhaps window may eventually be replaced with two way mirrors to prevent worker distractions.

Does anyone ever get a Moto Guzzi tatoo?  I have never seen one.

Hopefully, the tourists will not include many hard core Moto Guzzi old timers yelling timeless wisdom at both workers and robots!

"Damn it!  Your putting way too much grease in those bearings and drive shaft splines!"

"Synthetic motor oil?  Does the 100% pure virgin olive oil cost too much now?"

If you yell thru the window at a new Moto Guzzi robot working on the line, don't be surprised in the ECU in your Moto Guzzi dies shortly afterwards, or your idiot lights no longer function properly.  AI is everywhere now!

Be nice, they are watching you!