Moto Guzzi’s new Trip 500 in the works

[bad Chad]

Guzzi appears to be close to revealing a new smaller cc platform.    And a new California may be coming along as well.   However, the California, if leaks are correct may cause many an old farts overalls to burst into flames when they learn of the proposed powertrain!  I love it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNokmM9x_xs

[Cam3512]

Lost me at Hybrid.

[kidsmoke]

Lost me at Hybrid.

Makes sense, really. Imagine Guzzi being a leader with technology application. 

[Cam3512]

Makes sense, really. Imagine Guzzi being a leader with technology application.

And who’s gonna fix it when it breaks?

[bad Chad]

Exactly, why can’t we have points and carbs?!!   Oh shit, my Bibs are starting to spark!!!🔥

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Guzzi (Aprilia, Piaggio) has trouble implementing simple things like hydraulic lifters, roller lifters and (to some extent) water-cooling. What could go wrong with a hybrid drive system. 

As far as the "Trip 500", "I'm getting deja vu all over again." Does DeTomaso's ghost haunt Piaggio HQ giving them ideas? How did it work out for him when he "badge engineered" Benellis and tried to convince buyers they were Guzzis? Maybe modern day buyers are more gullible...

[kidsmoke]

And who’s gonna fix it when it breaks?

*insert beat dead horse icon here*

Guzzi's support in North America is abysmal, even if all you want is valve clearance set on a V11. This is well established.

Logic dictates then that they simply fold. If they can't support new technology in Oklahoma, per you, why bother.

Piaggio has 28 world titles, 300 Grand Prix titles and currently holds the fastest ever recorded speed on a MotoGP trak. Not BMW. Not Ducati. Aprilia under Piaggio. This has nothing to do with dealer support in NA. The result is that the technology is moving forward.

If they've determined that a cruiser is a good platform to apply PROVEN technology - there are over 35 MILLION gas/elec hybrid vehicles on the planet, the Prius is 30 years old- in a new way, I applaud the attitude. No idea what the manifestation may be. But the concept itself shows some ambition. I like it.

there's has never ever been a success that wasn't preceded by failure.   

[Gusable]

I don’t like the hybrid idea BUT I want a Cali back and would consider it. It better have a LONG warranty on the hybrid bits though like the cars have

[SLDMRossi]

https://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle-news/moto-guzzi-the-trip-500-parallel-twin-spy-shots/

Steven Rossi

[Perazzimx14]

At approximately the 4:19 mark it shows where they successfully attached a motorcycle to an exhaust system 

[Tusayan]

Please excuse the following rant but it’s been building for quite a while and now is the time.  After about 40 continuous years of purchases, ownership, enthusiasm for Moto Guzzi and countless visits to Mandello, I’m done.  Piaggio has been a problem for 20 years now, with the ever present possibly that they’d destroy Guzzi as they did Gilera and others.  Now its gone too far, I’m not interested at all in badge engineered, Indian made Piaggios, and there is no chance of me buying any more of anything Piaggio makes.  I’ve just sold my V85TT and won’t be buying another Piaggio-Guzzi, new or used.  I’ll keep my Daytona and Le Mans and enjoy them, continue to include Mandello in my tours for its history and Guzzi culture (and ice cream  ) but I’m moving on to other interests with my motorcycle money - there are plenty of other places to spend it (I have ten bikes) and I get a sense of freedom from finally just writing off Piaggio as a dead loss.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

I think there's a big leap between patenting a hybrid powertrain and putting one into production.

Seeing the parallel twin in a masked Guzzi styled bike made me think, why wouldn't they just make a smaller displacement V-twin bike like they had in the past? But then I remembered that Ducati tried that a decade ago with the Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 being half the displacement of the standard Scrambler, and it was a total flop because the price difference between the 400cc bike and the 800cc bike wasn't enough for people to buy the 400cc model. Meanwhile, the 1100cc offering wasn't a great success either due to diminishing returns and increased weight. Hopefully that Aprilia 457cc parallel-twin engine puts the Trip 500 in a sweet spot, especially for whatever market(s) they bring it to, maybe not the USA.

[Frenchfrog]

I'm exactly with Kidsmoke on this...and also love the new twin.
It ain't trad...well Guzzi never was until Tomaso took over. That's when a major reform should have happened but finances, customer pressure and conservative management on his side prevailed.He was never a motorcycle guy and never really spent too much effort on Guzzi either...
Aprillia on the other hand had ambitions but bit off a bit too much and piaggio eat them up...and has been nurturing the marque much better than most of us thought back when the take over happened.
Now work on the dealer network.....

[Gusable]

Maybe the little bike although not a V as it should be is as least made in Italy? Can we get that??  All the chinesium floating around.. I’m not opposed to 500cc as I really enjoyed my Himi 411 and 450. Moto morini for example looks great but is Chinese. Yuk

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

It ain't trad...well Guzzi never was until Tomaso took over. That's when a major reform should have happened but finances, customer pressure and conservative management on his side prevailed.He was never a motorcycle guy and never really spent too much effort on Guzzi either...

If DeTomaso had his way, Guzzi would have been selling rebadged Benellis and nothing else. Legend has it that he went though the factory swinging a samurai sword and yelling "no more stupid twins". Guzzi would have died on his watch (or went back into government management).

[ridingron]

Just what the world needs! Another low powered bike. How many of those choices do we need? Guzzi can't sell many bikes and now they want to add another non-seller to the show room floor? I get it for maybe Europe or the Far East. In the Us all the kids (under 30) are going with electric bicycles around here and they fly on them. If they buy a bike, then along comes plates, insurance, etc.

They will not sell enough of those in the US to pay for EPA certification.

[Vagrant]

As always there is another side to the story. There are many who are aging to the point where big bikes just aren't safe or comfortable to ride anymore. There are very few bikes currently built that a Guzzi or BMW rider would want. This bike could sell IF they do something different than just re-badge a 457. Like a drive belt. A nice comfortable riders triangle not a Ricky racer like the current 457. Of course a 4.7-5 gallon gas tank. That would get my attention.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

They will not sell enough of those in the US to pay for EPA certification.

The engine is already EPA certified in the US - it's in the Aprilia Tuono 457 and RS 457.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

I suspect if there are changes to the engine, exhaust, or even gearing it will end up with its own certification. If you look at EPA certifications, that's how it tends to go for different model motorcycles with nearly the same engine reused across different models. If it passes Euro tailpipe emissions then it will pass USA tailpipe emissions with flying colors, areas where the USA can be more strict or just different requirements tend to be noise emissions and lighting equipment.

[ridingron]

I still think it would be a non-seller in the US unless it was considerably cheaper than anything in the current line up and got a cult following. A shipment of 25 would keep the dealers well stocked for many years with most of them finally sold from the clearance corner.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Just read this post on Facebook. Rocco works/worked for Gilardoni.

Rocco Torri
I'm sorry, it's written in Italian but it's too long to translate
1) since many say Guzzi made any kind of engine... Yes, a parallel two-cylinder Guzzi was already made by Guzzi in 1947.
STUDY IT!
2) This bike is not going to replace ANYTHING.
It just sides up, in the range, extending it downwards
3) currently, the entry level is a 850cc with 65HP and 220kg, which costs 9200 euros
Can't drive with an A2 licence.
4) the new motorbike will be driven with an A2 license
5) Being driven with an A2 driving license, it will be mainly dedicated to those who will be the "new Guzzisti" and the "new Gujjiste"
But also to those who want something agile and less challenging
6) yes, the engine will be made in China by Zongshen.
The same company, partner of Piaggio, that has been making changes to V7-V9-V85TT-V100 engines for years
7) the motorcycle will be assembled in the Piaggio plant in Baramati, India.
😎 All this to contain costs and be competitive in the market.
Currently, NO bike of any brand below 500cc is built in Europe.
9) Someone says they had to make a monkey, maybe a Falcone type, or a new V50. Nowadays, designing a new engine from 0 entails an investment of around 20 million euros. Piaggio has not yet recovered from the expenses of the V100 nor, at least, from the expenses of engine 1400 and related models.
457 was already there looking good ready
10) The images circulating are hypotheses made with AI.
The only images circulating (the first ones, from January 2024) are camouflaged prototypes

[Turin]

Thanks for reposting that Charlie. Good stuff and it makes perfect sense.

Side rant - I don't get all the clamor for a new California. There are plenty of Californias 1987 - 2012 that can be had dirt cheap.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

"that has been making changes to V7-V9-V85TT-V100 engines for years"
First I've heard of that and can't find any supporting info for it. Zongshen are partnered with Piaggio sure, but has that relationship involved Moto Guzzi, or the Aprilia 457 (Italian design, made in India) in any way? Many of Zongshen's partnerships tend to be them getting a license from another manufacturer to build that other brand's bike in China, for sale in China. Similar to how Honda don't wholly own and operate any motorcycle plants in China, but instead partner with companies like Guangzhou (Wuyang) and Sundiro where those companies build the bikes under license from and in partnership with Honda.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

"that has been making changes to V7-V9-V85TT-V100 engines for years"
First I've heard of that and can't find any supporting info for it. Zongshen are partnered with Piaggio sure, but has that relationship involved Moto Guzzi, or the Aprilia 457 (Italian design, made in India) in any way? Many of Zongshen's partnerships tend to be them getting a license from another manufacturer to build that other brand's bike in China, for sale in China. Similar to how Honda don't wholly own and operate any motorcycle plants in China, but instead partner with companies like Guangzhou (Wuyang) and Sundiro where those companies build the bikes under license from and in partnership with Honda.

I think something may have been "lost in translation". Perhaps Rocco meant "parts for" vs. "changes to".

[Tusayan]

Guzzi gearboxes are *designed* by Piaggio at their main plant in Pontedera but the word ‘cambio’ in Italian means both gearbox and making a change (also BTW currency exchange).  I’d guess from the rough translation that Piaggio contracts either gearbox or gearbox component manufacture to Zongshen in China. 

Other parts for existing Piaggio-Guzzis are also Chinese manufactured, for example V85TT wheels.  I’d bet it goes a lot further than that.  Chipped keys are made in Pakistan.  These are not motorcycles carved from billets of steel by elves in Mandello (only 200-300 people work there) they are the products of a mass market scooter company and built to a price by any means possible.

[Vagrant]

Honestly I don't give a crap who makes it or where as long as it's a solid quality product that the MFG stands behind with a good parts supply and solid no BS warranty. Woops! That keeps Piaggio out of the market.

[Tusayan]

Honestly I don't give a crap who makes it or where as long as it's a solid quality product that the MFG stands behind with a good parts supply and solid no BS warranty. Woops! That keeps Piaggio out of the market.

It takes a lot of effort for a European manufacturer to provide parts availability for say 20 years, when the parts come from sweatshops in Asia.  It’s easier for them to take the profit that comes from that sourcing plan and design the bike to be unsupportable in 15 years or less.  If you pay real money for an Italian specialist motorcycle, you should at least know that’s what’s going on when you pay for the name.

What Piaggio is selling in 2026 as a Guzzi is the cheapest thing they can build that will still sell, designed for planned obsolescence but earning a higher price in the naive market due to a 100 year old Italian badge on the tank. No different than selling a 2026 Maytag washing machine to a market that thinks it’s a Speed Queen.

BMW does the same thing but they take parts support and maintaining ‘brand value’ seriously, selling the bikes for a higher price than Piaggio then investing some of the money earned in parts logistics.

MV Agusta/Cagiva does the opposite and sells the product based on flash in the here and now, to buyers who accept that a five year old model may be impossible to maintain. 

Your choice.

[bad Chad]

It takes a lot of effort for a European manufacturer to provide parts availability for say 20 years, when the parts come from sweatshops in Asia.  It’s easier for them to take the profit that comes from that sourcing plan and design the bike to be unsupportable in 15 years or less.  If you pay real money for an Italian specialist motorcycle, you should at least know that’s what’s going on when you pay for the name.

What Piaggio is selling in 2026 as a Guzzi is the cheapest thing they can build that will still sell, designed for planned obsolescence but earning a higher price in the naive market due to a 100 year old Italian badge on the tank. No different than selling a 2026 Maytag washing machine to a market that thinks it’s a Speed Queen.

BMW does the same thing but they take parts support and maintaining ‘brand value’ seriously, selling the bikes for a higher price than Piaggio then investing some of the money earned in parts logistics.

MV Agusta/Cagiva does the opposite and sells the product based on flash in the here and now, to buyers who accept that a five year old model may be impossible to maintain. 

Your choice.

What evidence do you have to support such a claim Piaggio has been building Moto Guzzi for almost 20 years now and parts are still readily available for bikes even back in the 90s and some cases far older.  Guzzi and every other manufacturer have always built to a price point that’s not something new it’s been around since the dawn of manufacturing.   Yes, there are a couple of exceptions here and there throughout time for manufacturers building items that have no connection to cost but for the other 99.9% manufacturing cost is a huge part of it. I feel we’re darn lucky to have Guzzi around in 2026, and attempting to knock them for doing whatever every other manufacturer does, it’s not fair.   And to compare them to BMW is not really relevant either as BMWs cost thousands more for a comparably equipped model than a Guzzi is far less money, and that’s OK. Some people wanna pay for that dealer support some don’t.

[Tusayan]

I’d suggest you order a wide range of parts from Piaggio for a 20 year old Guzzi and see how long they take to come in.

[bad Chad]

Are you saying other mfg have everything on the shelf for a 2006?

Maybe some do, but we are talking about an Italian motorcycle,  what’s reasonable?