Little Italian Rocket: Moto Guzzi V50 II “Saga Racer”

[weeksy]

https://www.bikebound.com/2025/09/02/saga-racer/

[KungFooBob]

Meh, it's got a big hole in the middle and a brown seat, a full house in hipster bingo.

[Count Steer]

Meh, it's got a big hole in the middle and a brown seat, a full house in hipster bingo.

Plus a (single) bar end mirror.

It's OK but an improvement on the original? Hmm.

[Dickyboy]

Meh, it's got a big hole in the middle and a brown seat, a full house in hipster bingo.

Along with pointless/no mudguard....

Not sure that it's much different, although nicely done, from many 1000's of Guzzi cafe racers. Might as well go big bore if you are going down the Guzzi route.

[Rockburner]

I quite like that (as an ex-V50 owner).

Agreed about the missing mudguard and brown seat, but it looks nice and tidy.

[DefTrap]

I used to dream about a caffd Le Mans but other than that italian metal does nothing for me.

Although if I lived in an italian city I'd definitely ride about on duffed up old itlian two stroke Ciao-ing people all over the place.

[Dickyboy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/277354561224

Yours for £8750....

[Supermofo]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/277354561224

Yours for £8750....

Sounds like that'd be for a budget version

Below is a breakdown of what was included in this build. Price for this example is £12,750. However, alternative specifications can vary the price from £8,750 and can go up to £14,200. All just depends on what we have available and what we will build for you.

[KungFooBob]

You could have a brand new base model V7 for £8450... that leaves £300 for a brown seat.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I sometimes wish these people would stop a bit sooner - or keep going a bit longer and fit the rest of it.

I really don't get the tiny mudguard thing, someone will have to explain that to me one day (after they've explained the kicked up arse end on Street Fighters thing). It's heading somewhere I like though. Really like the paint scheme.

[KungFooBob]

I just noticed it's got those bar end indicators, because they can be seen from behind, does that mean that 'legally' you don't need a separate pair of rear mounted indicators?

[Mr. Dazzle]

It's a 1980 bike on paper, does it need indicators at all from a legal POV?

[Supermofo]

Still feel that somepoint in my life I need to own a Guzzi. But it'd have to be a 2nd bike so probably won't happen as they aren't cheap, cheap. V7 or more likely a V85TT if I did though.

Can't shake a hankering for a F800 winter/knock about bike though at the moment. Quite a few STs about for around 2k.

[KungFooBob]

I don't think any bike legally requires indicators, however if they are fitted there are certain rules.

[Mr. Dazzle]

You could have a brand new base model V7 for £8450... that leaves £300 for a brown seat.

You can get a factory fitted brown seat

I do like the look of these V7s - I even thought about buying one this year, but injury kinda put me off biking full stop I really like the look of the green ones they do now.

[KungFooBob]

You could have a brand new base model V7 for £8450... that leaves £300 for a brown seat.

You can get a factory fitted brown seat

I do like the look of these V7s - I even thought about buying one this year, but injury kinda put me off biking full stop I really like the look of the green ones they do now.

That's got spoked wheels, so must be a 'special'.

I had the last of the 750's, a 2015 special II iirc, it was lovely to look at, but rode like a bag of knackers.

[Dickyboy]

I had the last of the 750's, a 2015 special II iirc, it was lovely to look at, but rode like a bag of knackers.

Too much kg & not enough kW is my conclusion.

[mangocrazy]

This is what a cafe racer Guzzi should look like.

Brian's Guzzi (medium res).jpg (1.37 MiB) Viewed 404 times

The work of an ex-copper I knew via the VFR forum.

[Mr. Dazzle]

but rode like a bag of knackers.

Yeah but my auld Bonnie also rides like a bag of knackers and I like that I'd just like one I could experience the knackerage with more easily.

[KungFooBob]

I had the last of the 750's, a 2015 special II iirc, it was lovely to look at, but rode like a bag of knackers.

Too much kg & not enough kW is my conclusion.

I think it was more about geometry, it just didn't handle right.

My 2024 Goldstar is the same 'class' regarding weight and power, but it rides so much better, it's not finished as well as the Guzzi, but is a load cheaper new.