1976 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1

1976 Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1

I acquired this bike in 2007 to form part of our small collection of iconic machines from the sixties. seventies and eighties.

It was never our intention to sell any of the bikes. but our circumstances have changed. and so now we are offering all 20 bikes in the collection for sale.

I bought it from an old chap in the New Forest who had spent a lot of money having the bike totally restored.

Most of the work was undertaken by local  Guzzi specialists. Moto Corsa. but having completed the work. the owner realised that the bike was simply too uncomfortable for him to ride.

When I acquired the bike. it was in very nice condition. but some of the detailing was not correct. and so I took it to Pietro at Di Marino in West Chillington to have him go over it. service it. and replace any incorrect parts.

The bike has covered just 500 miles during my ownership. It has not been out in the rain. and most of the time it has sat up high on a pallet in our dry and overly heated warehouse.

Its condition is very. very good. The paintwork is excellent. but I would rate its condition as nine out of 10. rather than concours.

Despite its restoration. the bike is remarkably original. and features its correct Conti exhausts rather than the Lanfranconis that most MK1s now wear.

However. what distinguishes this particular machine. and what makes it more valuable than a standard MK1 . is that it’s an early first series bike as denoted by its round rear tail light.

It can be verified from the chassis number that this is a genuine round tail. and not a bike made to look like one.

These bikes are rarer than hens’ teeth. and I didn’t fully appreciate that until I spoke recently with the owner of Made In Italy Motorcycles.

He told me that he’d been working on Guzzis for some 20 years. and had only ever seen one!

So that’s the position.

This is a very nice bike that’s in excellent condition. It’s been fully and properly restored. but is still exceptionally genuine. But it’s the tail light that makes it so unique and special.

In the pictures. by the way. the bike is wearing an incorrect front mudguard. This has been rectified since the photographs were taken. and it now has the correct one.

I wanted to close with a few words about the price.

From the research I have done. and the people I have spoken with. I deem ?13. 00 to be a fair and proper price for this bike.

We are not entertaining offers. so please don’t be offended if. having viewed the bike. we are not prepared to do a deal.

Come and see the bike only if you are prepared to pay the asking price. There are. I’m sure. one hundred reasons for thinking that the bike should be cheaper; there always are. But the price is firm.

We’re only going to sell about half our bikes. and so no single machine has to be sold. If a bike doesn't sell. we’re happy for it to remain in the collection.

Also published at eBay.com