I should start by saying I was skeptical about the sport touring prowess of the Moto Guzzi Norge, especially since I've ridden most of the competition the last few years.  I consider myself a sport touring rider even though my own ride is a Suzuki GSXR. My wife and I have toured many miles on it (70,000 so far) with saddle bags, tank bag, high bars, cruise control and a cushy seat added.

The Norge is big and heavy to a little guy like me (5'6") but not unlike most bikes in its class.  It has some unique differences that make it stand out in a crowd.  Moto Guzzi has its trademark twin cylinder 90 degree transverse mounted engine mated to a shaft drive and single-sided swing-arm. This bike does a great job of marrying old tradition with new technology (something Ducati also does well).  I was impressed with the smooth power delivery and there's plenty of torque even if it has less outright horsepower than others. I had no problem keeping up with anything except a pure sport bike. You can cruise at triple digit speeds with no drama, and cross winds have little effect on this bike.  The aerodynamics are very good and I was also surprised how little engine heat gets to the rider - even at stop lights.

The best compliment I can offer the shaft drive is, "I forgot it had one,"  It was never an issue.  Unlike so many other jerking shafties I've ridden, this one is well engineered and a perfect mate to the 1200cc V twin.

Once I learned how to unlock, open, and remove the hard bags they became very useful. They can hold two helmets easily when stopping for lunch, or a week's provisions for two. They also have a trim piece that will hit the ground first in case of an accidental tip over.

The biggest complaint I have with the Norge is the suspension. It soaks up bumps and pot holes well but is set up too soft, even with preload cranked to maximum.  The low ground clearance of the center stand compounds the problem when leaned over (right side especially).  I know... this is not a sport bike but it is a very stable & fairly agile sport tourer.  The steering feel is lighter than most (the Honda VFR 1200 being best).  Once moving, the Guzzi wants to be ridden, not just sat on.  This is typical of Italian cars & bikes in general (I'll stop here:-). My wife likes the pillion seating better than the others in its class and I will agree, this is a very comfortable bike to ride all day.

The Norge has many modern innovations seen on the best machines out today. It has cool styling, 4 valve heads, sport bike tires & rims, LCD info screen with multiple modes, grip heaters, engine heat deflectors, and an electric wind screen to name a few. I did find things that I would change though (no bike is perfect).  As I said before the suspension is too soft, there should be glove storage boxes in the front fairing area, the switch gear should be closer to your hand grips (my thumbs can't reach much without moving my hands from the bars), and there is no cruise control.  The center stand needs to be tucked up, or better yet, removed all together since there is no chain to service (many people own stands to remove tires). The muffler is huge and hides that beautiful single-sided swing-arm.  My wife thinks the hard bags are too heavy to carry, especially if full!  She prefers soft bags for ease of use.

After riding various BMW's, Kawasaki Concours 14, Honda VFR 1200 and Yamaha FZR , I feel they are all good bikes but each have there own character something you may or may not identify with.

I would say the Moto Guzzi Norge is a bike for people who want something different. It looks different and sounds different, maybe more visceral, sensual. I got more hand waves and stares at stop lights and people wanting to chat at gas stations than on other sport touring bikes. One man waited for us as we were leaving our favorite sushi restaurant just to say, "this bike is the most beautiful bike I have ever seen, what is it?" I said, "Moto Guzzi... it's Italian." He nodded his head and smiled.  Impressed, I'd say.  Well... Me too!

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