The Kneeslider

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Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 Racer – Otto Cilindri

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Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 - Otto cilindri 500cc
Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 - Otto cilindri 500cc

One of the fascinating, but lesser known, vintage motorcycle engines is the Moto Guzzi 500cc V8, built for racing from 1955 to 1957. It was a 90 degree DOHC with 8 individual Dell'Orto carburetors. In 1955, it produced 68 hp at 12,000 rpm and in its final configuration in 1957, put out 72 hp at 12 grand and probably sounded wonderful while doing so. Interestingly, it began with a 6 speed gearbox, then dropped to a 5 speed and finally ran as a 4 speed.

Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 racer with dustbin fairing
Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 racer with dustbin fairing

The motorcycle was raced with 2 different fairings, one much like a modern fairing leaving the front wheel exposed and the other, the famous "dustbin" with greater coverage, the choice depending on the track.

Though development was progressing nicely, Moto Guzzi withdrew from racing after 1957 so I guess we'll never know how it might have done in later years.

A lot of early engineering was far more impressive than some folks might think. High tech racing isn't some recent development, the guys were hard at work building bikes like this 60 and 70 years ago. With some of the recent V8 motorcycles sporting huge automotive engines, you might get the impression they all have to be massive hulks but there have been some beauties over the years like the Morbidelli V8 and the Yamaha based V8s built by Ian Drysdale. The Moto Guzzi goes back quite a bit further. I like it a lot.

The photos included here are from Moto Guzzi: The Complete History from 1921, an excellent book for a little cold weather reading, highly recommended.

Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 engine
Moto Guzzi 500cc V8 engine

Related:
Drysdale V8
V8 Motorcycles from Sweden
Morbidelli Museum Tour

Comments

  1. Great that Moto Guzzi’s history is preserved in this book. To bad a sound file isn’t included with it!

  2. A little off topic here, BUT…
    The dust-bin fairing ought to squeeze out some added speed, handling and fuel milage from existing bikes. I wonder why it hasn’t re-emerged? Not legal on the track, but ok in the man-cave.

  3. I saw the Guzzi V8 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed some years ago. If you think it looks interesting, you should hear it running. Unfortunately, I don’t have a scanner any more otherwise I’d be able to email some images for Kneeslider to post. Dustbin fairings were banned by the race authorities after a series of accidents. I expect they’re vulnerable to sidewinds so I wouldn’t want to try and ride one on a blustery day.

  6. RE: Dustbin fairings
    Paulinator; at a guess, I’d say it was a fashion/looks thing; I suspect also that a dustbin fairing would be harder to make look integrated with the angularity of most modern sport & sport-touring bikes.

  8. Forget rejetting, try syncing 8 carbs, it would make CBX mechanics cry.
    Awesome engine, its a shame that these wild engine configurations no longer exist in racing, inline and V4s have apparently been proven superior and companies won’t invest research in anything else. It takes privateers like Cyszc and the electric bike makers to pave new ground.

  10. The dustbin fairings were fine for top speed (still are on Bonneville Salt Flats), but were a handful in crosswinds, which also is one reason you don’t see many streetbikes with them either. Aesthetics had nothing to do with it, as all that space used graphics or advertising would make the bikes look very interesting.

  13. I’ve got a book somewhere with a picture of a Moto Guzzi works rider holding the engine in two hands.

  14. I could swear my dad told me about seeing a small displacement 12 cylinder motorcycle race in Germany in the 50’s at some point. It would have been at Hockenheim. He said it sounded like a sewing machine. Anyone know about that?

  15. What’s the wheelbase on this motorcycle? It looks really short since the rider’s seat is right on top of the rear wheel. It’s a cool bike, but I would not want to take care of eight carbs. I guess in a racing application though it’s no big deal.

  16. Always was one of my favorite topics…

    The real downside to the multi-cylinder motors was the parasitic loses from the mass of moving parts… especially in the top end.

    Getting more power out of simpler mechanisms is the key to overall performance and you can see that in even in today’s most high tech machines.

  17. OMMAG…Someone pointed out earlier that reciprocating losses are a myth, but I’m sure piston-ring / bearing friction and valve-train losses would be higher. That said, I think improved volumetric / combustion efficiency and RPM would more than offset those losses.

    I bet the V8 bike had relatively poor fuel consumption. Was that a factor in its demise?

  18. The Guzzi V8 was complex, difficult to set up and took a lot of maintenance to make sure it stayed in top tune. Fuel consumption was not much of an issue with race bikes. The firm ran out of money to compete in racing and as developing the V8 further was proving so expensive, the programme was dropped.

  20. Paulinator …

    Myth? No sir …. there is always an optimal physical configuration and it always tends to be simpler. Not the very least complex … just not overly so.

    Now the MV 8 was an awesome machine …. just so …. I’d love to be able to run one around someday.

  22. During the late nineteen fifties the world champion visited South Africa and competed against mainly Nortons. We stood in awe as it appeared as if the other riders were in reverse as the Moto Guzzi passed them. The whining sound of the 8 cylinder engine at 12000 plus revs was absolutely astounding.
    Can anyone remember the name of the world champ in question.