2017 Moto Guzzi Mgx-21 Flying Fortress

Ignition

2017 MOTO GUZZI MGX-21 FLYING FORTRESS

29 STORAGE ROOM: The capacity, in liters, for each of the MGX-21’s side bags

2014 LONG-AWAITED: The year Moto Guzzi first unveiled the MGX-21 prototype at EICMA

15 ATTENTION GRABBER: The number of people we saw point at the MGX-21 from the side of the road during our ride

COMFY CRUISING: Ergonomics on the MGX-21 are good, though riders taller than 6-foot might wish the footrests were positioned a little lower for more legroom.

CW FIRST RIDE

A bagger with the chassis to match its solid looks

Bradley Adams

"That's a cool-looking motor-cycle," said the man dressed in a Harley-Davidson T-shirt and hat, his eyes locked on the carbon-fiber covers and bright-red cylinder heads protruding from either side of the bike’s chassis. He stood back to take it in and then, as I began to step away from it, asked the question I already knew was coming: “What is it?”

“It,” in this case, is the Moto Guzzi MGX21 Flying Fortress, the latest—and perhaps most exciting—in a line of cruisers based on Moto Guzzi’s California 1400 platform. More specifically, it’s the bike that Guzzi hopes will bring an entirely new customer into the brand. If this Harley-loving man’s interest proves anything, it’s that Guzzi might very well be on to something.

Delve into the MGX’s spec sheet and you’ll realize how closely related the bike is to the California 1400. Chassis geometry is tweaked to accommodate the bike’s new 21-inch front wheel and the rear section of the frame strengthened for the extra load it’s intended to carry, but the 1,380a:, 90-degree longitudinally mounted V-twin has gone untouched, and many of the Guzzi-esque features are still front and center. The result is a bike that produces the same 95 claimed hp and 89 pound-feet of torque but has a slightly longer wheelbase and small amount of additional trail.

Other prominent features on the MGX include a three-level (plus off) traction control system, 50-watt stereo with MP3 compatibility and smartphone input, and AM/FM radio. There are also electronic cruise control, three riding modes, andABS, which works on a braking system with Brembo calipers front and rear—in red. Because color accents are eye candy.

All of those updates, plus the new front fairing, conspire to bring the MGX’s curb weight to a claimed 752 pounds, which is 10 pounds more than the California 1400 Touring and 51 pounds more than the fairing-less 1400 Custom. And while that sounds crippling, I’ll admit that I only really ever felt the MGX’s heft when picking the bike up off of its sidestand. In normal riding situations, this Guzzi bagger felt capable and light as a bike meant for navigating America’s heartlands needs to be.

I’ve ridden a fully dressed Moto Guzzi El Dorado before, as well as an Audace, and

would argue that handling is somewhere in between those models; the MGX is not nearly as imbalanced as the El Dorado at parkinglot speeds thanks to its reworked geometry but not quite as composed as the lighter-weight Audace when banked into a corner.

A new, patent-pending steeringstabilizer-like piece at the front of the bike likely adds to that improved feel at parking-lot speeds and is designed to keep the bars from flopping inside in an abrupt manner as you begin to turn them. The resulting resistance takes time to get used to in tight U-turn situations, but I’d argue that much of the confidence I had when pushing the MGX around did indeed come from this stabilizer.

The 21-inch front wheel takes a little more time to get used to and does cause a slightly different feeling at the entrance of the corner, but by lunch we were tipping the MGX into corners with absolute confidence. And as I’ve found with other Guzzi models, the chassis itself is a true gem, with good overall handling manners through a corner and zero instability. On the MGX specifically, suspension is good, with enough plushness to keep you comfortable on a long ride but enough firmness to keep the bike from moving around too much. And it all handles imperfections in the road better than any Harley models I’ve yet tested.

Power does not feel particularly overwhelming (probably because of the extra weight the engine is now required to push along), but this V-twin is tractable and fueling is exceptionally smooth. You can experiment with ride modes, but if you’re anything like every other speed-loving motorcyclist, you’ll probably want to just select the more powerful Veloce mode and leave it there. Fortunately, in any mode, there’s plenty of character thanks to the right-side pull when revving from that longitudinally mounted V-twin.

The MGX’s performance and overall comfort lend themselves to long days in the saddle, making it easy to imagine racking up the miles in relative bliss. Just be aware that selective packing is in order for longer trips, as the MGX’s bags are more meant for

style than storing and can’t fit much beyond a change of clothes and maybe a jacket or two. I didn’t actually put that to the test, mind you, but know that you’ll need to have the missus pack light either way. Good luck with that.

Worth mentioning here is that Guzzi says the bags are held on by just a handful of bolts and can be easily removed to give the MGX the same sleek look as the bag-less prototype that it had originally shown. It’s in these small design elements, and things like the USB plug at the triple clamp, perfectly concealed by a inconspicuous door, that show Guzzi’s attention to detail (though we do wish there was somewhere to store your phone when plugged in and not just a mount that needed to be purchased as an accessory item).

Unfortunately, it’s also some of the little things that frustrated me most in my day with the MGX, like the button on the right-side handlebar used for turning the bike on and off, which almost always took a couple of taps before it was in the position I actually wanted it in. The multi-directional toggle for operating the radio was often frustrating as well. As for the stereo itself, it’s loud enough to keep you entertained at aroundtown speeds but not quite powerful enough to enjoy my country music at 70 mph. Oh, wait, I’m the only one riding a Guzzi MGX-21 and listening to country. Right...

All of this is to say that there are small areas for improvement but not that Moto Guzzi has missed the mark. In fact, if my time on the MGX-21 proved anything, it’s that the Italian manufacturer did its homework when designing this bagger. It looks great, handles well, and is an honest-to-god great option for people who want a bike in this category that’s a little different than what everyone else has. Will Guzzi really be able to reach a new customer with it?

I sincerely believe so.

2017 MOTO GUZZI MGX-21 FLYING FORTRESS

ENGINE TYPE Air-/oil-cooled 90° V-twin

DISPLACEMENT 1380cc

29.1 in.

FUEL CAPACITY 5.4 gal.

752 lb.

$21,990