Moto Guzzi 850 T5

Moto Guzzi 850 T5

Of all the Moto Guzzis of the 70s and 80s, the T5 has perhaps the worst reputation. Yes, it had that wonderful V-twin motor, but it was also a parts bin special. Components from the T3, T4, Le Mans and V75 were scattered around, and worst of all, the T5 was initially fitted with 16” wheels—a sop to fashion that did not suit the character of the bike. So you might be surprised to discover that this purposeful custom started life as a 1984 T5. The owner is ADV Rider forum member KaiWE, and when he bought it, the bike was running 43mm Showa forks from a 1999 Suzuki GSX-R1000. Even better, it had 17” rims. (The rear wheel is a Suzuki item, mated to the familiar Guzzi shaft drive with a kit from German specialist Guzziladen.) A huge raft of changes and a restoration followed; the stock bars were replaced by clip-ons, while the tiny fairing and dual headlights add a slight streetfighter touch. The tail unit is styled after the Ducati 916 item, and the amazing tank comes from The Tank Shop in the UK. The result, as seems to be the case with so many Guzzi customs, is a knockout. [Head over to this thread on the always excellent ADV Rider for more details of the build.]