1981 Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans Mk. II

Registration No: SWR 70W
Frame No: 22715
MOT: Exempt

• Appearances in many historic race meetings
• Two owners since 2003
• Highlighted in the July, 2016, issue of Ride magazine

Launched at the 1975 Milan Motorcycle Show for the 1976 model year, the Moto Guzzi 850 Le Mans was a factory café racer powered by one of Moto Guzzi’s 90-degree overhead-valve V-twins, in conjunction with a five-speed gearbox and shaft-drive. Derived from the 750cc V7 Sport of 1971, the 850 Le Mans produced 71bhp and was said to be good for 130mph. A tamer roadster version, the T3, was produced, compared to which the Le Mans had higher-compression domed pistons, larger valves, and Dell’Orto 36mm carburettors. It is reckoned just 7,036 Le Mans were produced. The Mk. II version saw minor changes, including a larger fairing with a rectangular headlight, plus a wider front fork.

This 1981 850 Le Mans racer has had just two owners since 2003. After the vendor acquired it in 2011, it was turned into a tribute to the first race bike backed by Oxford Products. The original machine was a 1977 Le Mans which raced in the Formula One championship and the TT, its specification including a close-ratio gearbox, high-lift B10 camshafts, 40mm Dell’Ortos, and straight-through megaphone exhausts. Ridden by John Hammond, it placed 21st in the 1978 Formula One TT.

Since completion, this machine has been widely raced, including in the Bikers’ Classic at Spa Francorchamps and the Imola Revival. Numerous upgrades include a Maxton GP20 front fork cartridge conversion, Sachse electronic ignition, Dynatek coils, Tarozzi rearsets, a bespoke oil-breather catch tank, Tommaselli adjustable clip-on handlebars with a Domino quick-action throttle, Goodridge braided brake hoses, and stainless-steel exhausts with both silenced and straight-through units. It is supplied with spares including much of the original road equipment, such as the fairing and instrument cluster. Last ridden at the 2018 Isle of Man Classic TT Lap of Honour some recommissioning will be required. It is supplied with a V5C and the July, 2016, edition of Ride, in which it appeared in the “Bikes We Like” section.

For more information, please contact:
Mike Davis
mike.davis@handh.co.uk
07718 584217