Backtrack Tuesdays: 2000 Moto Guzzi Quota Review

Upon arrival at Moto Guzzi Classics, I crawled out of the car and lazily walked toward the front of the building. I entered the huge hangar size front doorway and was stopped in my tracks. "Hooooooo Sheeeeeeee... is that IT?" I inquired. Before me stood the Quota: shiny, black, muscular, looking for the entire world like a subtropical lethal feline. This was no little kitty!

Mark Etheridge, owner of Moto Guzzi Classics, gave me a friendly greeting and offered some preliminaries in preparation for the road. "Click-on the high idle whether cold or hot," he said. "Expect shifting that will be, well 'clunky'." He explained that the Quota uses a transmission that has been standard in Moto Guzzi's since 1972. "It may be clunky but it's indestructible," he said. Mark continued his pre-ride instructions, "While positioning the motorcycle, there are two things for the rider to be wary of. One, there is a sprung kickstand which automatically retracts when the bike is raised and two, the bike leans much easier than the average 500+ lb motorcycle. When leaning or turning, it feels like a 350-400 lb bike." With the preliminaries over, I thanked Mark, pressed the start button and the ride began.

Ever heard a big cat purr? I mean a BIG cat? Yep, this machine purrs like a panther. When you pull the throttle it gets mouthy or throaty, faster or slower, but it "purrs." Another surprise is that when you rev the Quota's transverse V-twin engine, the whole bike-from between your legs-pushes against your inner right thigh! Kind of like a "nudge" as if it wants to peel away, and go for a walk.

Urban Commuting

I walked the Quota through Long Beach docks, harbors, bridges, and traffic. Our first obstacle was a suspension bridge. Traffic barely moved along its lengthy uphill run. It was moving too fast to be able to put a foot down and too slow to creep along in first gear. I used the occasion to test for clutch fade or grab and slipped it for the greater part of the climb up the first half of the bridge. The clutch responded perfectly. 

Near the top of the bridge, when revving at a near standstill, the bike "nudged" me to the right a second time ( the sensation was exaggerated by a gust of wind). This was the last time I was to take notice of what I've since learned is a well-known Guzzi (V-twin) characteristic. The downhill side of the bridge wound out onto some wide sweeping turns and into the streets. I noticed a quiver once-- a minor low rpm vibration that seemed to run through the frame. When I tried to get the bike to do it again, it wouldn't.

I settled into the ride and began making some mental notes. The Quota's 71hp, 90- degree transverse V -twin, has just the right amount of torque to dance through rush hour traffic. The upright seating position puts the rider's line of sight just above the rooftops of average size cars but not so high as to compromise the aerodynamics of the bike. The seat-to-footpeg relationship allows the rider a comfortable leg position ("uh oh, hello?" when resting the balls of my feet on the pegs the heel of my boot would touch an exposed portion of the front of the exhaust canister and melt!). The width of the dual sport style handlebars provides both stability and passage in narrow situations. The bars have an enduro style contour allowing the rider to tighten his/her arms and form a "V" to optimally brace when encountering obstacles.

During braking, the bike slowed smoothly, evenly, predictably-regardless of application pressure. The feedback and performance from the Brembo calipers is excellent and the nose dive from the front suspension reasonable. The overall balance of the bike is superior. I found that I could come to a stop and easily balance before having to put my foot down. It is also pleasing to discover that a rider of average height can comfortably plant at least one foot flat at stops.

The Quota is a beauty as a commuter. With its solid stance and good agility it's easy to gain a sense of assuredness among outnumbering autos. Mark was right, an interplay of rake, low center of gravity, rider placement, and tire design combine to make the bike lean, turn, and maneuver like a 350-400 lb machine (claimed dry weight is 540 lbs). Truly the agility is unique. The turning or lean rate is easier than one expects, yet steady and predictable. Not too quick or too slow. It is only while accelerating, slowing, or cruising that the full weight of the bike makes itself known-by planting the tires firmly and directly to the road.

On The Open Road

The features that make this bike a wonderful commuter carries over to further sweeten freeway and long distance riding. The 5.28 gallon all plastic gas tank is claimed to allow a range of over 250 miles (@ 48 mpg). I averaged 35 mpg, but this was in road testing (read punishing) conditions. Under normal operation the tank is big enough for touring.

The lighting system is well thought out. At night, all gauges and instruments are easily visible. The small turn signals proved highly noticeable. The "momentary high beam" switch allows the rider to quickly and thoroughly light up the road if visibility becomes marginal. It is also handy when needing to get the attention of other motorists.

I enjoyed the open cockpit style of the bike. The height of the windscreen and shape of the fairing create a nice size "still area" - routing most of the wind around the rider. On the freeway, the Quota does its job so quietly and well that you quickly take-it-for granted. Like many of the best things in life, you don't realize how good it is until it's gone. The bike truly is a sleeper.

In LA, on new as well as old freeway, the rise and fall of earthquake damaged bridges can launch the unsuspecting rider. Magically, the Quota fixed all the bridges in one afternoon. It was that smooth. The mirrors remained steady-without annoying blur. The shaft drive proved to be quiet and smooth. The Marzocchi front suspension and Sachs-Borge rear shock provide the bike with a velvety ride. 

The Quota devours the open road with a graceful and deliberate presence. It has an elusive quality-- one of assurance, comfort, and security. The bike encourages the rider to feel confident in virtually all situations. 

In The Dirt

I ran the Quota in several sets of off-road conditions: dry lakebed, cross-country, through greasewood and cacti, in washes, and in sand. I also ran it on less demanding dirt roads both in mountains and the desert. Offroad, the Quota is limited by marginal ground clearance and its substantial weight.

My off-road excursion began on a spontaneous whim. I slowed the Quota from a 50 mph asphalt cruise, and realigned for offroad launch trajectory. Within seconds, I was tooling cross-country through the greasewood imagining the checkered flag at Dakar. The desert was very dry, and the bike exaggerated my turns pushing soil as I made some wide arcing turns. You can imagine how much a 540 lb bike with a 275 lb guy might slide around in about 3-4 inches of soft sand-like material. Wooooaaaahhh was it fun!

I slowed and got tighter with the turns, navigating around some fairly big greasewoods in the middle of nowhere. Soon the sliding came to be predictable. The bike and I would slip only so far depending on the tightness of the turns and the differing speeds. To my surprise, since the bike's center of gravity is low, I became unafraid of tipping over. Nonetheless, I didn't want this pretty machine to touch dirt. Some dirt ledges and knobs got my attention and, considering the limited ground clearance, I didn't get too venturesome. A couple of times I shaved off the tops of small dirt berms that were maybe 6-9 inches high. It gave me an idea of what might happen in more rugged and unforgiving terrain.

I put the Quota through the paces on several different kinds of dirt roads. The bike was more than up to the challenge. This included relatively flat to moderately rolling, graded or ungraded, county dirt roads and two-track. Mountain logging or forest roads will always be a thrill on this bike. As long as the silt or soft stuff doesn't get any deeper than about 4 inches, all of these roads can be handled nicely.

As conditions get more rugged the bike's suspension gives up quickly. Whether on trails or dirt roads, when the gradual slopes tum into abrupt dips the bike lets you know by doing a "boat on the stormy sea imitation." By slowing the pace, a rider could potentially cover long distances in relatively rugged terrain.

On rock-riddled ground it would be advisable for the average Quota pilot to be wary. The bike does its job when negotiating loose or implanted (and protruding) rock of up to about 4 inches in diameter. But beyond that, I would say the road ends (the bike has no bash plate). Why risk it? No one wants to muscle a 500+ lb bike back onto a trail; or worse, have to deal with a hole in a crankcase in the middle of nowhere. 

The Quota can access many off-road areas. The bike handles fine on relatively packed soils but is lacking in deep soft stuff or in rocky terrain. It is better to think of the Quota as a touring bike with some off-road abilities. 

In The Twisties

The Quota 1100 ES is like a fresh breeze blowing through the twisties. It carves through curves incisively. One may easily hang with the sport bike crowd without fear of embarrassment.

It was while eeeaazin the Guzzi up through the twisties that I discovered that the bike steered best when just relaxing in its natural "armchair" position. If you were to look down on the bike from above (imagine a top view), you would see that each side is shaped to form two facing concave arcs at seat height. This combines with a third horizontal basic "U" shape that is the seat's profile. Together this provides a pilot's position that is very "secure." Furthermore, it permits ultimate control and pivoting of the bike when maneuvering. With the upper inner leg the rider can actually grip the tank and directly apply body English while cornering. This may sound radical, but it's natural with the Quota's unique anatomical shape.

The bike performed equally well two-up. Of course passenger skill plays a big part when it comes to riding double on any motorcycle. Fortunately, my riding partner, Linnea, was a natural. The bike's weight placement, suspension, power, and excellent braking produced a very enjoyable two-up experience. The passenger is afforded a decent view of the action while seated on the raised pillion. Actually, the bike did so well remembering that there was a passenger on the back at all became the driver's task.

The press kit from Moto Guzzi North America likened the Quota's acceleration to that of a locomotive-- an excellent characterization. With its smooth, predictable, wide-range of torque, the rider has impressive power on tap for slingshot maneuvers.

A couple of factors keep the Quota from being ideal in twisties. I experienced intermittent false neutrals-- usually at the worst moments. Riders with a tendency for transmission flogging might discover some of these neutrals. The transmission requires deliberateness in order to shift properly. At times, I just could not assert the apparent force necessary to get this transmission to "take" gears. Even with Mark's warning, the gearbox reminded me of an old "rock crusher" (non-syncromesh) tranny I once had in an old Chevy. Needless to say, I would have preferred finding neutral less often in the middle of curves.

Conclusion

The Moto Guzzi Quota is one of those motorcycles that truly blur categorical lines. With just a few design changes it could make a serious dual-sport claim. For those contemplating a heavier class machine, this is definitely a bike to look into. If overall handling and maneuverability were my most significant concern, I'd find it hard to pass on the Quota.

The Quota is a dreamy tourer and an excellent commuting bike. Adventure touring and back-road treks are well within its reach. One must remember however, with increasing ruggedness in terrain, the Quota becomes proportionately restricted.

With dependability as part of its legacy, durability and ease of repair part of its design, it's hard to come up with reasons why anyone wouldn't want to ride this bike to some foreign land (even if that foreign land is the territory of the urban warrior). The Quota's design components are impressive, and while the machine is not without flaws, there are plenty of reasons why it is at or near the top of its class.

Originally published February 2000.

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