My name is Mike and I live in Huntington Beach, as coastal suburb 40 Miles south of Los Angeles, California.

I have been riding bikes since 1974, mostly the same motley crew of Japanese cycles, such as '72 Yamaha R5, '81 Honda CB900F, '79 KZ1000, etc..but late on summer in 1980, I saw a bike that stopped my heart...it was in the July 1980 issue of CYCLE magazine and on the cover they featured a Moto Guzzi CX100..I was FLOORED and enraptured at the same tme, and I just had to have one...

But I was in College at the time, living off of cold pizza and warm beer and could hardly afford a new Moto Guzzi..so I dreamt in Italian while I rode my UJMs.. Eventually, in late 1997, life threw at me a set of converging circumstances where I had a few spare coins in my pocket, an advertisment of someone local selling a pristine '79 CX100, and an understanding wife; so I went to see the bike and bought it on the spot.

At this point I knew next to nothing about Moto Guzzis. My purchase was was strictly an emotion-based Pavlovian response. I simply drooled all over the Guzzi and had to have it. And so it's been for the past 10 years. I still drool over it as I do my pre-ride checks...

My riding is mostly weekend warrior stuff, taking place in the hills and canyons around the greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas.

As such, my CX100 is set up more for "Sport" riding rather than Sport-Touring or Cruising,. It has several modifications, including 36mm Dell O'rtos carbs, K&N pod filters, Agostini Timing Gears and Rear Sets, Bub Exhaust system, new Cylinders pistons, head porting/polishing/ decked by Moto Guzzi Classics.

The flywheel was lightened by GuzziTech, Stucchi/Gaman dual saddle, Tomaselli Throttle, Stainless steel braided brake hoses, IKON shocks, EBC- HH brake pads, Pirelli Sport Demon tires, among others. I retained the OEM Dual Points distributor as it works flawlessly.

This CX100 has proven to be the most reliable motorcycle I have ever owned.


I particularly enjoy its exhaust note at 6K RPM, which to me sounds like a NASCAR V8 engine at WOT..and I also love it's timeless lines..The shape of the LeMans fuel tank is a classic in its own right, and IMHO, the best looking tank ever fitted on a Moto Guzzi..

The bike does have a pair of funky quirks which I have managed to turn to advantages for me.

First, the integrated braking system, which took about a week to get sorted out in my head, after two decades of having ridden "normal" brake systems and second, the Shaft Jacking effect where the rear end suddenly raises up when the throttle is given hard input.

This last one was a bit disconcerting at first but eventually I was able to put it to good use, such as in the twisties, where one might suddenly confront a perpendicular water drainage rut in the pavenmet while leaned over severly..a swift blip of the throttle will stiffen up the bike's rear suspension and steady the Tonti frame while going over the rut. This has saved me from bottoming out suspension travel a few times.

This bike is a joy to ride. It is a honest, good, simple motorcycle and it rewards the end of a journey with a sense of accomplishment over of a good, hard day's sport riding.

The seating position is typical Lean-Forward Cafe Racer style and it can be a bit of a pain after 200 - 300 miles of demanding sport riding in the hills..The muscles in my 50 year-old shoulders and back of the neck areas are particularly hard hit. Still, my CX100 is a true joy to ride and I would not trade it for any other bike out there.

I have ridden Bimotas, Ducatis, RC51s, GSXR1000s, TLRs, Aprillias, etc, but honestly, none of them tugs at me on an emotional level such as my CX100 does.



"...in 1980, I saw a bike that stopped my heart...it was in the July 1980 issue of CYCLE magazine and on the cover they featured a Moto Guzzi CX100..I was FLOORED and enraptured at the same tme, and I just had to have one..."

Thank you to Mike for allowing us to feature his fantastic CX!

If you'd like your bike featured, simply download this pdf for some tips and send your article with pics to joe@guzzista.com