The MGS-01 Corsa is a motorcycle first produced by the Ghezzi & Brian special builders on a Moto Guzzi base, and presented by Guzzi under its own name in July 2004. It was built to race and has never existed as a road bike.
Moto Guzzi MGS-01 at a glance
| Maker | Ghezzi & Brian, then Moto Guzzi from July 2004 |
|---|---|
| Type | racing motorcycle, no road version |
| Engine | 1,225 cc air-cooled V-twin |
| Power | 122 hp in standard form, over 165 hp in BigBore form |
| Torque | 9 kgm from 2,800 rpm, peak 11.6 kgm at 6,400 rpm |
| Pistons | Cosworth Racing |
| Colour | red |
| Price | about 25,000 euros, not homologated |
| Racing | BOTT at Daytona and Italian SuperTwins champion in 2006 and 2007 |
The English Wikipedia has no article on the MGS-01; this page is based on the Italian article and is therefore based on one source.
History of the Moto Guzzi MGS-01
The MGS-01 Corsa is a motorcycle built to race. It was first produced by the Ghezzi & Brian special builders on a Moto Guzzi base, and in July 2004 Guzzi presented it under its own brand. It was powered at first by the four-valve engine of Dr. John and later by the BigBore version.
With it Moto Guzzi won the BOTT, Battle of the Twins, at Daytona in 2006 and 2007, the most important race for twins without limits of capacity or modification, and also won the Italian SuperTwins championship in 2006 and 2007. The bike does not exist in a road version, although it can be produced on request in racing form, obviously not homologated and at a cost of about 25,000 euros.
Engine and chassis
The colour is red, like many models of the Mandello company. The original engine of this bike is a 1,225 cc air-cooled unit of 122 hp, though the BigBore used at Daytona in 2007 was over 1,300 cc with more than 165 hp and liquid cooling; the engine uses Cosworth Racing pistons. Although it weighs about 15 to 25 kg more than the classic racing twins of the class, the combination of a good chassis and an engine able to give 9 kgm from 2,800 rpm, with a peak of 11.6 kgm at 6,400 rpm, makes it very competitive.
Over the years the original Ghezzi design was modified, the most visible change being the reduction of the panel under the bike, which made it an almost naked machine.
Design and features
- Racing only: never homologated for the road, built to order at about 25,000 euros.
- Big V-twin: 1,225 cc air-cooled in standard form, over 1,300 cc with liquid cooling in BigBore racing trim.
- Strong mid-range: 9 kgm from only 2,800 rpm and a peak of 11.6 kgm at 6,400 rpm.
- Winning record: BOTT at Daytona and Italian SuperTwins titles in 2006 and 2007.
- Ghezzi & Brian origin: developed from the special builders’ project and adopted by Guzzi in 2004.
Moto Guzzi MGS-01 versions
- Ghezzi & Brian special: the original machine built on a Guzzi base.
- MGS-01 Corsa (2004): the Guzzi-branded racing bike with the 1,225 cc four-valve engine.
- BigBore (2007): the Daytona version over 1,300 cc with liquid cooling and more than 165 hp.
The MGS-01 is the racing descendant of the Daytona, which also used Dr. John’s four-valve engine, and it shares the twins’ racing tradition of the Le Mans. More machines are in the Moto Guzzi collection.
Video: Moto Guzzi MGS-01
Video by MCN – Motorcyclenews.com on YouTube.
Sources
- Moto Guzzi MGS-01 Corsa, Italian Wikipedia: origin, engine, racing results, price, design changes
