The Magni – Moto Guzzi Giappone 52

The name which evokes a distant land, located across the world, but the bike, make no mistake, is made in Italy, part of the factory on Lake Como and the rest in the small but charming plant Samarate (VA) .
number, then, that in the end, does not indicate the year of manufacture, nor the displacement, as sometimes happens on other models, but also highlights an anniversary, a combination of events.

Magni – Moto Guzzi Giappone 52

The Magni Giappone52 is born with these premises, the daughter of the intersection of the fiftieth anniversary of the Japanese importer Magni, Fukuda, and the twentieth year since the founding of the label.

A motion that would define particular reductive, either for being driven with a twin-cylinder two-valve Guzzi of 1,100 cc, either by the nature of his exquisitely crafted construction.

Before considering the merits of its features, however, is perhaps the case of say a few words about the name that has been stamped on the tank.

Bicilindrica has in fact already done Magni trademark, but he did some time ago (just the first number) and then the number of subscribers has grown willingly (happily), so it seems fitting to summarize the “betting earlier. “
Arturo Magni Arcore born September 24, 1925, after the first work experience in other sectors, began his career between the two wheels becoming part of the Gilera race department (we are in 1947). Three years later, then, the young technician Lombard lands under the banner of MV Agusta, where he remained until retirement from racing factory Cascina Costa.
Here, in 1977, Magni decides to start his own business, creating the eponymous motorcycle brand, strong experience as manager, at the most successful racing team in the world.
Early modification kits are marketed for the same VM, but then, in the early ’80s, Arthur decides to try to achieve a complete motorcycles. After a few attempts with Honda and BWM in 1984,he and his son John decided to contact Moto Guzzi at the time chaired by entrepreneur Italo-Argentinian Alejandro De Tomaso, for the supply of engines with which to equip a small plot of road bikes. The answer is positive, and within a year and a half, the first born Magni Guzzi engine: the Le Mans.
Its forms are quite sharp and in Italy was received with interest thereon, but in countries such as Germany, America and, especially Japan, has a moderate success.
This model will follow the Classic and Arthur 1000, while in 1989, is the time of challenge, a real highlight of the House Samarate that through numerous later, still appears in the list.
The Nineties open for Magni, marked successes in the racing field, thanks to a win and several placings in the Australian land of a specimen driven by twin 4-valve Daytona series that, by virtue of the location where the story took place, is named of Australia.

Magni – Moto Guzzi Giappone 52

This brings us to 1998, when it is given birth to Magni Giappone52, made the same number of units, each identified by a label with a lot of progressive numbering, the crown jewel in the production road Magni.
The Magni Giappone 52 is an uncompromising: Lightweight, 36 kg less than a Le Mans, rigid and rather demanding, the ideal subject for those who want to experience strong emotions, without giving too much importance to the comfort and value with a bit of effort in guide. A means that, in looks as in the behavior, reflects the philosophy of the past: a few frills, compact and aesthetic benefits generous, but not exaggerated. Once mounted in the saddle, in fact, you are entered in a rational position, with the upper body tilted slightly forward and the knees not too bent. In short, just enough to have a setting for sports, even if the cylinder heads, or better bulges on the sides of the fairing, do not leave much room for movement. Pressing the start button, you hear the twin Guzzi come to life through a fair amount of vibration in the seat. In practice, it seems to be sitting directly on the tubes of the rear frame, so it is narrow and thin the lining of the saddle.
Anyway, just some sgasata and the V-twin Guzzi is already in temperature, there ready to obey. Gearbox and clutch are smooth and sufficiently precise to modulate at will the starts, however, make it easy to search the crowds.
In March, the Magni Giappone 52 is really nice, even at reduced pace. The light steering and a major possibility of rotation is well supported by Paioli fork upside down, vice versa, which is balanced by a certain rigidity of the White Power monoshock.
In any case, the chassis is well balanced and does not require specific countermeasures to be managed, as evidenced by the absence of the steering damper, characteristic for which Magni is especially proud.
Merit, he explains, is the parallelogram swingarm (system patented) which allows the perfect alignment between the motor and the frame, while using a rear tire 180/55-17 “. In this way, in fact, the bike has an optimal weight distribution (and feels), besides being able to count on a solid footprint on the earth, as befits the performance of his engine. The twin Guzzi was in fact used in the same form with which equips the standard production, or 90 hp at 7,800 rpm for maximum power and 9.8 kgm of torque at 6,000 rpm, values deemed more than sufficient for the construction of a sport as it should.

Magni – Moto Guzzi Giappone 52

The pleasant shade of discharges Lafranconi, then, is the background to a mechanical component of the foreground, with the acceleration of dense, great shot and a “rough” engine braking. About brakes, the front held their job really well: powerful and adaptable, with good response on the lever and a reassuring weight transfer from suspension.

Unfortunately, at the time to get serious, or if the tires were starting to be very hot, has a light rain began to fall, which prevented us to learn more about the Japanese.

In principle, however, the impression is that hitting a motorcycle, made to be carried out without smudging, relying largely on the engine torque and speed cornering.
Bella: The Magni evokes moments of nostalgia, but also moments of exaltation “contemporary” when you decide to treat it as a true sport bike. The chromosomes, in short, are the right ones, children of almost thirty years of experience and a mechanical base stands for tradition. Sure, the price is affordable too (we are still over 15,000 euros) and the level of development not just updated, Magni Giappone52 put the 52 in a niche market of super-object of worship for true connoisseurs, most often equipped with foreign passport.
Maybe, but despite this, after having tried it, and especially after having spent a pleasant afternoon in the company of Arthur and John, we begin to envy these very few, lucky and wealthy gentlemen who come into possession of a specimen with the name written on the tank Magni Moto Guzzi and that affected the crankcase …

Source motoitaliane.it