Paris-Dakar 1985 Rally will always be remembered for Gaston Rahier’s motorcycle victory. The Belgian rally racer was barely taller than the BMW R80 G/S he rode; a bike that would become iconic. But there was another story going on behind the scenes.
1985 was also the year that privateer Claudio Torri raced the toughest rally on a factory-built Moto Guzzi V65 TT. Torri didn’t finish, but he went far enough to impress Moto Guzzi, who fielded an all-factory team the following year. Unfortunately, the entire team (including Torri) didn’t finish, and Moto Guzzi Dakar Rally The engagement ended as quickly as it began.
It’s a shame, because Moto Guzzi’s rally bike is seriously cool; a heavily upgraded V75 with high suspension, a giant tank and a beefy solo seat. It’s so cool that it inspired Mauro Abbadini to build a modern homage to it, using the new Moto Guzzi V85 TT as its base.
Mauro has been running Classic Co.—a custom shop and official Moto Guzzi service center in Madrid—for 30 years. With his experience with the brand, when the opportunity arose to work directly with Moto Guzzi’s parent company, Piaggio Group, Mauro went all in.
“Piaggio management really liked the idea we came up with,” he told us. “To enhance the off-road capabilities of the V85 TT and create an inspiring adventure bike, while still maintaining the bike’s distinctive design.”
The original Moto Guzzi V85 TT was a handsome adventure bike with dirt-road capabilities, but not an off-road weapon. Mauro’s idea was to beef up the V85’s suspension, reduce weight, and dress it up in the spirit of the bike that inspired it.
Classic Co.’s first stop was to order a sturdy new fuel tank from Spanish metal forming experts Valtoron. Hand-formed from aluminum, it mimics the shape of the OEM V85 fuel tank—but with more flair. A sturdy racing seat, upholstered by Prudencio, sits just behind it.
The ‘TTc’ motif on the seat is a nod to the name Moto Guzzi gave their rally bike in ’86, while an embroidered Guzzi eagle and Italian colours add to the factory feel. The rear is finished off with a bespoke luggage rack, fitted with a Classic Co. leather bag and custom carbon fibre fenders. Classic Co. have reused the V85 TT’s slim LED turn signals, but have swapped out the taillight for an Rtech unit.
There are more custom carbon fiber details down below, in the form of new side panels and injector covers. There’s also a carbon fiber air box—equipped with a DNA filter and connected via a pair of Mistral exhausts. Mistral also supplied the engine management and a gorgeous one-off exhaust system.
Moving on to the frame, Classic Co. swapped the front forks for Öhlins adjustable upside-down units, adding 100mm of travel. A custom shock from DMX Performance adds travel at the rear. The V85 TT’s 19F/17R wheels were ditched in favor of 21F/18R rims from DID, wrapped in Continental TKC80 rubber and stopped by ISR calipers.
Up top, Classic Co. has re-mounted the V85 TT’s unique twin headlights in a custom cage that also doubles as an anchor point for the bike’s new GPS and a road book rack. The rider looks down on a set of 35mm Easton handlebars and risers, complete with ISR controls, carbon fiber hand guards, and a single-fold mirror. The OEM Moto Guzzi speedo is still functional.
Finishing touches include Pivot Pegz footpegs on custom mounting plates, handcrafted aluminum mudguards, and longer side stands to accommodate the bike’s elevated ride height.
Classic Co.’s Moto Guzzi V85 TT rally bike has lost 20 kg [44 lbs]increase seat height by 105 mm [4 inches]and lengthen the wheelbase by a hair or two. Better yet, it looks absolutely badass.
Big bikes are no longer competing in the Dakar Rally… but if they were, we’d pay good money to see Moto Guzzi give it another go.
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