Ghezzi & Brian Motard | Up To Speed

Italian boutique builder Ghezzi & Brian has long had a close relationship with the Moto Guzzi factory. The firm is known for its highly desirable, high-end Guzzi-powered specials, especially the gorgeous MGS-01 Corsa, which was so well received that Moto Guzzi put a version into limited production in 2004. The Missaglia-based design firm’s latest creation, a megamotard styled in the same vein as Ducati’s Hypermotard or Aprilia’s Dorsoduro, is a radical departure from its usual selection of sportbike- and streetfghter-oriented styles.

The Motard is built using Moto Guzzi's Griso 8V power cruiser as the base, with a 115-horsepower version of the eight-valve, 1151cc V-twin providing power and custommade Kineo wire-spoke wheels that allow use of tubeless tires. The most exciting feature, however, is the "Dynamic Damping Action" rear suspension developed in conjunction with Dutch-based TracTive Suspension, a frm with experience working in MotoGP, World Motocross, and Formula 1. Dynamic Damping Action (not to be confused with BMW's similarconcept Dynamic Damping Control as used on the HP4) adjusts the shock automatically in response to road conditions, in real time, via an electronic valve controlled by an ECU. The system can adjust damping level every 10 milliseconds, based on data from the Smart Position Sensor that samples the shock absorber's dynamic state a remarkable 25,000 times per second. More details are available at www.tractivesuspension.com.