(VIDEO) The engineering of Italy's forgotten motorcycle, the Moto Guzzi with a 500 cc V8 engine

Today if we are talking about an engine smaller than 1.3 liters, there is a good chance that that engine only has 3 cylinders. But there were times when engineers, especially those in Italy, wanted to create engines with a large number of cylinders, even if the total displacement was small. V12, V8, were formulas adored in the world of performance cars, because they gave the chance to balanced engines, which could be revved up, offering excellent performance and a tasty sound. And the engineering of such engines sometimes went as far as downright incredible formulas. It is enough to say V8 engine of 500 cubic cm, i.e. 0.5 liters, to become confused about what such an engine could look like. Even more exciting is that this V8 engine was put on a motorcycle, and telling someone that you have a V8 motorcycle sounds equally implausible. Today, therefore, we are talking about an exceptional creation in the history of the Italians from Moto Guzzi.

In the 1950s, Moto Guzzi was already one of the most respected manufacturers of motorcycles, both for those bought by ordinary people and on the circuit, where the emphasis was on performance. One of the most successful Moto Guzzi motorcycles from the 1930s to the 1950s was the Bicilindrica, a 500cc 120 degree V2 engine motorcycle. But in 1954 the motorcycle was no longer modern enough, and engineer Giulio Cesare Carcano from Moto Guzzi set out to create a new, modern and revolutionary motorcycle right after the 1954 Monza Grand Prix.

Photo: Moto Guzzi 500 Bicilindrica

Carcano estimates that the era of motorcycles with 500 cubic cm engines, with a single cylinder, and even with two, is at an end. These were too rough and crude comparing to what could be created with more cylinders — he was convinced! He had been captivated by the idea of ​​a V8 engine that Galbusera had experimented with in 1938. That one-off V8 motorcycle had a two-stroke V8 engine that was basically two V4s butted together. Such a solution of merging engines is not very attractive for Carcano.

Photo: Galbusera V8 engine, merged from two V4 engines

He also thought about the solution of an engine with 6 cylinders in line. The analyzed positioning was only transverse, which made a 6-cylinder engine inevitably too wide on the motorcycle, unbalancing it and making it ugly. Then he moved on to the idea of ​​a liquid-cooled V8, designed from scratch, which would be more compact and suitable.

Photo: Moto Guzzi's V8 engine

In just 5 months of hard work, the whole way from the design on paper to the construction of a first prototype, because it had to be ready before the 1955 Grand Prix season. The Moto Guzzi they were delighted with what they had managed to do and, in order to present it more effectively, the head of motorsport at Moto Guzzi sent a letter to the media, announcing that Moto Guzzi would participate in the 1955 championship, attaching a sketch of the new motorcycle, challenging journalists to guess what configuration the engine will have. There were few who even guessed close, so after some time, when the motorcycle was presented live, it caused a sensation.

The new motorcycle was named Moto Guzzi Otto Cilindri, meaning 8 Cylinders. Its engine was a 4-stroke V8 with the blocks positioned at 90 degrees, with two camshafts on each cylinder head. One shaft directed the intake valves, 23 mm in diameter, and the other — the exhaust valves, 21 mm in diameter. In total, the engine had 16 valves and was positioned transversely. Being water-cooled, it had the radiator positioned at the front, at the bottom.

Photo: Engine cooling radiator

The engine did not have regular exhaust manifolds, but retained 8 exhaust pipes, from each cylinder. They were 27 mm in diameter and exactly 600 mm long, and since they started from different points, they ended at different points, three on each side of the rear wheel, and two more below. And that meant that the exhaust didn't have big sound attenuators. Being a racing bike, however, it was somewhat permissible, and even accentuated its V8 engine.

Equally impressive is that the V8 engine used 8 different DelOrto 21mm carburetors. Of course, adjusting and synchronizing these carburetors was a titanic task. Many times it was practiced turning the engine at 13,000 rpm, at the red line, in order to redden the exhaust pipes in the area of ​​their exit from the cylinders. And after the variation of their temperature and color it was easier to adjust the carburetors.

The engine had a total displacement of 499 cc, so each cylinder was 62.375 cc. The engine could reach 12,000 rpm easily and initially developed 68 HP, but then the crankshaft was perfected and it already reached 79 HP at 12,500 rpm and 48 Nm at 9,300 rpm. To achieve increased performance, the camshafts were also modified, for a half-millimeter larger opening of the intake valves. And so, in 1957, when these changes were made, this motorcycle had 79 HP, or 158 HP/liter! It's an exceptional indicator, which reveals the superb engineering of this motorcycle! And with such performance, the engine weighed only 45 kg!

The entire motorcycle weighed 137 kg without gasoline and fluids, and the chassis construction was more special, with elements fixed to the engine block, which took over a part of the resistance structure, as happens with some more innovative motorcycles these days. At first, a 6-speed gearbox was developed because it was estimated that the engine would have power only at high revs. But, in fact, the engine turned out to be more elastic than expected, so later a 4-speed gearbox and a 5-speed gearbox appeared.

The power was so great that the motorcycle could be exceptionally fast, but the suspension and tires of that time could barely cope, being difficult to control. As well as the brakes that were not adapted for such performance. The casing meant to give her better aerodynamics ended up creating a lift effect at her speeds, which made her even more unstable. The pilots started to be afraid of her. Fergus Anderson injured her on the first try. Bill Lomas suffered a head injury falling off it in the 1956 Senigallia Grand Prix. After the 1956 Spa race, Ken Kavanagh refused to drive it again, saying it was too dangerous. Only 8 riders actually rode this motorcycle in its motorsport career from 1955 to 1957.

In 1957, for example, on the circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, it was officially measured reaching a speed of 286 km/h! In 1957! It took another 20 years for Grand Prix bikes to reach such speeds after this 1957 Moto Guzzi V8!

At the end of the 1957 season, there were still two bikes available, but none of the riders wanted to ride them without them being refined and made more controllable. Moto Guzzi, along with other manufacturers, decided to withdraw from the Grand Prix altogether and thus the motorcycle was not developed further. Enthusiasts say that if it were perfected, the motorcycle could have reached much higher performances than those demonstrated up to that moment. Only those two copies have survived to this day, both belonging to Moto Guzzi and located at the brand's museum in Mandello.

Sometimes they are brought out for the public to admire, to be turned on and delight the hearing of those around them with the magnificent sound of their V8 engine. See below such a video, yes to a public exposure.