Moto Guzzi The Trip: The A2 Guzzi Aims to Undercut the BMW F 450 R

• Just under 48 hp (35 kW), 180 kg (397 lbs) ready to ride, seat height from 790 mm, suitable for the A2 licence
• Expected price around 6,000 euros, Moto Guzzi will only confirm it officially at EICMA
• Public premiere in Milan, at dealers from early 2027

For decades, you could recognise a Moto Guzzi by the two cylinder heads sticking out into the wind on either side of the tank, and by the shaft drive instead of a chain. The The Trip has neither. On 28 October 2026, the manufacturer from Mandello del Lario officially unveiled the new naked bike in the 500 class and declared it the start of a new model generation. Instead of the transversely mounted V-twin, a parallel twin sits in the frame, and power reaches the rear wheel via a chain. The target audience is beginners with an A2 licence, riders returning after a longer break and experienced riders looking for a light motorcycle for everyday use. At the same time, the The Trip becomes the smallest model in the range, which previously started with the 853 cc V7.

What is inside the Moto Guzzi The Trip?

The Moto Guzzi The Trip is a roadster with a liquid-cooled parallel twin producing just under 48 hp. It weighs 180 kg (397 lbs) ready to ride and is one of the new arrivals for the 2027 model year.

The engine comes from the Piaggio Group, which owns Aprilia as well as Moto Guzzi. There it already powers the RS 457 and the Tuono 457. Even so, the The Trip is not a rebadged Aprilia. Frame, tail section and styling are its own; apart from the engine, mainly the wheels and a few small parts come from the Tuono 457.

In terms of weight, the newcomer keeps a clear distance from the existing models from Mandello. For comparison, Moto Guzzi quotes 218 kg (481 lbs) for the V7 Stone. The seat height of the The Trip starts at 790 mm, and the sheet-steel tank holds 15 litres.

Visually, the manufacturer speaks of a new design language that deliberately avoids ornamentation. Clean surfaces and balanced proportions take centre stage, with the black-painted engine as the central design element. The LED headlight features a stylised eagle as the daytime running light, the brand’s heraldic animal. Moto Guzzi has had the model name embroidered into the seat.

How much horsepower does the Moto Guzzi The Trip have?

The Moto Guzzi The Trip produces just under 48 hp (35 kW), putting it exactly at the power limit of the A2 licence class. According to the manufacturer, much of the torque is available at low revs, so the engine stays relaxed in town while still feeling lively on country roads.

Moto Guzzi has not released any further technical data so far; displacement and torque are missing from the official announcement. In the Aprilia models, the 457 produces 48 hp at 9,400 rpm and 43.5 Nm (32.1 lb-ft) at 6,700 rpm. Whether the Guzzi version is tuned differently remains open. According to the riding report by German magazine Motorrad, the final drive ratio is at least shorter than on the Tuono 457. At 100 km/h (62 mph) in sixth gear, the engine turns at around 5,500 rpm.

The crankshaft has a 270-degree crankpin offset. The two pistons therefore do not move up and down at the same time but are staggered. As a result, the parallel twin sounds similar to a 90-degree V-twin, the layout Moto Guzzi uses on its larger models.

The chain is new for the current model range. Moto Guzzi has relied on shaft drive for decades, whereas a chain is standard in the A2 class and saves weight and cost. It is not without precedent in the company’s history, though: chain drive was normal at Moto Guzzi for a long time before the V-twin and shaft drive became its trademark.

Chassis and brakes of the The Trip

When it comes to the chassis, the The Trip takes a different route from its Aprilia relatives. Instead of an aluminium twin-spar frame, a newly designed tubular steel frame carries the engine. Up front there is an upside-down fork. At the rear, the swingarm is supported by a single shock mounted on the right-hand side, similar to the V85 TT. There is no linkage that would make the suspension progressively firmer with increasing travel.

Moto Guzzi has not yet published a complete chassis data sheet. Suspension travel, brake disc sizes and the swingarm material are among the details still open. ABS comes as standard.

What equipment does the Moto Guzzi The Trip have?

As standard, the The Trip comes with ride-by-wire and three riding modes, a round 3.6-inch TFT display with smartphone connectivity, LED lighting and backlit handlebar switches. A quickshifter and navigation are only available as accessories.

Ride-by-wire means that the throttle grip is no longer connected to the throttle valve by a cable but electronically. This is what makes the three riding modes possible. Road is tuned for smooth throttle response in everyday riding, Sport is meant to respond more sharply on twisty roads, and Rain is intended for wet or slippery surfaces.

The round display picks up the shape of classic analogue clocks and connects to the smartphone. The optional navigation shows the route with arrow symbols on the display. The backlit switches are meant to make operation easier in the dark, a detail that is not a given in this class. Whether the The Trip has traction control is not clear from the information released so far.

How does the Moto Guzzi The Trip ride?

So far, first riding impressions have come from only one outlet. According to the riding report by Motorrad, the The Trip feels very light, turns in effortlessly and stays composed even when leaned over.

The tester describes the riding position as relaxed; at 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) tall, he could put both feet firmly on the ground. The clutch can reportedly be pulled with one finger, and the three riding modes feel noticeably different. In Sport mode the engine responds directly, while the The Trip still rolls through town at 50 km/h (31 mph) in top gear.

Braking is handled by components from Bybre, an Indian brand of Brembo. Despite a simple master cylinder, they are easy to modulate according to the report. The suspension soaks up most bumps; only with rapid successive impacts does the shock reach its limits. The bike is fitted with Eurogrip tyres in 110 front and 150 rear sizes. When cold they feel slightly vague, but once up to temperature grip and feedback are fine.

How much will the Moto Guzzi The Trip cost?

There is no official price yet; Moto Guzzi plans to announce it at EICMA. A price of around 6,000 euros (approx. 6,700 US dollars) plus on-the-road costs is expected.

That would put the The Trip below the Aprilia Tuono 457, with which it shares its engine. The comparison with the BMW F 450 R, which is also new for 2027, is more interesting. BMW’s A2 naked bike gets 48 hp (35 kW) from 420 cc, weighs 175 kg (386 lbs) ready to ride and costs between 6,490 and 7,220 euros (approx. 7,250 to 8,065 US dollars) in Germany across four variants. Even the base version has three riding modes, traction control, heated grips and a 6.5-inch TFT display, while a shift assistant is only available from the second trim level.

If the expected price is confirmed, the The Trip would be around 500 euros cheaper than the cheapest F 450 R. In return it weighs 5 kg more, and details on its equipment are still missing. The Guzzi would have an advantage in timing: the BMW is expected to reach dealers only in June 2027, the The Trip as early as the beginning of 2027.

Why does Moto Guzzi drop the V-twin and shaft drive on the The Trip?

The main reason is cost. Developing a dedicated V-twin with shaft drive for the sub-500 cc class would be considerably more expensive than using the parallel twin the group already builds in large numbers.

The The Trip is not to be built in Mandello but in India. At its plant in Baramati, Piaggio already manufactures Aprilia’s 457 models. Moto Guzzi has not yet officially confirmed the production site. The brand is not alone in taking this route; BMW and Triumph also have their small models built in India.

Moto Guzzi itself does not present the The Trip as a departure from its own tradition but as the start of a new generation. The timing fits: in 2026 the brand is celebrating its 105th anniversary and has opened a new factory and museum in Mandello. The large models with V-twin and shaft drive remain in the range.

When will the Moto Guzzi The Trip arrive at dealers?

The Moto Guzzi The Trip is due at official dealers in early 2027. It will be shown to the public for the first time at EICMA in Milan, on the Moto Guzzi stand in Hall 9.

The show runs from 3 to 8 November 2026, with the first two days reserved for press and trade visitors. EICMA opens to the public from 5 to 8 November. There, the The Trip is likely to be one of the most closely watched premieres among the 2027 model year newcomers, especially as Moto Guzzi also intends to announce the price.

Three colours are available at launch. Black Metropolis stands for the urban look, Green Grove picks up the traditional Guzzi green, and Red Beat is meant to emphasise the sporty side. There is also the special edition The Opening for early buyers. Moto Guzzi has not yet revealed how it differs from the standard colours.

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