Post Sale Update: This Guzzi was bought by Bike-urious reader and contributor Ray S for approximately $9,300!
The Italians, when it comes to cars, bikes, food, and fashion, have always been known for passion. When you think of famous Italian brands, you think of Ferrari, Gucci, and in our case, Ducati and Moto Guzzi. What they’re generally not known for is reliability (I’m not gonna mention any names, but you know who you are). The Moto Guzzi Super Alce does not fall under that category. Built for the Italian Army by a company founded by military members, this bike meant business.
The Alce, which means Elk in Italian, was built from 1939-1945 and then was followed up by the model featured here, the Super Alce. The successor was built for more than a decade and ended production in 1957. In that time, these bikes were used by the Italian army in missions both domestically and in harsher terrains abroad, such as Libya and the Swiss Alps. This is where the bike showed its capabilities and reliability. With a 500cc pushrod version of Moto Guzzi’s tried-and-true flat single, the bike produced 18.5hp for a top speed of around 60MPH. Nothing to write home about in terms of performance, but the low-stressed engine was perfect for members of the military to go anywhere, anytime. The bike also had some neat features such as handlebars for the passenger, a built-in center-stand (a Moto Guzzi invention), and a sturdy 4-speed gearbox. Given their legendary reliability, a lot of the remaining bikes were eventually converted to civilian use.
This particular bike is far from show condition given the pictures but visually seems to have nothing missing in terms of parts. The frame and engine have different serial numbers and the concise ad description does little to help us figure out why. The poster also is advertising this bike as an Alce but given the year and styling, it’s easy to tell that it’s a Super Alce. Given that it’s been in storage since 1982, I suspect that this is a bike that is in need of a very dedicated, patient enthusiast to get it up and running, or even simply, to look the part. Whoever does end up with it, however, will hold a piece of history that looks as badass as its story.
You can find this bike for sale in Glen Head, New York for $12,500 here on Craigslist.