Strange how it only took a bit of rummaging in the parts bin to make a bike that was more than the sum of its parts.

The Mille was basically an 850T4/5 shorn of it's ugly nose binnacle and the silly 16" front wheel that Guzzi insisted on ruining their bikes with to be "fashionable" for a while.

IIRC the instruments are a straight lift from the Califonia III. Add a classy paint job and a bit of chrome & you have what is often quoted as being the first "modern classic". The one I had was in the other colourway of red frame with metallic bronze / gold paint and the optional (extra cost) spoked wheels. It was a relatively expensive bike when new - IIRC mine was the thick end of £6k in June 1990.

The first generation had a low state of tune engine (around 65hp IIRC) with 30 mm carbs & small valves. There was a second generation that didn't seem to sell & disappeared quite quickly - I have only seen one example - that I think had the uprated engine from the 1000S model that was current at the time. The second gen bike was only available in an all-over deep blue/green metallic colour (frame, tank, bodywork - everything the same colour).

There seems to be more love for the model in Germany & the Netherlands than here & they do come up in the small ads in Motorrad from time to time (there is a black on on there ATM - been listed for the last few issues). But I guess most will have been "converted" to bobbers or cafe racers now. I seem to think I have seen a reference to the model run only amounting to 200 bikes. As with all Guzzis, the factory retained one for the museum in Mandello - think I have a picture of that one from when I visited some years ago. Shamefully that visit was made on a BMW !

Nigel B.