Moto Guzzi V50 NATO. Dutch Hope in Scared Days

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Purchasing classics there

Willy van Gent was an importer and entrepreneur. He had vision. He thought he could give his company a fantastic boost and foundation by selling Moto Guzzi's to the Dutch government. In Italy, was the government also the cork on which the parent company floated? You don't want to know how much lobbying, scheming, conferencing and ladies of easy virtue have invested in it. But the bullet went through the church and the Royal Army was going to drive Guzzi. The Moto Guzzi V50 NATO,

Not for the front lines

The Moto Guzzi V50 NATO was purchased in 1981 for orderly and military police duties at the Royal Netherlands Army as a replacement for the Triumph 3TA. One of the requirements of the army was a shaft drive for maintenance. This requirement made two European brands eligible for the extensive test phase. These were the Moto Guzzi V50 and the BMW R45. In the end, the choice fell on Moto Guzzi. The V50 III motorcycles were adapted for this: the appearance was that of the older V 50, of course sprayed in NATO green and the chrome was replaced by matte black paint. The machine was fitted with warlights, different cylinder heads with smaller valves and a lower compression ratio and the 24 mm carburettors of the V50. In order not to make the gears too 'long' with all these restrictions, the gearing became shorter. In addition, a kick starter was mounted. 1314 machines were purchased.

The Dutch touch

The Guzzis were fitted with two large crash bars produced in the Netherlands and two strong leather cases from the Brabant firm 'De Buffel'. A touring window with canvas lower flaps was mounted for conscripted Marechaussees. The driving instructors were also initially given this diamond. Around 1994, these windows were replaced by the beautiful and effective Dutch JS 980 S touring cockpit, developed by Jos Schurgers, the man behind the Van Veen Wankel.

Replaced by the new batch

In 2004, the Moto Guzzi V50 NATO was replaced by 115 KTM LC4 400 LS-Es. The KTMs are assigned to the Airmobile Brigade and do not only serve as order engines, but are also used for reconnaissance, for example. At the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee the V50s were replaced by BMW K1100 LTs.

They are slow and low

Fierce chases and tough off-road work on army motorcycles? For that you have to go to the movies. Army engines are actually there for information transport. They are a kind of carrier pigeons, but inedible. After the Moto Guzzi V50 NATO had been dropped, they ended up at De Domeinen. Via De Domeinen to a few specialized buyers with a long breath to the eventual enthusiasts. A target group that was still in diapers when the Guzzi's dropped out. The Natootjes have been worth very little for a long time. I bought one for €300 including Silent Hektic ignition of €400.

In the meantime, the Natootjes have become cult bikes

There are three national specialists where (often new) parts are for sale and where repairs are made, overhauled, bought, sold and restored. In the past, the brave touts with their bizarre kickstarters were seen as 'too slow'. In the current traffic situation, they are perfect slowing down machines for secondary roads. And that NATO drivers sometimes take a piece of terrain with them during encounters completely misplaced? Ah: when you see with how much pleasure they do that, you forget that they are cheering.

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3 comments

  1. Hi Guzzi fans,
    I am in possession of a very nice and excellent V50 NATO version.
    If you are interested, please email me.
    0624658989

  2. During my time of service (86-2) as a ticker in the administration of the staff company, I had quite a lot to do with the ordinance of section 1……
    How many fines I can save him, though, in partnership with him.
    He invariably sprayed hairspray on the license plate, overexposing the photo.
    Due to rain, the hairspray sometimes faded and then we got another photo sent, because the partly readable license plate came over with….. right haha.
    So make some changes here and there and indicate that the ordinance could absolutely not have driven there at that time.

  3. Yes, I was also allowed to own such a Guzzi thought and still think it is a beautiful machine: tank, position of the steering wheel and yes of course the V-shaped cylinders and
    What a mess with those coils. De Guzzi did decide whether it was started/running on 1 or 2 cylinders.
    Hate love relationship take a look at site MV in Borne you never know.

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