The V65 Lario was Moto Guzzi’s sportier mid-capacity roadster from the De Tomaso era, introduced in the mid-1980s as part of the company’s effort to modernize its small-block V-twin line. It took its name from the Lario, the historic local name for Lake Como, tying the model closely to Moto Guzzi’s Mandello del Lario identity. The bike was launched as a more aggressive, contemporary-looking alternative to the brand’s earlier 650s, with a sharper fairing-less street profile and a four-valve-per-cylinder top end that made it stand out in the range.
The model is generally associated with a short production run beginning in 1984 and ending in 1987. In enthusiast circles it became one of the most distinctive Moto Guzzis of its era because it combined the classic transverse V-twin layout and shaft drive with a more ambitious performance image than the company’s traditional touring and custom machines. At the same time, the Lario developed a mixed reputation, as its advanced cylinder-head design brought complexity and a less polished ownership experience than some later or simpler Guzzi twins.
Historically, the V65 Lario matters because it marked an attempt to give Moto Guzzi a lighter, more modern sporting middleweight without abandoning the brand’s signature engineering layout. It sits between the earlier 650 family and the later evolution of Guzzi’s small-block twins, and today it is remembered as a brief but important chapter in the company’s 1980s lineup.