Mandello del Lario turned into the absolute centre of the motorcycling world as more than 60,000 enthusiasts—most arriving on two wheels from across the globe—flooded the town for a landmark edition of GMG (Moto Guzzi World Days). The gathering marked an extraordinary double milestone: the official unveiling of Moto Guzzi’s brand-new factory and the opening of its state-of-the-art museum.
The transformation represents nearly five years of construction and an investment topping €50 million, resulting in one of the most ambitious industrial architecture projects seen in recent memory. Far from being a standard manufacturing plant, the revamped Mandello site serves as a creative hub where craftsmanship, cutting-edge technology, and brand heritage intersect to shape the future of Moto Guzzi.
Turnout across the four-day festival was massive. The newly opened facility welcomed 40,000 visitors, whilst the museum clocked nearly 30,000 admissions. Spanning 3,000 square metres of ultra-modern exhibition space, the museum showcases a collection of 160 motorcycles, featuring several priceless one-off machines. Floor-to-ceiling vistas look directly out over the active production lines, creating a visual link between the marque’s history and its modern assembly operations.
A major highlight unfolded on Saturday morning when a rolling parade of 1,500 Moto Guzzi machines from across the decades rode together from Lecco to Mandello. Leading the pack were the Corazzieri—the Honour Guard to the President of the Italian Republic—astride their official Moto Guzzi California 1400s. High-profile motorsport figures joined the festivities as well, with the full Aprilia Racing MotoGP squad turning up, including riders Jorge Martín, Marco Bezzecchi, and Lorenzo Savadori, alongside MotoGP legend Max Biaggi.
The weekend also made room for personal milestones: six couples renewed their wedding vows right on the factory grounds, choosing the tree-lined square fronting the iconic, fully restored Wind Tunnel as their backdrop.
Entertainment ran non-stop courtesy of the Virgin Radio stage, which hosted daily panels covering road trips, racing, and adventure. Meanwhile, free demo rides rolled out straight from the heart of the plant, allowing roughly 600 riders to sample Moto Guzzi’s full current line-up on local roads—including the classic V7, the versatile V85, the V100 Mandello sports tourer, and the long-haul Stelvio adventure bike.
For riders planning a trip to Lake Como, both the factory and museum remain open to the public daily (except Tuesdays) from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm until 30 September.
