Some people like soft rock, some country and others rock and roll, but twisting the throttle on the MGS O1 in anger is pure heavy metal.

The aural sensation resonating from inside the minimalist half fairing is a mechanical symphony that will have you twisting the volume control to maximum at every opportunity and screaming inside your helmet to the beat.

I am exiting the tight technical turn five at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, and am hard on the gas as the big Guzzi inhales the short piece of real estate in front of me through the windshield.

I have just stuck the bike up the inside of a Japanese four cylinder and am showing him the single under seat Termignoni race pipe as we head toward the chicane.

Shifting as the digital gauge starts flashing at me, over 120 wild horses escaping through the fat rear slick, a feather-light up shift sees the digital gauge ripping back to the redline.

Filling my helmet with mechanical noise, the roar from the hairy chested, air cooled V-twin is jacking adrenaline through my veins faster than a double espresso at Starbucks.

In a matter of seconds, the fast approaching brake markers indicate it is time to turn the volume control down.

Rolling off and forcing the radial Brembo brake set up to earn its living, I am slammed so hard against the bars it takes some serious arm strength to hold my body in position and keep my arse in the seat. The big Guzzi is deceptively quick, and I am entering the corner a lot faster than on my previous warm up laps.

Letting off the brakes, and tipping the bike on its side, the drama is quickly over, and diving down into the bowl we pick off another bike as he runs wide on his exit. I am able to do it on the tightest line imaginable, and the bike is rock solid as I carve through the turn.

Turning up the volume again, I blast toward the fast left/right flick on the backside of the track and continue my hot lap on the technical Barber racetrack.

I’ve got to admit I have been looking forward to riding the MGS O1 since the original press propaganda came across my desk back in ’03. With its raw minimalist lines, and no nonsense muscular presence, it has to be one of the beautiful motorcycles ever made.

Started as a project in 2002, the talented motorcycle design team of Ghezzi and Brian were hired to create the beauty you see here in the pictures.

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