Dang, although the Guzzi Norge no longer makes headlines, I went thru the old thread and read a question by Nusman68 that I totally missed way back in November, when you and I were so much younger
The meaning of the name
Norge?
In 1928 a MotoGuzzi named "Norge" reached North Cape, elevation 1000 ft. :haha: in Norway (i.e. Norge in the local lingo).
This is a pretty typical case of narrow-minded marketing, finding cutesy names the local market may find attractive but which may well sound silly or even
gross in other markets (the Mitsubishi Pajero comes to mind. Pajero = wanker in Spanish :blink: ). Obviously, the brilliant marketing whiz-kids at Guzzi's Mandello del Lario HQ are too young to remember the old Norge refrigerators...They could have called the bike Philco or Kelvinator for all they knew...
Breva is another "insider" name, it being the local name for a southerly breeze that normally brings fine weather to nearby Lake Como. I live 25 miles away and had to look it up...
Finally,
Griso is a character from a locally-famous 19th century novel. He was the head of the local ruler's handymen and thugs. This I know because we had to read the darn book in high school and it redefined boring.
Imagine naming an American bike "Caulfield" (as in Catcher in the Rye's Caulfield) and hoping people overseas will get it.... :nono:
Stef
PS: The 1970 stewardess is NOT my sister and the bike is NOT a match for the FJR. In fact I can't wait to thrash me one on the road :assasin: