Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The 254 is a motorcycle built under the Benelli and Moto Guzzi brands between 1977 and 1986. The motorbike was born from an idea of Alejandro de Tomaso, owner of Benelli and Guzzi, who thought of creating a modern vehicle that was a small "maximoto" to be sold in Italy and Europe, especially in those markets (such as France, Spain and Great Britain) where motorcycles up to 250 cm³ enjoyed tax and insurance benefits. The fruit of this idea was presented at the 1975 Milan Motor Show in two versions: one branded Benelli (the 250 Quattro) and one with the Moto Guzzi brand (the 254) with different designs from each other, as they were intended for two different customers: one more sporty for Benelli and one more inclined towards tourism for Guzzi. However, we had to wait two years before the motorcycle went into production. The design of the two motorcycles is due to Paolo Martin. The engine is a 4-cylinder in-line 4-stroke single-shaft engine, which, despite appearances, does not derive from that of the other multi-cylinder Benelli/Guzzi engines. Its displacement, just 231 cubic centimeters, made it the smallest production fractional engine of the time. Thanks to four Dell'Orto PHBG 18B carburettors, it delivered 27.8 HP at 10,500 rpm, and was able to push the bike to 150 km/h. The gearbox is 5-speed, the starter is electric, the braking system can count on a front disc brake and a drum at the rear. Both motorbikes are unconventional: in addition to the four-cylinder engine solution, they also stand out for their small dimensions (the wheelbase is 1290 mm; the weight is 117 kg) and their aesthetics, with superstructures entirely made of plastic. The dashboard is positioned above the tank, the cap of which is hidden from view by a hatch. The small 4-cylinder Benelli and Guzzi did not achieve the success De Tomaso had hoped for. What penalized them was the price, which was high compared to the competition (in 1979 they cost 1,767,000 lire; for comparison, the Benelli 250 2C cost 1,368,000 lire, the Moto Morini 3½ 2,031,480 and the Moto Guzzi V35 2,199,000), the unwelcome aesthetics and the fact that, in Italy, new drivers could ride motorbikes up to 350 cc; furthermore, on the foreign market, these reasons were complemented by the competition from the cheaper Japanese motorcycles. In 1981 the Moto Guzzi 254 went out of production (remaining in the catalog for a couple of more years to dispose of the bikes in warehouse); at the same time its "sister" Benelli took over its aesthetics, adding a windshield similar in shape to that of the 125 2C Sport, and the name. It was joined in 1983 by the 304, with more traditional aesthetics and instrumentation, an open double cradle chassis (rather than an open single cradle) and a 29 HP engine. This was not enough to improve public appreciation: the 254 went off the market in 1984, while the 304 remained there until the early nineties, although production was discontinued in 1986. A twin-cylinder 125 was derived from the 254, produced from 1979 to 1981 branded both Guzzi and Benelli.
The 254 is a motorcycle built under the Benelli and Moto Guzzi brands between 1977 and 1986. The motorbike was born from an idea of Alejandro de Tomaso, owner of Benelli and Guzzi, who thought of creating a modern vehicle that was a small "maximoto" to be sold in Italy and Europe, especially in those markets (such as France, Spain and Great Britain) where motorcycles up to 250 cm³ enjoyed tax and insurance benefits. The fruit of this idea was presented at the 1975 Milan Motor Show in two versions: one branded Benelli (the 250 Quattro) and one with the Moto Guzzi brand (the 254) with different designs from each other, as they were intended for two different customers: one more sporty for Benelli and one more inclined towards tourism for Guzzi. However, we had to wait two years before the motorcycle went into production. The design of the two motorcycles is due to Paolo Martin. The engine is a 4-cylinder in-line 4-stroke single-shaft engine, which, despite appearances, does not derive from that of the other multi-cylinder Benelli/Guzzi engines. Its displacement, just 231 cubic centimeters, made it the smallest production fractional engine of the time. Thanks to four Dell'Orto PHBG 18B carburettors, it delivered 27.8 HP at 10,500 rpm, and was able to push the bike to 150 km/h. The gearbox is 5-speed, the starter is electric, the braking system can count on a front disc brake and a drum at the rear. Both motorbikes are unconventional: in addition to the four-cylinder engine solution, they also stand out for their small dimensions (the wheelbase is 1290 mm; the weight is 117 kg) and their aesthetics, with superstructures entirely made of plastic. The dashboard is positioned above the tank, the cap of which is hidden from view by a hatch. The small 4-cylinder Benelli and Guzzi did not achieve the success De Tomaso had hoped for. What penalized them was the price, which was high compared to the competition (in 1979 they cost 1,767,000 lire; for comparison, the Benelli 250 2C cost 1,368,000 lire, the Moto Morini 3½ 2,031,480 and the Moto Guzzi V35 2,199,000), the unwelcome aesthetics and the fact that, in Italy, new drivers could ride motorbikes up to 350 cc; furthermore, on the foreign market, these reasons were complemented by the competition from the cheaper Japanese motorcycles. In 1981 the Moto Guzzi 254 went out of production (remaining in the catalog for a couple of more years to dispose of the bikes in warehouse); at the same time its "sister" Benelli took over its aesthetics, adding a windshield similar in shape to that of the 125 2C Sport, and the name. It was joined in 1983 by the 304, with more traditional aesthetics and instrumentation, an open double cradle chassis (rather than an open single cradle) and a 29 HP engine. This was not enough to improve public appreciation: the 254 went off the market in 1984, while the 304 remained there until the early nineties, although production was discontinued in 1986. A twin-cylinder 125 was derived from the 254, produced from 1979 to 1981 branded both Guzzi and Benelli.
