It was 1921 in Mandello del Lario Italy when two WWI aircraft pilots and their mechanic joined together with the same purpose and passion to create the Italian motorcycle company, Moto Guzzi.
The trio couldn’t have been more different, Giorgio Parodi born to wealthy ship owners, Giovanni Ravelli famous dare devil pilot known for his racing skills and adrenaline seeking, and Carlo Guzzi the engineer behind the affair, the man handling the nuts and bolts of it..
In a very unfortunate tragedy, Ravelli the famous pilot would perish in an aircraft crash. The remaining founders would pay him tribute forever with the eagle’s wings on the Moto Guzzi logo. (Show Wings)
Trivia piece for you, the earliest of Guzzi motorcycles donned G.P. as their name for Guzzi-Parodi before the marque changed to the lasting Moto Guzzi name.
Why you might ask? Well the Parodi name was a very well known and wealthy name, and the family wanted to shield their shipping fortune name from this two-wheeled business endeavor.
Many early Moto Guzzi motorcycles wore the signature of the mechanic that built it.
As the old adage goes, Win on Sunday, sell on Monday.. And Moto Guzzi relied heavily on racing to promote their company. Moto Guzzi factory rider scored a double victory at the 1935 Isle of Man TT.
Carlo Guzzi’s horizontal single-cylinder engine design would dominate in their motorcycle configurations for the first 45 years of the company. Over 3k races under their belt, 8 world championships, 6 constructor championships, 11 isle of man TT victories.
Moto Guzzi’s first year in business would also produce the first motorcycle featuring a center stand, the Normale.
In the 1930s with the introduction of the GT 500 Norge, Moto Guzzi would take notable long distance endurance records.
During WWII, like every other manufacturer, Moto Guzzi was deep in the war effort creating military motorcycles for the Italian army.
Post WWII Europe was short on cash and petrol, and as many other car or motorcycles manufacturers did, Moto Guzzi would focus on creating lighter and cheaper motorcycles. Small lightweight motorcycles like the 65cc Motorleggera and the four stroke 175cc scooter known as the “Galleto” helped Moto Guzzi survive during Post WWII aftermath.
The Galleto was not welcomed competition by longstanding Italian scooter companies Piaggio and Lambretta. In face, when Moto Guzzi introduced a scooter concept, Lambretta threatened back with small V-twin motorcycle. Though the pair would comprise with neither diving into the other’s turf.
The 1950s were the golden years of Italian motorcycle racing with Moto Guzzi, Mondial, and Gilera dominating the world of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Moto Guzzi led the middle weight classes with their light and durable 250cc and 350cc bikes designed by Giulio Carcano.
Though Carcano realized that lightness might not take all victories and went on to design the V8 500 cc GP race bike with one of the most complex engines of the day. While it did frequently win the fastest lap time, the V8 often did not complete a race due to mechanical problems.
It was also in the 1950s that Moto Guzzi became one of the first motorcycle manufacturers to use wind tunnels in their design process refining their aerodynamics.
Moto Guzzi would earn a reputation for durability and reliability making it a favorite for law enforcement and military agencies.
The 1960s would bring Moto Guzzi into a crisis mode with the death of it’s founders and the retirement of Carlo Guzzi. The company was taken over by a state controlled receiver, SEIMM Societa Ezercizio Industrie Moto Meccaniche.
It was during the SEIMM years that one of the most iconic Moto Guzzi engine configurations was born, the air cooled 90 degree Vtwin with a longitudinal crankshaft and transverse cylinder heads on either side of the bike.
Shortly, in 1973 Moto Guzzi would have yet another new owner.. A name you might recognize. After dealing with financial difficulties, Moto Guzzi was sold to De Tomaso Industries. That purchase also included Benelli and Maserati. Soon under De Tomaso leadership the company began turning profits.
1975 would bring the release of one of Moto Guzzi’s most iconic and collectibe motorcycle, the 850 Le Mans. This superbike would go on to spawn four later models.
Fast forward to 2000 when Aprillia acquired Moto Guzzi, the company remaining in Manderlario but now being able to share resources and research & development between the two companies.
Though that ownership wouldn’t last long and in 2004 Piaggio would acquire Aprilia thus consequently Moto Guzzi with it. With that ownership Moto Guzzi has been able to focus on creating a wide range of motorcycles from classic cruisers to adventure bikes
A Brief #History of Moto Guzzi | The Bad Blonde

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