The
Italian Motorcycle manufacturer (aka "Guzzi") has endured from the industry's infancy to its place today as the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production.
12 Guzzi is now one of seven brands
3owned by
Piaggio & Co. SpA , Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer and the world's fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer by unit sales.
4
Established in 1921 in
Mandello Del Lario , Italy, Moto Guzzi has led Italy's motorcycling manufacture, enjoyed prominence in world-wide motorcycle racing, and led the industry in ground-breaking innovation -- for the greater part of its history.
Today the company markets a range of motorcycles in touring, cruising, racing and naked configurations with five engine displacements, innovative engineering and competitive styling -- married to the company's important heritage.
Moto Guzzi was conceived by three airplane mechanics who served together in the
Corpo Aeronautico Militare (the Italian Air Corp) during the first World War: Carlo Guzzi (1889-1964), Giovanni Ravelli and Giorgi Parodi (1897-1955). The three envisioned building motorcycles after the war: Guzzi would engineer the motor bikes, Parodi (scion of wealthy Genovese ship-owners) would finance the venture, and Ravelli (already a famous motocycling racer) would promote the bikes with his racing prowess. By the time Guzzi and Parodi (along with Parodi's brother) formed in 1921, Ravelli had died in an airplane crash. Moto Guzzi's corporate logo (seen above) -- the eagle with out-spread wings -- commemorates both Ravelli and the comradery of the three young aviaton mechanics.
From the 1930s until the 1960s, Moto Guzzi was the largest marque among Italian motorcycle manufacturers . Carlo Guzzi's first engine design was a
Horizontal Single that dominated the first 45 years of the company's history in various configurations. As originally envisioned, the company used racing to promote the brand. Moto Guzzi went on to win 3,329 official races, 8
World Championships , 6
Constructor's Championships and 11
Isle Of Man TT victories.
Until the mid 1940s, the traditional horizontal
Four-stroke single cylinder 500 cc engines outfitted with one overhead and one side valve (also known as: IOE, inlet over exhaust or F-head) were the highest performance engines Moto Guzzi sold to the general public. By contrast, the company supplied the official racing team and private racers with higher performance racing machines with varying overhead cam, multi-valve configurations and cylinder designs.
In the
1935 Isle Of Man TT , Moto Guzzi factory rider
Stanley Woods performed an impressive double victory with wins in the Lightweight TT as well as the Senior TT.
In the 1950s, Moto Guzzi led the world of
Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing . With durable and lightweight 250 cc and 350 cc bikes designed by Giulio Carcano, the firm dominated the middleweight classes. The factory won five consecutive
350 cc World Championships between 1953 and
1957 . In realizing that low weight alone might not continue to win races for the company, Carcano designed the
V8 500 cc GP Race Bike -- whose engine was to become one of the most complex engines of it's time. Despite the bike's having led many races and frequently posted the fastest lap time, it often failed to complete races because of mechanical problems. Ultimately, the V8 was not developed further as Moto Guzzi withdrew (together with the main competitors
Gilera and
Mondial ) from racing after the
1957 season -- citing escalating costs and diminishing motorcycle sales.
The period after
World War II was as difficult in Mandello del Lario as it was elsewhere in post-war Europe. The solution was production of inexpensive, lighter cycles. The 1946 "Motoleggera", a 65 cc lightweight motorcycle became very popular in post-war Italy. A four-stroke 175 cc scooter known as the "Galletto" also sold well. Though modest cycles for the company, the lighter cycles continue to feature Guzzi's innovation and commitment to quality. The step-through Galletto initially featured a manual, foot-shifted three-speed (160 cc) configuration then later a four-speed (175 cc) set-up by the end of '52. The displacement was increased to 192 cc in 1954 -- electric start was added in 1961.
Moto Guzzi was somewhat trapped in it's endeavors to penetrate the important scooter market as motorcycle popularity waned after WWII. Italian scooter competitors would not tolerate an incursion from Moto Guzzi. By innovating the new large-wheeled scooter, Guzzi competed less directly with manufacturers of small-wheeled scooters such as Piaggio (Vespa) and Italy has both Lambretta's two prototype motorcycles and the single prototype Guzzi small-wheeled scooter on display.
Through various periods of it's history, Moto Guzzi has produced military and police models. Guzzi's have been used prominently in the Italian police and military as well as by various US police departments, challenging the niche market dominance of
Harley Davidson . Guzzi currently markets a police version of it's Breva 750.
The horizontal single, and from the seventies the V2, has been the official motorcycle of Italy.
Though Moto Guzzi has employed engines of myriad configurations, no engine greater symbolizes the company than the aircooled, longitudinally configured 90°
V-twin . The original V-twin was designed in the early 1960s by engineer , designer of the DOHC V8 Grand Prix racer. The air-cooled, in-line V-twin, pushrod engine started out with 700 cc displacement and 45 hp, (in-line refers to the crankshaft). This engine was designed to win a competition for a new police bike sponsored by the Italian government. The sturdy shaft-drive, air-cooled V-twin won, giving Moto Guzzi renewed competitiveness. This 1967 Moto Guzzi V7 with the original Carcano engine has been continuously developed into the 1200 cc, 80 hp versions offered today (2006). Lino Tonti redesigned the motor for the 1971 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport. This engine is the basis of the currently used 850 cc, 1100 cc and 1200 cc Guzzi engines. The longitudinal orientation of the engine creates a slight gyroscope effect, so when taking left-hand turns the motorcycle will tend to run slightly wide.
A 4 valve version of the Carcano engine was created in the early 1990s and is currently used in the 1250 cc MGS-01 Corsa.
In 1979 a small block version of the aircooled V-twin designed by engineer was introduced as the V35. Radical when introduced, the design cut the weight from of the contemporary 850 T3 to the of the V35. The horsepower of the original V35 (35 bhp) was competitive with engines of comparable displacement of the period -- later larger versions (V50, V65, V75) were rapidly outclassed by competing water cooled engines. Notably, the Breva and Nevada today feature a descendent of Tonti's V35 engine: the 750 cc V-twin, rated at 48 bhp. With it's ease of maintenance, durability and even, flat torque curve, the engine design remains suitable to everyday, real-world situations.
As Guzzi continued to develop the V-twin, horsepower was increased in the mid 1980s when Guzzi created 4 valve versions of the "small block" series. Of these, the 650 and the 750 were rated at 60 bhp and 65 bhp respectively. The production of the 4-valve "small block" engines ended in the later 1980s.
Moto Guzzis have used an hydraulic integral brake system, where the right front disc works off the handlebar lever, while the left front and the rear disc work off the foot brake.
Rudge-Whitworth used an early integrated, anti-lock, braking system in 1925 .
The cartridge front fork used in Guzzi's motorcycles of the later 1970s and 1980s is a Guzzi invention. Instead of containing the damping oil in the fork it is in a cartridge. Oil in the fork is purely for lubrication.
Not unlike Harley Davidson and other storied motorcycle manufacturers that have survived for decades, Moto Guzzi has experienced a series of ownership arrangements -- some complex, some brief, some with enduring legacy.
- Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi -- along with Giorgio's brother Emanuele -- created "Società Anonima Moto Guzzi" on 15 March 1921 . The very earliest motorcycles bore the name ''G.P.'' (Guzzi-Parodi), though the marque quickly changed to ''Moto Guzzi'' to avoid confusion with Giorgio Parodi's initials. In 1946 Moto Guzzi formally incorporated as ''Moto Guzzi S.p.A.'' with Giorgio Parodi as chairman. By 1964, Emanuele Parodi and his son Giorgio had died, Carlo Guzzi had retired to private life, and direction passed to Enrico Parodi, Giorgio's brother.
- In February 1967, SEIMM (Società Esercito Industrie Moto Meccaniche) purchased Moto Guzzi. The SEIMM ownership saw Moto Guzzi adpating to a larger shift away from motorcycles to automobiles. The company focused on popular lightweight mopeds including the Dingo and Trotter -- and the 125 cc Stornello motorcycle. It was, however, during the SEIMM years that Guzzi developed the '''90° V twin''' engine -- designed by Giulio Cesare Carcano -- which would become iconic of Moto Guzzi.
- After experiencing financial difficulties in the late 1960s, De Tomaso Industries Inc. (D.T.I. Group or DTI), manufacturer of the De Tomaso sports and luxury cars, owned by Argentinian industrialist Alejandro De Tomaso , purchased SEIMM (and thereby Moto Guzzi) along with Benelli and Maserati in 1973. De Tomaso was credited with returning Moto Guzzi to profitability.5 A period of limited investment in Moto Guzzi followed attributed to DTI using Moto Guzzi financially prioritizing their automotive ventures.6
- Still under the De Tomaso umbrella, in 1988, Benelli and SEIMM merged to create Guzzi Benelli Moto (G.B.M. S.p.A. ). During this period, Moto Guzzi existed as an entity within the De Tomaso owned G.B.M., but in 1996 celebrated it's 75th birthday and the return of it's name to '''Moto Guzzi S.p.A.''' In 1996, De Tomaso became Trident Rowan Group aka TRG.
- Aprilia S.p.A acquired Moto Guzzi S.p.A on 14 April 2000 for $65 million. According to the original press release,7 the intention had been that Moto Guzzi would remain headquartered in Mandello del Lario, share Aprilia's technological, R&D capabilities and financial resources as well. The arrangement would remain short-lived, as Aprilia itself stumbled financially.
- In 2004 Piaggio & Co. SpA acquired Aprilia and thereby Moto Guzzi, forming Europe's largest motorycle manufacturer. Piaggio's (and Aprilia's earlier) investments have since allowed introduction of a series of competitive new models in rapid succession. US Moto Guzzi (and Aprilia) dealers experienced considerable parts supply difficulties during the ownership transition, though by summer of 2007, parts supplies were running smoothly. .
