Moto Guzzi Motorcycles

About Moto-Guzzi

Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production.

Established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario, Italy, the company is noted for its historic role in Italy's motorcycling manufacture, its prominence worldwide in motorcycle racing, and industry innovations—including the first motorcycle center stand, wind tunnel and eight-cylinder engine.

Moto Guzzi was conceived by two aircraft pilots and their mechanic serving in the Corpo Aeronautico Militare during World War I: Carlo Guzzi, Giovanni Ravelli and Giorgio Parodi. The trio envisioned creating a motorcycle company after the war. Guzzi would engineer the motor bikes, Parodi (the son of wealthy Genovese ship-owners) would finance the venture, and Ravelli (already a famous pilot and motorcycle racer) would promote the bikes with his racing prowess. Guzzi and Parodi (along with Parodi's brother) formed Moto Guzzi in 1921. Ravelli, ironically, had died just days after the war's end in an aircraft crash and is commemorated by the eagle's wings that form the Moto Guzzi logo.

Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, along with Giorgio's brother Angelo, created a privately held silent partnership "Societa Anonima Moto Guzzi" on 15 March 1921, for the purpose of (according to the original articles of incorporation) "the manufacture and the sale of motor cycles and any other activity in relation to or connected to metallurgical and mechanical industry".

The very earliest motorcycles bore the name G.P. (Guzzi-Parodi), though the marque quickly changed to Moto Guzzi. As the only actual shareholders, the Parodi's wanted to shield their shipping fortunes by avoiding confusion of name G.P. with Giorgio Parodi's initials.

Carlo Guzzi's first engine design was a horizontal single that dominated the first 45 years of the company's history in various configurations. Through 1934, each engine bore the signature of the mechanic who built it.

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.

In the 1950s, Moto Guzzi, along with the Italian factories of Gilera and Mondial, 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.

Moto Guzzi withdrew from racing after the 1957 season citing escalating costs and diminishing motorcycle sales. By the time of its pull out from Grand Prix racing, Moto Guzzi had won 3,329 official races, 8 World Championships, 6 Constructor's Championships and 11 Isle of Man TT victories.

After World War II company had a hard time, like others in Europe. So light and inexpensive cycles were produced. 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 1952. The displacement was increased to 192 cc in 1954 and electric start was added in 1961.

In February 1967, SEIMM (Societa Esercizio Industrie Moto Meccaniche), a state controlled receiver, took ownership of Moto Guzzi. The SEIMM oversight saw Moto Guzzi adapting to a cultural shift away from motorcycles to automobiles. The company focused on popular lightweight mopeds including the Dingo and Trotter – and the 125 cc Stornello motorcycle. Also during the SEIMM years Guzzi developed the 90° V twin engine, designed by Giulio Cesare Carcano, which would become iconic of Moto Guzzi.

Moto blog

2022 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello First Look

First production motorcycle with active aerodynamics After teasing us with a preview of the new 2022 Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello in September, the Piaggio Group released further details on the new sport-touring model at EICMA. The Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello is named for the brand’s 100th anniversary and its historic home in Mandello del Lario, Italy, but it comes packed with features that point more to the brand’s future than its past. The V100 Mandello boasts the world’s first adaptive aerodynamics system for a production motorcycle, and it is also the first Moto Guzzi to be equipped with a liquid-cooled engine, quick shift, six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) and, for the higher trim option, semi-active suspension.

Moto Guzzi Teases V100 Mandello and Reveals Plans for New Factory

The Golden Eagle spreads its wings with active aerodynamics If this were any normal year, Moto Guzzi would be holding a big party this week to celebrate its 100th birthday. Because of the pandemic, however, the Piaggio-owned brand had to postpone its Moto Guzzi World Days 2021 Festival to 2022, celebrating its centennial on what would actually be its 101st year. Nevertheless, Moto Guzzi proceeded to announce what would have been the highlight of the festival: a new Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello model and plans to build a new futuristic factory on its historic home in Mandello del Lario, Italy.

Church of MO: 2002 Moto Guzzi V11 Scura

Normally we’d save this M-G review for next year, when it’ll be a nice, even 20 years old. But since it’s Moto Guzzi’s 100th anniversary this year, and since Yossef’s visit to the Mandello factory/museo to ride this one is as high-quality as MOtojournalism gets, we’re making an exception. Happy anniversary, Moto Guzzi.

Moto Guzzi is preparing to introduce a new model: the V100 Mandello

2021 is an anniversary year for the company from Mandello del Lario: Moto Guzzi is actively celebrating its 100th anniversary since its inception. And in honor of this date, the Italians have prepared a new model that, on the one hand, has retained the familiar architecture of Guzzi, on the other hand, slowly distanced itself from the past.

2021 Moto Guzzi V7 Review - First Ride

The pleasures of elemental motorcycling Credit: Photos by Larry Chen Remember the day you took your first long ride on your very first motorcycle? The weather was TV-commercial sunny as you rolled down the two-lane highway away from home. The wind flowing past your body was filled with excitement as the engine sang beneath your seat.

2021 Middleweight Adventure Motorcycle Shootout

BMW F850 GSA v. KTM 890 Adventure R v. Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel v.

Church of MO: 1996 Moto Guzzi California

Ask not why MO‘s review of an Italian bike called “California” comes from a correspondent in Barcelona, ask what you can do for MO. The first California, c. 1971, was designed with input from the Los Angeles PD, and sported a bulletproof windshield as part of its law enforcement equipment.

Retro 80'Veez

Moto Guzzi V85 TT Travel & Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Credit: Photos by Evans Brasfield A head-to-head comparison this is not, but rather a showcase of two unique models that blur the lines of what adventure-capable motorcycles can look like. Triumph and Moto Guzzi, motorcycle manufacturers from two very different regions of Europe, both have long storied histories with plenty of ups and downs. The British brand dates back to 1902, two decades before Moto Guzzi began manufacturing in 1921.

Turenduro Moto Guzzi V85 TT has become the locomotive of Piaggio Group sales

The Italian concern reported positive sales results for 2019. Over the past year, the brand merger showed a 1.3% increase in sales to 611,300 units, of which 399,600 units (+1.6%) were two-wheeled vehicles. Sales statistics in the Asia-Pacific region improved markedly, with a 14.5 percent increase.

2020 Baggers Spec Chart Comparison

All the baggers, by the numbers This all started with our recent Bagger Battle between the two juggernauts in the field: The Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special and the Indian Challenger Limited. In just nine days, that story garnered enough views on MO to make it our ninth-most read story of 2019 – and it was posted on December 23rd! All that traffic got us thinking about how these two American giants stack up to the rest of the bagger field, although long-time MO readers might remember we’ve already done something similar – the Big Dam Tour shootout of 2018.