Moto Guzzi

Moto Guzzi is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer. The range of products covered by the end of the eighties mopeds ( Guzzino ), scooters ( Galetto ), Small Motorcycles ( Cardellino ), tricycles ( Ercole, Mulo ) and motorcycles with engine capacity sizes 125-1000 cc. The company is since 2004 the Piaggio Group and is headed by Roberto Cola Nino.

Technology

Since the model of the 1966 Moto Guzzi V7 is known for its V2 motors with longitudinal crankshaft. This design allows for a low center of gravity promotes a shaft drive, as only one angle drive is required ( at the rear ), and, compared with the Boxer engine has higher ground clearance at also show favorable mass balance. The V-2 is set at the control valve on an underlying camshaft with bumpers, only from 1999 overhead camshafts have been used in some models.

Another special feature of the manufacturer is the integral braking system that has been used since the 1970s in the larger models, long before other motorcycle manufacturers introduced the ABS: Here, the left front and the rear brake disc from the foot lever operates the right wheel on the other hand from the hand lever. Only when the current models from 2006 onwards, the manufacturer instead of an electronic ABS.

History

On March 15, 1921 founded the German Army Giorgio Parodi and his friend, the aircraft engineer Carlo Guzzi, with the financial support of Giorgos father Vittorio Emanuele Parodi in Genoa " Aktiengesellschaft Moto Guzzi " with a factory in the small Italian town of Mandello del Lario.

The first machine, the G. P. ( Guzzi.Parodi ), was built as a prototype with the help of the Blacksmith of Mandello Guzzi in the basement of the house. In a stripped-down form 17 motorcycles have been built as a model of normal in the first year. Because of the close relationship of Parodi and Guzzi aircraft, and in memory of the third in a bunch at the birth of the idea of ​​the crashed shortly after the First World War Giovanni Ravelli, an eagle with outstretched wings is used as a logo.

In addition to participation in racing, the brand was known. The highlight was winning the first 500 cc championship by Guido Mentasti in 1924. During discharged in Monza Championship race they finished with the next C4V topped the second and fifth.

1925 were built in Mandello del Lario, with over 300 employees already in 1200 motorcycles. In 1928, Carlos 's brother Giuseppe Guzzi developed a forward-looking rear suspension. She had a triangular arm with a spring package that lay along under the engine, and was superior to the then usual suspension far. The thus offered in addition to the Sport models "GT" Giuseppe Guzzi went to the Arctic Circle in Norway to prove their reliability. This brought the "GT" the nickname " Norge " one.

1934 Moto Guzzi was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Italy.

The Senior TT race " Bicilindrica " as first pilot on a foreign machine in the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man - In 1935, the Irishman Stanley Woods won on a rear- sprung 500 - cc. In the following period presented all factory race teams around on rear- suspension models. Also in the 250cc class you made ​​with the Italian star drivers of the time, Omobono Tenni sensation. 1937 Tenni won the quarter-liter European title and was the first foreigner ever to the TT races in the ' Lightweight class, the Tourist Trophy.

After the Second World War, small, cheap transportation devices were first asked to mass motorization.

The rapidly increasing demand satisfied Moto Guzzi with the first two-stroke engine, the " Guzzino " 65, which has sold in the first three years 50,000. This motorcycle has been further developed in the 1950s as a Moto Guzzi Cardellino. As design engineers Giulio Cesare Carcano, Lino Tonti and Umberto Todero made ​​memorable. In addition, from 1949 larger motorcycles were also rebuilt with horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke engines:

The late 1940s and the early 1950s presented for the company thanks to the racing success in the motorcycle Championship and the newly created World Cup a very successful time dar. Between 1947 and 1948, won the Manufacturer four of the six extended European champion. 1949 factory driver Bruno Ruffo was the first 250 cc World Champion in history, 1951, he repeated the title win in this category. In the season 1953 Fergus Anderson won for Moto Guzzi first drivers' title in the 350cc class, which he successfully defended in the following season. By 1957, followed by the pilot Bill Lomas and Keith Campbell three title wins. After that, Moto Guzzi retired from racing because the entire Italian motorcycle market had fallen into an existential crisis at this time. Cars were in demand, sales of motorcycles fell sharply. The World Champion title in 1957 was thus the last great racing success for Moto Guzzi. 1955 died Giorgio Parodi, 1964 Carlo Guzzi, who was never a shareholder of Moto Guzzi, but only " technical advisor ".

On 1 February 1967, a new company was founded under the name SEIMM. There was another new Moto Guzzi models:

The technical basis for the current models has already been laid in the late 1950s. Back then the "unemployed" become racing department the transverse-mounted 90 ° V - twin cylinder with longitudinal crankshaft for installation in the new small Fiat. Mid-1960s, this engine concept was reactivated for a call of an Italian authorities motorcycle, adapted to the requirements of a motorcycle and combined with shaft drive. The characteristic feature of Moto Guzzi motorcycles since the V-shaped laterally protruding from the profile cylinder heads.

The two product lines differ Tour machines, especially with the model "California", and sporty bikes like the " Le Mans ", " Daytona " and " Centauro ".

However, Moto Guzzi had great financial difficulties until Ivano Beggio decided that owners of Aprilia in 2000, in addition to Laverda also to buy Moto Guzzi and comprehensively redevelop over again. His first development is the " Rosso Mandello " that immediately succeeds.

Between 28 and 30 December 2004, the Piaggio Group took over the Aprilia Group, including Moto Guzzi. The Italian motorcycle Pool was born, Moto Guzzi now belonged to a world- leading group, enacted by 1.5 billion euros in Europe and has a market share of 24 percent.

On 3 March 2005, the 47 -year-old Daniele Bandiera as the person responsible for the restart of Moto Guzzi has been committed. On March 24, the new model Breva 1100 was officially unveiled in Milan, with some technical innovations in the gimbal and the proven air-cooled V- engine, which now meets the Euro 3 emissions standards. Production is still in Mandello factory, which is now modernized. To survive, the plant requires about 13,000 remote motorcycles per year. Moto Guzzi could be reached on the best way to accomplish this: In 2006, over 10,000 motorcycles built after 4000 pieces in 2004 and 7000 in 2005, also contributes to the commissioned in 2006 New engine manufacturing facility, the first time at the celebration of the 85- year anniversary. could be visited.

Gallery

Moto Guzzi V7 Sport 750cc

Moto Guzzi Peppone

Current production models

• California 1400 ( than touring and custom ) ( 1,380 cc )
• Griso 8V (as 8V and 8V SE) ( 1,151 cc )
• 1200 Sport 4V ( 78 kW / 106 HP, 1151 cm ³)
• Nevada ( as Classic 750, 750 Anniversario and Aquila Nera ) (744 cc )
• Bellagio (as Bellagio and Bellagio Aquila Nera Deluxe ) ( 936 cc )
• Norge 1200 GT 8V ( 1151 cm ³)
• Stelvio 1200 8V (as ABS and NTX ABS) (77 kW / 105 HP, 1151 cm ³)
• V7 Stone ( 37 kW / 50 HP, 744 cm ³)
• V7 Special ( 37 kW / 50 HP, 744 cm ³)
• V7 Racer ( 37 kW / 50 HP, 744 cm ³)

Discontinued production models

• Breva 1100 (1.064 cc ) (built 2004-2007)
• Breva 1200 (1.151 cc ) (built 2008-2011)
• California ( as Vintage, Classic and 90 Anniversario ) ( 1,064 cc ) (built 2005-2012)
• MGS -01 ( 1,225 cc ) (built 2004-2011 )

Motorcycle Racing

World Motorcycle Championship

Italy Bruno Ruffo ( 2)

• World champion in the 250 cc class: 1949, 1951

• World champion in the 350 cc class in 1953, 1954

• World champion in the 350 cc class: 1955, 1956

Italy Enrico Lorenzetti ( 1)

• World champion in the 250 cc class: 1952

Australia Keith Campbell ( 1)

• World champion in the 350 cc class: 1957

Motorcycle Championship

In the motorcycle manufacturers reach the European Championship seven drivers' titles.

Italy Omobono Tenni ( 2)

• European champion in the 250 cc class: 1937
• European champion in the 500 cc class: 1947

Italy Guido Mentasti ( 1)

• European champion in the 500 cc class: 1924

Italy Riccardo Brusi ( 1)

• European champion in the 250 cc class: 1932

Italy Bruno Francisci ( 1)

• European champion in the 250 cc class: 1947

• European champion in the 250 cc class: 1948

Italy Enrico Lorenzetti ( 1)

• European champion in the 500 cc class: 1948

Trivia

In the Don Camillo novels of Italian author Giovanni Guareschi drives one of the two main characters, the Communist mayor " Peppone " Bottazzi, a Moto Guzzi.