Falcone Sport . Long running flat single
I t is not difficult to identify the nations which have contributed most to the history of classic motorcycling . Apart from the sheer volume from post-World War 2 Japan , and the golden age of British motorcycles before and after that war , Italy must be one of the leaders . There are of course other European manufacturers in Spain , Germany , Czechoslovakia , France , and elsewhere , who are part of this history , but names such as Benelli , Gilera , MV Agusta , and Ducati give the Italians a head start . Amongst these legendary motorcycles is , of course , Moto Guzzi . The seeds for Moto Guzzi were sewn by two air force pilots , Giorgio Parodi and Giovanni Ravelli during Word War 1 , together with Carlo Guzzi - a mechanic . Guzzi planned to build a motorcycle after the war . Ravelli was a former motorcycle racer , who was unfortunately killed before the armistice , leaving Parodi and Guzzi to team up and
eventually set up a factory at Mandello del Lario , the home of the Moto Guzzi museum . In Ravelli ’ s honour the Italian Air Force eagle was used on the Moto Guzzi name plate , and is still there to this day . In 1919 a prototype , the Guzzi Parodi , appeared . Production began in 1921 when seventeen motorcycles were produced . The engines were single-cylinder and 500cc , with a three-speed gearbox . In 1924 the model won the European championship at Monza .
RACING SUCCESS Racing quickly became the backbone of the company ’ s promotional efforts . Although they were without a win in the Isle of Man , which was the Mecca of road racing at the time . When they eventually did win on the island in 1935 , it was in triumphant style . The brilliant Irish rider Stanley Woods rode a 120-degree Guzzi V-twin to victory in the 500cc Senior TT , breaking a sequence
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