Andrea Geatti kindly sent me these interesting pictures of an early Italian 250cc "Trava" machine.
It was apparently the only model made and its name was taken from both the manufacturer and rider himself, Renzo Travagini.
It's still in working order and it was started (with pure R40) at the last World Championship meeting in Terenzano (Italy) in May 1999.
It is understood that the engine may have been based on a Triumph.
There was also a model named Travaginetta 50 built in 1946, a twostroke of quite unique appearance. It is displayed in the a video (below) about his life which features his daughter.
Renzo Travagini was to later become the speedway promoter in the town of Udine.
Travagini is credited with bringing speedway to Italy [1] in the early 1950s when he organized the first race at the Trieste track with international riders, many from Eastern Europe. In 1971 he organized a round of the Speedway World Championship at the Moretti stadium in Udine. An accomplished enduro rider, he also established a motorcycle dealership in Udine which was still operating at the time of his death, in January 2014.
He rode with the Ceccato team in the Giro d'Italia in the 75cc class and competed in many other events.
N.B. 1. There is some doubt about this. It seems speedway may already have been established in Trieste before the war. See the pages on Galbusera and Toyo Marama.
Sources: ilgazzettino.it
