The firm was established in 1921 in Mandello del Lario by Lake Como in Lombardy by Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi, who had become friends during the first war due in large part to their mutual passions of aviation and motorcycling. Parodi was a great pilot, and flew in WWI, the Ethiopian conflict, and WWII. The business was to have included a third partner, Giovanni Ravelli, also a keen competition motorcyclist and aviator. Ravelli was killed in an aviation incident in 1919, and the Moto Guzzi logo is Parodi and Guzzi's tribute to their friend.
From the 1930s until the 1960s, Moto Guzzi was the largest marque amongst Italian motorcycle manufacturers. Carlo Guzzi's (engineer and co-founder) first engine design was a horizontal single, that in a number of guises dominated the first 45 years of the company's history. From the beginning the company used racing to promote their brand. Moto Guzzi won 3,329 official races, 8 World Championships, 6 Constructor's Championships and 11 Isle of Man TT victories.
Sources: Graces Guide, Wikipedia.
Gran Premio motociclistico ai Giardini Margherita
16th July 1933
Si svolge nei viali interni dei giardini Margherita il Gran Premio motociclistico abbinato alla Lotteria Bologna. Grande protagonista è il campione bolognese Guglielmo Sandri (1906-1961), che vince con una Guzzi 250, battendo in volata Dorino Serafini su MM175.
Sandri è uno dei centauri bolognesi più conosciuti e apprezzati anche in campo internazionale, noto per la sua temerarietà, ma anche per la sua bravura nella preparazione tecnica delle moto.
All'inizio della carriera ha corso con la GD; in seguito ha portato al successo molte altre marche come la Dall'Oglio, la CM e la MM. Con la Guzzi 250 nel 1939 batterà sei record mondiali sull'autostrada Bergamo-Brescia.
Assiduo frequentatore dei caffé-concerto e appassionato di canto, sarà spesso chiamato ad esibirsi sul palco. Durante la Resistenza collaborerà con la sanità partigiana, trasportando i feriti con le macchine tedesche custodite nella sua officina.
Il Circuito motociclistico di Bologna avrà diverse edizioni di grande successo negli anni Trenta.
Source: Biblioteca Salaborsa Licence: CC BY 4.0
16th July 1933
Motorcycle Grand Prix at Giardini Margherita
The motorcycle Grand Prix combined with the Bologna Lottery takes place in the internal avenues of the Margherita gardens. The great protagonist is the Bolognese champion Guglielmo Sandri (1906-1961), who wins with a Guzzi 250, beating Dorino Serafini on the MM175 in a sprint.
Sandri is one of the best known and most appreciated Bolognese riders also in the international field, known for his recklessness, but also for his skill in the technical preparation of motorcycles.
At the beginning of his career he raced with GD; later it brought to success many other brands such as Dall'Oglio, CM and MM. With the Guzzi 250 in 1939 he will break six world records on the Bergamo-Brescia motorway.
A frequent visitor to café-concerts and passionate about singing, he will often be called upon to perform on stage. During the Resistance he worked with the partisan medicos, transporting the wounded using the German machines kept in his workshop.
The Bologna motorcycle circuit will have several very successful editions in the 1930s.
Source: Biblioteca Salaborsa Licence: CC BY 4.0
Many brave Italians fought the fascists during WWII, among them Aldo Finzi
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