Moto Guzzi is the oldest European
manufacturer of motorcycles.
The motorcycles were originally
produced in Mandello del Lario, Italy,
and designed by two airplane pilots
and an aircraft mechanic, Guzzi,
Parodi and Ravelli. Guzzi was the
engineer of the trio, hence his name
was lent to the brand.
Parodi was the financier and Ravelli
was a famous pilot and motorcycle
racer. Ravelli was killed in an airplane
crash just days after World War I had
ended, but he was immortalized
through the company logo, which
bears a set of wings in his honor.
Moto Guzzi is noted for racing bikes
as well as street bikes, and even
produced an 8-cylinder model, Moto
Guzzi V8 (Otto). It was ranked by the
Discovery Channel as one of the top
10 motorbikes ever produced.
Though Koshir says that the European guys ride their bikes year-round with heated seats and
handles, most people in the U.S. won’t start riding until the weather warms up. It’s a sure sign
of spring when cycle enthusiasts start to trickle in to look at the motorcycles close up and think
about taking the next step of becoming a rider.
When Koshir is asked why he has been devoted to the Moto Guzzi brand for so long, he says,
“I’ll never get rich selling them, but I just love the bike. They’re unique and they don’t break...
I’ve only sold two sets of rings for them since 1972.” Not to mention, they’re lots of fun! n
Today the company is owned by
Piaggio, Europe’s largest motorcycle
manufacturer. There is a museum
dedicated to the historic brand in
Mandello del Lario.
Greensburg-Salem | Spring 2016 | icmags.com 21