100 YEARS OF MOTO GUZZI

During the bloodshed of World War I, two Italian pilots and a mechanic of the Italian Air Force became friends through a common passion for motorcycles.

Giovanni Ravelli was a successful racer in the prewar days, Carlo Guzzi had a background in engineering while Giorgio Parodi was the son of a wealthy Genovese ship broker. The trio decided to start a motorcycle manufacturer after the war and their roles were clear: the rider, the designer and the financier. However Giovanni never got to see the plan through, he was killed in a flying accident in the August of 1919.

When Giorgio discussed the plans with his father in order to secure the funds, his father had his doubts. So, he asked the pair to show him what they were capable of. Triggered by the opportunity to build his dream motorcycle, Carlo went to work in his hometown, these days called Mandello