Every member of Proud Owners knows that there’s nothing better than heading off to discover the world on a Moto Guzzi. We also know that, at least once in our lifetime, we simply have to drop in and pay a visit to the Moto Guzzi Museum in Mandello del Lario, the source of our irresistible passion.
But there another destination that no true “Eagle” lover can afford to miss out on if he hopes to find out more about Moto Guzzi’s history. That destination is the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, Italy which, since April this year, has played host to a small but significant selection of Mandello two-wheelers that will unquestionably stir the passions of even the most loyal Guzzi fans.
So let’s all roll our “Eagles” out of the garage, hop on and head off for a trip back in time!
A TRULY MAGNIFICENT “GARAGE”!
Quite rightly now considered to be the biggest motorcycling museum in Italy and one of the most important in Europe, the Pontedera facility has recently been expanded. It now covers more than 5,000 square metres and houses over 250 magnificent examples of the various bike brands belonging to the Piaggio Group. It has to be said that this recent expansion of the display was a proper exercise in “customization”, since the museum opted to reclaim and renovate some charming and very old industrial properties to create two completely new sections. A job well done and perfectly in keeping with tradition, just what we Proud Owners like to see.
A tour of this museum is a real trip back into the history of biking in this country, but that’s not all. Besides the bikes of every era, size and type, the museum also has trains as well as ship and aircraft parts on display. There could be no better way to remind us and help us to appreciate the true origins of the “Eagle” brand than to display an old 14-cylinder aircraft engine right alongside a magnificent Moto Guzzi Sport 15.
HISTORY AND TRADITION
As we all know, the “Eagle” is one of the global brands that has truly made motorcycling history. From its advanced engineering research and development through to its distinguished performance in every corner of the planet, Moto Guzzi has always projected a very particular, strong image and, in this regard, each and every one of its bikes makes a very definite statement. Naturally, the bikes on display in the Piaggio Museum are undeniable proof of this.
The display starts way back at the origins of the brand with a perfectly preserved 1923 model C 2V, whose every nut, bolt and metal plate bears witness to Moto Guzzi’s drive to succeed, even in bike racing, a challenge that the “Eagle” had already decided to take on right from the start and aiming for the very top.
If you cast your eyes just a little more to the left, your gaze will fall on the gutsy looks of a magnificent 1931 model Sport 15, the first Guzzi ever to feature an under-saddle fuel tank and steel conrods. This bike turned simplicity and sturdiness into a real strength and succeeded in winning the hearts of many pre-War Italian bikers.
