The legend of the great Italian “Eagle” is born

On 15 March 1921, the company “Società Anonima Moto Guzzi” was set up at Mandello del Lario, to "fabricate and sell motorcycles and other activities relevant to or associated with the metal and mechanical industries". The partners in the enterprise were the well known Genovese shipowner Emanuele Vittorio Parodi, his son Giorgio and ex comrade in arms in the Italian Air Force and motorcycling enthusiast, Carlo Guzzi.

In common with every great enthusiast, Carlo Guzzi was unable to find the ideal motorcycle, so he decided to build it himself. At the time, the panorama in the sector was little more than pioneering. Even starting up one of the early bikes was a feat. Riders lubricated the engine with a manual pump with devastating results for clothing and also damaging the uncovered chain drive. Riding a motorcycle was an act of heroism and the list of spare parts to take with you on a trip included practically all the components.

The first prototype was produced in 1919 in the Mandello del Lario workshop with the help of blacksmith Giorgio Ripamonti. Known as the G.P. (Guzzi-Parodi) from the initials of the two partners, it was a 500 cc single cylinder with four valve cylinder head and overheard camshaft. It delivered 12 hp and had a maximum speed of 100 km/h. The model drew heavily on aircraft engine technology, well known by the designer.

Already revolutionary and well ahead of its time, the G.P. was modified several times before arriving at the definitive version, above all due to the excessive production costs. The name G.P. was abandoned as it could have been confused with Giorgio Parodi’s initials and so the name "Moto Guzzi" was born, together with a contemporary icon, the eagle with outspread wings, chosen as the logo to commemorate the rider Giovanni Ravelli, who was to have been the third partner before being killed in an air accident.