Carlo Guzzi, one of the founding members of Moto Guzzi, died in 1964, aged 75.
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.