1955 Bianchi Tonale & 1956 Moto Guzzi 160 Lodola
Joe Sorbi’s fascination with Italian motorcycles doesn’t come as a total surprise. His parents are both Italian and moved to London after the war. Joe was born in 1951 – and although he spent his first nine years in London before moving to Stamford (where he still lives), he has remained close to his Italian roots.
By the time he hit his early teens, Joe had become infatuated with motorcycles. “I had an Ariel Arrow when I was 14,” he recalls. “I’d always check out the bikes when we were on holiday in Italy, but it wasn’t until I bought a Guzzi 1100 Sport in 1994 that I actually owned an Italian bike. I haven’t looked back since then.”
Today, Joe has turned up on his 1955 Bianchi Tonale. Manufactured between 1954 and 1961, the Tonale – with chain-driven overhead cam – replaced the old Tonale Gran Lusso, essentially a pre-war design.
“I bought it in Belgium in 2008,” he says. “But I never did anything with it until 2016. I’d ridden the Giro, but somebody suggested I give the Milano-taranto a go. The organisers publish a list of eligible bikes and the Bianchi was the only machine I owned that was on the list, so I spent two years getting it back to original condition.
“The engine and gearbox were actually pretty good. The engine needed a couple of bearings, but it had a new piston fitted. I honed the barrel, lapped in the valves and it was all good. Most of the work went into the cycle parts and bodywork. Everything has been resprayed, but I’ve kept it as original as possible. Parts are quite hard to find – it took ages to track down a toolbox. I made it to the Milano-taranto last year and, apart from a split mudguard, it survived the event well.”
Joe’s also brought along his delightful 1956 Moto Guzzi Lodola for Hugo to ride. Produced between 1956 and 1959 in 174cc form, the Lodola was the last Moto Guzzi to be designed by Carlo Guzzi himself. A Sport model, with improved brakes and more power, was introduced for 1958, with a 235cc GT touring model superseding it before production ended in 1965.
“I bought it in 2016 and I haven’t had to touch it,” he says. “I think even the throttle cable (it runs inside the handlebars) is the original. And I’ve discovered that it’s a pre-production model – the tank is the giveaway. I’ve ridden it locally and I’ve done three Colombres Rallies on it, too, but it’s not really powerful enough.