Eagle eyed

In my Icon page, Octane 172, I speculated that the Mobil Pegasus was the only corporate logo with a left- and righthanded version. This prompted a reply from Alan Blair in last month’s Letters, who pointed out that the Moto Guzzi ‘Flying Eagle’ has a left and right version that has ‘been attached to every Moto Guzzi motorcycle fuel tank since 1922’.

Well, Alan, I gladly concede the Moto Guzzi point, but one thing I have learned (and failed to heed) as a part-time scribe is to avoid using the words ‘first’ or ‘every’. There’s always an exception waiting to spring from the shadows to prove you wrong – and not every ’Guzzi has the eagle on its tank.

Prompted by Alan’s letter, I popped into my garage to check out my Moto Guzzi Le Mans Mk1, which I have owned from new. No eagles! The only eagle on the Le Mans is a rather tiny transfer on top of the tank, to the rear and virtually obscured by the seat extension. Few ’Guzzis of the 1980s carried the eagle, but it did make a prominent return on the MkIII Le Mans – albeit not ‘handed’.

A better example of a ‘handed’ logo would be the Honda wing. I spent several years of my advertising career promoting Honda motorcycles, I have two in the garage, and much to my embarrassment I can only put the oversight down to a senior moment.

Incidentally, the fabulous ’Guzzi Nibbio II streamliner record car of 1956 carried both the Mobil Pegasus – two each side and flying forward – and the ’Guzzi eagle, pointing to the rear on the left flank.

Not having ridden any of my ’bikes for some time due to a dodgy hip, the ’Guzzi was looking a little sorry for itself and I decided it was time to dust the beast off.

Flat tyres pumped up, followed by an exploratory twist of the throttle, revealed a complete lack of ‘twist’. Presumably the carbs are seized. I could walk (or limp) away and forget about it, but I feel that now I’ve shown some interest in my neglected machine I should undertake a little maintenance.

Not sure whether to thank Alan for prompting another job in the never-ending stream emanating from my fleet.

Left Reader’s letter prompted Mallett to check up on his ’Guzzi. Thanks to that he now has work to do on it.