80 years of Moto Guzzi Motorcycles

There's nothing as influential as other people's infectious enthusiasms, which is how I come to have been reading Mario Colombo's book, 80 years of Mato Guzzi Motorcycles, inspired by a friend who has bought a prewar Guzzi and likes it so much, he's already bought a second, while a couple of other friends have bought them too.

With those glowing endorsements in mind, I decided I needed to learn more about the marque. I had a rough idea of what went where and in what timescale with regards the models made and so on, but my knowledge was sketchy at best. A few years ago, I'd become all fired up with Guzzis after a visit to the factory and its museum - well worth a trip - but hadn't really gone any further than that. Time to do some reading.

This book looks to be one of the most detailed investigations and explanations on Mato Guzzi. Though it's out of print, I paid about £40 for a copy, from Amazon I think it was. There's multiple versions, with the one shown the 2000 published third English edition, the first English one in 1990, the second 1997.

Guzzi's period which I find of most interest is the earlier days, so pre-Second World War, though the models had me well and truly confused, but the book does offer some explanation. For example, the 250cc versions started in 1932 - as a 175cc initially, with a 250cc version added in 1934. These were Model Ps; there were also PE (with sprung frame) and the sporty PES, plus the PL (with pressed forks) and sports PLS.

Some of the translation is a little hard to follow, and there's odd anomalies, but it has made me realise that the model I want (like everyone else ... ) is a Condor, the 500cc racer-on-the-road ... There's some lovely pictures, black and white and colour, within too.