1947 red 3772cc moto guzzi Motorbike rider; two wheeled transport, motorcycles, vehicle on British roads, motorbikes, motorcycle bike riders motoring in Manchester, UK
Moto Guzzi had a thing about birds. Their famous motif that adorns virtually every petrol tank features the eagle emblem of the Italian Air Force – a throwback to the flying skills of Carlo Guzzi, Giovanni Ravelli and Giorgio Parodi. At various stages since the Moto Guzzi company was formed (initially as the Società Anonima Moto Guzzi in March, 1921), models acquired names derived from feathered flock, most notably the lusty Falcone (Falcon) 500cc single that played an enduring role in the company’s history. Others included the racing 250cc Albatross (1939-1948), Egretta (1939-1940, Egret or white heron), Astore (1949 – 1953, Goshawk), Galletto (1950 – 1966, Cockerell), Cardellino (1954 – 1965, Goldfinch), Lodola (1956 – 1966, Lark), and the subject of our story here, the 250cc Airone (Heron), produced from 1939 to 1957). From the very first production Moto Guzzi, the 500cc Normale of 1921, the distinctive silhouette was established – Carlo Guzzi’s horizontal single cylinder engine with narrow crankcases and outside flywheel. What became the Airone actually began as the P 175 – visually very similar to the 500s but in fact bristling with new features, and this evolved to the P250, which first appeared around 1936 and quickly became available as three separate models. In late 1939, the engine was redesigned with the bore size increased by 2mm to 70mm to a full 247cc, and a four-speed, foot operated gearbox. At this point the bird-lovers stepped in, and the new machine became the Airone, or Heron. The 247cc cast iron engine, still with exposed hairpins valve springs, ran on :1 compression fed by a Dell’Orto SBF 22mm carburettor. Inside the engine, the conrod was now of the bolted-up type, with 25mm mainshafts running on two roller bearing
Size: 4569px × 3046px
Location: Manchester, UK
Photo credit: © ZarkePix / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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