Club Profile Motto Guzzi Club of Vic
The gathering outside the Guzzi factory
What can a Club do?
Moto Guzzi was established in 1921, in the picturesque rural village of Mandelo Del Lario, about halfway up the Eastern shore of Lake Como, and a long way from the traditional industrial centre of Milan. Unusually, the factory is still there, and despite Moto Guzzi now being part of the Piaggio Group, production remains at Mandelo Del Lario. One legacy of this is that the surrounding villages have for generations supplied the labour to Moto Guzzi, and Guzzi has spawned many subcontractors and supplier businesses in the immediate area; the whole district is passionate about Moto Guzzi. They don’t have much else.
Every fifth anniversary has been celebrated at Mandelo, as a festival of enthusiasts and with owners from around the world converging on the factory. In 2016, for the 95th, the Moto Guzzi Club of Victoria went. 48 bikes, filling two containers, were shipped to the Netherlands, one lot to return after four weeks, the second after eight weeks. A deal was done with Peter Stevens Motorcycles to acquire 48 ex-Triumph stackable shipping crates. Members loaded their own bikes into the crates, at home, along with their riding gear and luggage, so most travelled with carry-on luggage only. Bikes had to fit into the crates, no overhangs or protrusions allowed, which meant wheel or screen and handlebar removal for some.
Something like 70 riders and pillions flew into Schipol and bussed to Nijmegen for the night. Next day was spent recovering and readying the bikes before a three-day organised ride through Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, to Mandelo. This was arranged by TLM, the Dutch Guzzi distributor, who has years of experience at this trip. Their involvement was essential; 15,000 enthusiasts descended on Mandelo for that three day weekend and everything was choked with Guzzis and their riders. The foreshore is opened to free camping, there are fireworks, factory tours, museum tours, bands, food, and drink. It’s a true enthusiasts festival, organised largely by the mayor and the people of Mandelo, with almost no corporate presence.
The Moto Guzzi Club of Victoria took the award for highest Club attendance, as well as the distance award.
From Mandelo the members scattered; to ride the Alps, to the Isle of Man for the Manx GP, to Scandinavia, to see European GP racing, to follow and find their European ancestors. Dreams pursued and caught. The only constraint was that they needed to be back in Nijmegen in time to re-pack their bikes. For most it was the first time in Europe. For all it was fabulous. There were thousands of adventures, and no disasters. A bond has been forged with the Moto Guzzi Club of Bohemia which endures with visits and exchanges.
And after everyone returns, what happens? At last count there are ten members that now own bikes in Europe somewhere, and who now take their annual holidays (or they did pre-COVID 19) riding there.
Next year, 2021 is the centenary of Moto Guzzi, and we’re going again. The Club has capped this at one container of 24, but TLM’s Australian arm has four containers – that’s 96 Moto Guzzis – confirmed. What can a Club do? There is no limit.
