1952 Moto Guzzi 500cc Falcone Sport

1952 Moto Guzzi 500cc Falcone Sport
Frame no. F 33127
Engine no. F 105945
· Beautiful restoration of a rare Falcone Sport
· One of the finest designs ever to leave an Italian designer's drawing board
· A 1950s icon that pleases rider and bystander alike

It's been called 'Italy's Harley-Davidson,' and history backs up that statement. Conceived in World War 1 by two pilots and a mechanic serving in Italy's Corpo Aeronautica Militare, Moto Guzzi was founded in 1921 and has a rich tradition in making motorcycles. In fact, it's not hard to imagine the firm's trademark laydown single as taking its jutting cylinder from a radial aircraft engine. Equally iconic is the design's large external flywheel, often called a 'bacon slicer' or 'boot polisher.' What at first looks quaintly arcane is actually a clever engineering solution: Already a lengthy layout thanks to the forward-facing cylinder, the engine would have been longer still if the flywheel were contained within the cases, forcing the clutch, kickstarter mechanism and gearbox shafts rearward to make room.

Carlo Guzzi's first prototype motorcycle of 1919 was unconventional in so far as its single-cylinder engine was installed horizontally, and by the end of the 1930s the 'flat single' had established itself as a Guzzi hallmark. Guzzi re-commenced production post-war with a range of up-dated pre-war designs, the 500cc touring GTV and sportier GTW soon gaining telescopic front forks and hydraulic rear suspension before being replaced for 1949 by the Astore. The latter incorporated several features pioneered on the hugely successful 250cc Airone, principally an aluminum-alloy cylinder barrel and 'head and enclosed valve gear. It remained in production until 1953. By then the ultimate expression of Guzzi's classic, vintage-style single had arrived: the legendary Falcone. Introduced in 1950, the Falcone took over the GTW's mantle of Guzzi's top sports bike, its tunable engine being closely related to that of the Dondolino racer. Offered in Sport, Turismo and military/police specifications, the Falcone outlived all its fellows, the Turismo civilian version remaining in production until 1963 when it was replaced by the all-new Falcone Nuovo. The machine offered is a strong restoration of a third-year Falcone Sport model - its mechanics were similarly fully overhauled. Such a restoration of an elegant and sporting machine from Italy's heyday represents a rare opportunity for a lucky new owner, who will surely cherish the absolute quality and beauty the Falcone Sport delivers in spades.