1956 Moto Guzzi 250cc Airone Turismo
Registration no. 395 UYL
Frame no. MCL 73
Engine no. MCL 91

Carlo Guzzi's very first prototype motorcycle of 1919 was unconventional in so far as its 500cc single-cylinder engine was installed horizontally and built in unit with the gearbox, and although the company would eventual turn to other engine layouts, the 'flat single' had established itself as a Guzzi hallmark by the end of the 1930s. Guzzi recommenced production post-WW2 with range of updated pre-war designs, which in the case of the 250cc Airone (heron), first introduced in 1939, meant it gained a telescopic front fork, larger diameter brakes and an aluminium-alloy cylinder barrel and 'head. The Airone offered a 70mph top speed and the ability to cruise at 60-plus all day, and remained a top-seller well into the 1950s. Dating from the penultimate year of production, the Turismo (Touring) model offered here has recently arrived in the UK having previously been registered in Germany. Although it is not longer a requirement, the machine has been MoT'd for safety reasons; it has been started but not ridden and would benefit from thorough re-commissioning before returning to the road. Accompanying documentation consists of German registration papers, MoT to April 2016 and a V5C registration document.