A superb and rare photo, made from what we believe is the original glass-plate negative, of the famous 500cc Moto Guzzi Sport, photographed with a Missionary Priest in Africa. The negative dates from 1923, the year the Sport was introduced.

This great historic photo was made only 2 years after the Moto Guzzi factory was founded. During World War I, three motorcycle friends met up in the Italian Airforce. They all had ideas about the perfect motorcycle, which was not on the market yet in their opinion. So they decided to build it themselves. Carlo Guzzi was the designer, Giorgio Parodi the financial backer, and Pre WWI road racer Giovanni Ravelli would be the one to put the bike to the test on the track. Unfortunately he died in a plane crash, a few days after WWI ended. It is in his honour that up until the day of today Moto Guzzi has an eagle in their official logo, as it was the symbol of the Aiforce unit they were employed.

The two friends still pushed ahead with their plan, and in 1919 the bike was ready. It was baptized “ GP “, meaning “ Guzzi Parodi “. The father of Giorgio Parodi was a rich shipbroker. He had the prototype examined by various Italian technologic experts, without any exception important figureheads in the industry. They all were very positive which was no wonder as the motorcycle was extremely advanced for its day. The horizontal single featured 4 overhead valves which were operated by a bevel driven single overhead camshaft. The machine delivered more power then most twins double its size. The fact that the engine was designed in unit was also a novelty. The chassis was as modern as its engine. Especially the rear was rather special, as the rear chassis doubled partly as mudguard. These light weight sheet metal construction parts continued under the engine, making the frame as light was it was stiff.

This machine eventually stood on the base of the first ever true racing machine that Guzzi brought out in 1924. This machine, the C 4V, immediately won in the hands of racing ace Guido Mentasti the first ever European Championship in 1924, and it would dominate the European races it participated in for years to come.

But that was already quite some years away from 1919, the year the GP prototype was made. Obviously Giorgio Parodi’s father liked the result, as in March 1921 the Moto Guzzi factory was officially founded. The name GP was not used any more, as it could be confused with Giorgio Parodi’s initials.

The normal production model, called the “ Normale “ featured a 500cc horizontal single cylinder engine with a side – inlet – valve and an overhead – exhaust – valve. This machine was superseded by the Sport, which featured a slightly tuned version of the Normale, however with the chassis of the C 2V, the 2 OHV factory racing brother of the C 4V. This wonderful sportive machine is visible in the photo. Quite a luxurious mount for a Priest in Africa!

It is a rare image, made from a 1923 glass plate negative. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 12" (ca. 20 x 30 cm).