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100 YEARS OF MOTO GUZZI – AROUND THE WORLD

MOTO GUZZI CLUB ARGENTINA CELEBRATED THE EAGLE BRAND’S 100 YEARS IN SAN PEDRO, PROVINCE OF BUENOS AIRES. THE CHRONICLE OF THE EVENT IS BY SILVANA RISUCCI, SECRETARY OF THE ROSARIO MOTO CLUB AND HUGE MOTO GUZZI ENTHUSIAST

March 2021 – This news comes to Wide Magazine from Salvador Mateo Ruiz of Vespa Club Rosario, Argentina, who sends us photographs of a Moto Guzzi rally. We wanted to know more about it, and Salvador referred us to Silvana Risucci, secretary of Moto Club Rosario, who we discovered is a huge Eagle brand enthusiast. Silvana – who signs her letter with “Guzzista Argentina” – enthusiastically told us about the event, thanking her Vespista friend Salvador for the contact.

Silvana Risucci, secretary of Rosario Moto Guzzi Club, at the 2021 Moto Guzzi Club Argentina national rally.

On Sunday 7 March 2021 we celebrated the 100 years of Moto Guzzi in San Pedro, province of Buenos Aires. The event was organized within the 8th Moto Guzzi Club Argentina Rally, where Guzzisti and other biker friends participated, because there were many different brand bikes. It was a nice opportunity to get together after a long time. The perfect ‘excuse’ was to celebrate Moto Guzzi’s 100 years!

Festejo aniversario 100 de la marca, 55 maquinas Moto Guzzi presentes, el evento mas grande del aguila en Sudamerica. Celebramos 100 años de pura pasión.

100th anniversary celebration of the brand, 55 Moto Guzzi bikes present, the largest Eagle event in South America. We are celebrating 100 years of pure passion.

Source of images: www.facebook.com/Moto-Guzzi-Club-Argentina-973229412727869

Anyway, the rally was organized by Moto Guzzi Club Argentina with lunch at ‘Las Amalias’ restaurant: 140 people from various places with their motorcycles came to enjoy the event and finally get together with biker friends after a long time.

It was an exceptional afternoon that culminated in a drawing for prizes and then the anniversary cake, or rather, the cakes: five ‘ensaimadas’ (editor’s note: typical sweets - photo above) decorated with chocolate and arranged to form the word ‘Guzzi’. The atmosphere was incredible. It had been a long time since we had been able to get together (the pandemic froze all of our plans), but the day finally came when we were able to do so once again and we took full advantage of it! There were participants from Bahía Blanca, Capital and Gran Buenos Aires, Rosario, Funes, Chivilvoy, Baradero, Pergamino, Salto, Carreras…” With a large presence of classic bikes: Vintage Moto Guzzis in perfect condition, which would thrill any collector. But there was also no lack of recent bikes, from the Audace to various V7 modes.

HERE ARE ALL THE PHOTOS OF THE RALLY IN SAN PEDRO, ARGENTINA,
WITH THE FANTASTIC MOTO GUZZIS OF YESTERYEAR AND TODAY:
:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/109Fkl9vzaW4qDBgCQSP8rt0em5eWQLs0

SILVANA RISUCCI: THE PASSION FOR MOTO GUZZI RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

Asked to tell us about herself, Silvana said immediately “Mi corazón es Guzzista!” (‘My heart beats for Guzzi’), and she reveals her “history of passion” for the Italian brand here. “I’ll tell you a bit about my Guzzista passion. It began way back in 1993: my father gave me a 1958 Vespa when I was just 16. That scooter was my companion on various adventures and one day I got the chance to exchange it for a 1948 Moto Guzzi Airone 250cc, which arrived at my house in pieces in a box. My father, who restores vintage motorcycles as a hobby, put great effort into restoring it for me.

“Mi Airone, con el Nº 22, chapa historica que otorga el Moto Club Rosario para poder circular con las motos clásicas por la ciudad”: Silvana’s Airone restored by her father, flaunts the historic No. 22 badge assigned by Moto Club Rosario for the privilege of travelling the city streets as a vintage bike.

By the year 2000, it had become an impeccable bike: so much so that it won the prize for best post-war European motorcycle at Autoclásica, the biggest vintage car and bike show in my country, as well as receiving congratulations for the outstanding restoration job.

So, I am a second-generation Guzzista, but my children are also learning how to ride the Airone. Also, a few years ago, we got a 1948 Guzzino 65cc, also in need of restoration, so after lots of effort and hard work, we already had a second family Guzzi. Then, 3 years ago, I was able to purchase a 1994 Moto Guzzi T5 1000cc, the version used by the National Federal Police, which had a different ‘touch’ in those days and is a café racer today.

Here in Argentina, there are two annual rallies and various vintage motorcycle shows and I participate in these events with my family and with our Airone and Guzzino bikes. Whereas, to travel and enjoy long rides on the road, I use the T5. If I am ever able to procure another Guzzi in the future, without hesitation, it would be a Stornello.

THE RISUCCI FAMILY ON MOTO GUZZIS.

And now, I’ll tell you a bit about myself. I am Silvana Risucci, I'm 44 years old and I live in Rosario, province of Santa Fe, Argentina. I am a maths teacher. And, as I said, I entered the motorcycling world thanks to my father, Daniel Risucci, a great point of reference for me, with a great passion for vintage metal. We have been incredibly lucky to visit the Moto Guzzi plant in Mandello del Lario (Italy) twice. The first time was in 2016 for the 95th Moto Guzzi rally. On that occasion, we brought a flag signed by the Argentinian Guzzisti which we gave to Mario Arosio, president of the Moto Guzzi World Club.

The second time in Mandello was with my family in July 2019. If I was already a fan of the brand, then - besides my Guzzi passion - I also fell in love with Italy.

I am counting the days until I’ll return. We had planned to go in September of this year to celebrate the 100 years at the 2021 Giornate Mondiali Guzzi (editor’s note: World Moto Guzzi Days, 9-12 September 2021). I hope the situation improves and the borders will be open, otherwise it will be next year, without a doubt.

We look forward to seeing you! Thank you, Silvana, for your thrilling story as a true Guzzista! And a special greeting to patriarch Daniel, who passed his passion for the Eagle brand on to his daughter and grandchildren.

2016 (World Guzzi Days for the 95th anniversary): Argentinian Guzzista Silvana Risucci in front of the “legendary” red gate of the Mandello del Lario Moto Guzzi plant where all Moto Guzzi bikes have been manufactured for 100 years. 100% Made in Italy.