New Zealand classic

New Zealand classic - Pukekohe
I
The Lodola was Carlo Guzzi's last
design. History tells us it was a
sound finale for the factory
founder and our tester enjoys his
chance to be up with the lark.
Words by Richard Rosenthal
Photography by Martyn Barnwell
arlo Guzzi was in his late 60s when he broke with
Moto Guzzi tradition to design the OHC 175cc
Lodola (lark). Until 1956 the Mandello del Lario
factory, based by the shore of Lake Como, was famed for its
flat single roadsters and an admirable racing pedigree. True,
Guzzi had already developed the Galletto scooter, although
that had a horizontal engine too, and the ultra lightweights
beginning with the 64cc Motoleggera in 1946; but Guzzi was
best known for its big thumpers.
Unfortunately, by the mid 1950s, not only Italy but the
whole world was turning its back on traditional big singles.
Sales were dwindling and more Mandello thumpers were
destined for military or police activity by 1956 than the
civilian marker. Something had to be done.
Although many motorcycle markets were shrinking, by
1955 the Italian motorcycle trade remained buoyant. But its
face had changed. The biggest sector was now youngsters
buying their first motorised two-wheeler. If they picked their
mount with care, they didn't need a licence or any form of
taxation or number plates. In fact, with their finances ordered,
young Mario could head straight from the motorcycle shop to
his local coffee bar with Maria tucked behind on the dual seat.
Against this background, Carlo Guzzi sat down at his
drawing board for one last time and focussed his thoughts
on the hugely popular - in Italy - 175cc class. Gone was
the horizontal engine design and outside flywheel and in
came chain driven OHC and an engine with its barrel
inclined at 45 degrees.
Launched for the 1956 season, the Lodola's over square
engine (62x57.8mm) developed a satisfactory
9bhp@6000rpm which its four-speed gearbox made the most
of. Neat style features included the battery hidden in the
right side toolbox and oil tank complete with dipstick
mounted under the dual seat. With much aluminium, a
decent sized fuel tank and slightly dropped bars, Carlo made
a super job of his final design.
For 1959, Moto Guzzi dropped the OHC 175cc Lodola in
favour of the larger, and in hindsight more familiar, OHV
235cc version. As externally similar looking castings were
used for the larger pushrod engine and near identical chassis,
at first glance it's easy to confuse which is which.
Neatly built with many socket head type screws, Brevetta
quick action tank filler and alloy handlebar control levers,
Carlo cleverly gave the Lodola a lean sporting profile by
bodywork design and narrow ace bar style handlebars.
Against this, the engine looks beefy, which it is. With the
speedometer displaying over 85,000km, this feature Lodola
has been busy, yet on stripdown, the original engine was
discovered sound.
The five pint oil tank ensures enough volume to lubricate
and aid cooling, essential for those long hot Italian summer
days. A large cartridge filter keeps the lot clean. Due to its
helical gear primary drive, the engine runs backwards (as do
Honda Cubs and unit New Imperials) while rubber type
inserts in the main drive pinion serve as cush drive.
C
~
Yearof manufacture 1959
Enginetype air-cooledOHV
single,barrelangledforward
by45 degrees,inunitwith
gearbox
Capacity235cc
Borex stroke 68x 64mm
Compressionratio 7.5 : 1
Lubricationdrysumpwith
positivefeedto engine,
gearboxand primarydrive
Carburettor 22mmDell'Orto
!gnitionbatteryand coil
Electrics6v,60WMarelli
dynamowith9Ahbattery
Gearboxfour-speeds
Transmissionhelicalgear
primarydrive,chainfinal
drive
Frametubularduplexcradle
Suspension front:
undampedtelescopic,rear:
swingarm
Tyresfront:2.50x 18
(factoryspec),2.75x 18
fittedto test machine,rear:
3.00x 17
Brakes front8inSLSdrum,
rear7inSLSdrum
Fuel3 1/2gallon
Weight2531b
Wheelbase 53in
Seat height 30in
Power output
11bhp@6000rpm
Topspeed 68-70mph
(periodroadtests)
Fuelconsumption 8090mpg(touring)
Left: Owner Gordon
Hallet enjoys larking
around in the saddle 01
his Lodola.
Opposite top left:
Valanced mudguards al
a tip towards practicali1
Opposite top right: ThE
competition version of
the Lodola, as used in tl
ISDT.This one is from
1959.
Opposite below left:
Front brake proved
effective, hauling the
Guzzi up quickly.
Opposite below right:
Richard Rosenthal founl
the small capacity
machine fitted his near
6ft frame well.
It's always been popular for British
sport to knock earlier Italian
electrics, and the Moto Guzzi Lodola
certainly relied on a sizable mix of
parts. But I can report the entire lot
worked well on Gordon Hallett's
featured machine. Ex factory many
Lodolas were fitted with Aprilia
headlight, Marelli dynamo, CEV
switches and a Fiamm hooter.
Never intended for racing
applications, the Lodola was built
into ISDT models in both 175cc
OHC and 235 OHV forms.
Additionally, a few ISDT examples
were enlarged to 250cc by the
factory. From 1959 and into the mid1960s, Lodolas in all three capacities
were ridden with success in the
International
Six Days Trial and
national long distance trials.
Rather like its siblings (two-stroke
Motoleggera, Cardellino and Zigolo,
four-stroke Galletto scooter and
OHV Stornel!o motorcycles), the
Lodola in both OHC and OHV forms
were well built, rugged and in many
cases served their owners for decades.
During a 10 year production run
(OHC 1956-8, OHV 1959-66) the
Lodola sold well in Italy, although
sales had slowed by the mid 1960s.
Some attempts were made to export
the modeL Back in the 1950s, export
sales and networks weren't the slick
operations we see today. Often,
taking the UK as an example, the
factory would establish their own
small volume importer or an
enterprising dealer would forge links
with the manufacturer arranging the
import of motorcycles and some form
of spares back up.
In the late 1950s Motor Imports
Co Ltd (associate company of Pride
and Clarke), 158 Stockwell Road,
London SW9 acted as Moto Guzzi
concessionaires.
Import was relatively
low key, but often to help promotions
models were supplied to the press. For
example, Motor Cycling carried a
175cc OHC Lodola road test on 19
July 1958 and on the back of this
feature some limited model
promotion occurred.
Gordon Hallett's fire engine red
machine, however, wasn't an origina
UK import. Instead, it was bought
new in Italy, clocking a considerable
mileage before the owner moved to
Germany. Like many such one owneJ
models across the world, the Lodola
was final! y stored, still in sound order
as the owner had no further need for
it. Years later the owner's daughter
placed her dad's Moto Guzzi on eBay,
Gordon's bid was successful and days
later he collected it from Germany.
Despite its speedometer reading of
over 85,000 kilometres, the 235cc
Lodola was in overall sound order;
the rolling chassis needing little morE
than a clean, re-grease as appropriate
and cosmetic refinish, which Gordon
completed himself, including the
Motorcycles
named after
birds ...
MATCHLESS
SILVER HAWK
When Matchless
decided to do something different to the
norm of single and big
1000cc V-twins, they
plumped for the narrow angle V-twin
Silver Arrow and the
V-four Silver Hawk.
Why a bird name was
chosen is not recorded, considering that
no other models in the
Matchless line up
were so monikered,
but the name fitted in
well with the exotic
V-four.
superb paintwork and wheel rebuild.
New tyres, cables as appropriate and
brake work completed the rolling
chassis. A slightly larger balloon than
standard 2.75 x 18in front tyre was
fitted, as it was readily available.
The engine was evidence of Moto
Guzzi's build quality. Neither big end
nor main bearings exhibited any sign of
play, declared sound after cleaning the
bottom end was rebuilt. As the bore
showed just negligible wear, the
original piston was treated to new rings
and at the same time replacement
valves and springs were installed.
At some time during its working
life the Lodola had been dropped.
The spill caused some damage to the
kick-start and gearchange mechanism
and although both worked there were
minor problems. Further
investigation revealed a poor welded
repair and incorrect end float. An
accomplished time-served engineer
Gordon made some of the parts
needed, including for the kick-start;
and with what he sourced, returned
both kick-start and gear selection
operations to as new.
On completion, the machine was
insured, MoT tested and armed with a
dating letter from an approved
authority, Gordon secured an age
related registration mark. Despite its
extensive use on the continent, Mr
Hallett was the first to ride this
Lodola in the UK. Since it's proved
reliable and despite being designed by
Carlo Guzzi as his idea of an 'ordinary'
Italian lightweight, the fire engine red
Guzzi turns heads wherever it's parked
- probably due to its Italian racing red
colour as well as its rarity in the UK.
Despite its over-square engine
design, first impressions are of a slowrevving, almost ponderous single with
heavy flywheels. Like many of the
British heavyweight singles of the
period, the Guzzi conveyed the
feeling it would thump on till the end
of the world, then turn round and
thump its way back. I remember
watching well-used examples being
ridden in this manner during my trips
to visit Continental relatives as a
schoolboy. Each night the poor
wretches were fIung into an old shed
or stored under a bit of tarpaulin,
extracted the following morning and
again persuaded into life for another
day's hard slog as every last ounce of
life was wrung out of them.
Once clear of the built-up area
surrounding Mr and Mrs Hallett's
home, I soon discovered the other
side of Carlo Guzzi's last motorcycle.
The Lodola is certainly safe to
6000rpm; by holding in second to
40mph and third to 50mph it
becomes a different machine, the
motorcycle our imaginary Mario
would have lusted after. Yet even
ridden in this manner, the engine
isn't extended to anywhere near its
safe limit. Gordon tells me his
FB were a firm keen
on using all manner of
bird names, with
Lapwing, Kestrel,
Plover, Falcon and
Condor among them.
Pictured is a Falcon,
this a 1931 196cc
model. Like many in
the Francis-Barnett
range, the Falcon's
engine was provided
by Villers. The Falcon
was the more sporting
version of the similar
Black Hawk.
The Thunderbird is,
admittedly, a mythical bird, though it's a
name that lends itself
splendidly to a
motorcycle model and
shows Edward
Turner's genius in
selecting it for his
new for 1949 range
topping, large capacity parallel twin.
Indeed, Ford liked
the name so much
the company adopted
it for its sporty cars
and continues to use
it to this day.
~
Journalist llrucerV1aiA-Sltlit ,
Lodola for Motor Cycllrig'magizihe in1958.
British exposure fOLthe moderwasl~
key~r-
~ Top: Uncomfortable dual
- duel? - seat has to be
lifted to access the oil
filler.
Above: The 235cc engine
ran alongside and then
replaced the original
175cc OHC unit.
Below: Typically Italian,
narrow handlebars
position rider in a sporty
crouch.
example touches 70mph, I didn't try
(it's not my motorcycle), but one
imagines the youth of Italy rode their
Lodolas on the stop day in, day out.
Despite this use/abuse, Lodolas
seldom broke.
Motor Cycling's road tester 50 years
ago clearly had many misgivings
concerning his OHC Lodola's
gearchange and primary drive whine.
Happily, this scribe reports the
complete opposite. The gearchange
felt firm in the way a new gearbox
does but all upward and downward
changes were crunch free and smooth,
neutral was easily found and first gear
engaged easily. Having ridden a
number of Italian lightweights, I've
learnt to use the rocking lever
gearchange pedal, which may
help. Whatever, the
engine and gearbox get a big tick.
Some primary drive whine is heard
at low engine speeds under heavy load.
For example, select top gear at 2025mph and open the throttle. But one
can only wonder why you'd want tothis is such a lively machine, with its
tall fourth gear intended for autobahn
work, not town slogging. Snick into top
at 40mph plus, the engine's happier and
no real whine is detected. If any is
present, it's lost in the delightful
exhaust note, which encourages you to
play tunes on the gearbox.
Handling is exactly as you'd expect
for a lively lightweight Italian
motorcycle, ear 'oling is limited more
by rider's nerve than the machine's
ability. But the braking came as a
surprise, and considering the machine's
age, a pleasant one.
Approaching one of
my first stops at a
main road roundabout, the Mota GUZ2
was given the full might of my right
hand and size 10... then I had to
accelerate up to the roundabout!
Heartened and on a clear road, the
brakes were tested from about 6Omph,
the stop was again rapid and in an
absolute sttaight line. Under heavy
braking, the undamped telescopic fron;
forks dive, but the effect isn't worrying
and under no circumstances was
machine control compromised.
Comfort was for me a double-edge(
sword. Although the Lodola is a
relatively small motorcycle and I'm
taller than average, my near-6ft framt
felt comfortable. Preferring my
weight over the front of the machine
I particularly liked the handlebar
style. But in common with many
rival Italian lightweights, why is the
seat so hard and narrow? More a
'duel' rather than dual seat.
Seat apart, this tester gives the Mote
Guzzi the thumbs up. Clean lines, light
weight, nippy performance when
worked, great exhaust note, traditional
Italian colour and the chance of
endless fun made and still makes these
lightweights a good buy. Little wonder
many young Marios larked about on
Lodolas, and considering the
build quality, little wonder
their dads then slogged
them for ever commuting
to and from work once
Mario had moved up the
transport ladder.