Italian bike stuff can be very interesting. I always believe Guzzi to be a bike maker who later after the second world war allowed his engines to be used in small tractors and farm machines. Seems it was the army who used the twins.
From
http://www.supershowevents.com/collection/moj4italy.htmlMoto Guzzi was founded by Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi. There was a third man, Giovanni Ravelli, involved but he unfortunately was killed in a plane crash only days after WWI. The three motorcycle enthusiasts met and discussed plans to build a new motorcycle company while serving in the newly formed Italian Air Force. The flying eagle in the company’s logo is in memory of Ravelli. The greatest of all Moto Guzzi models are based on only two engines. The first engine produced was a 500cc four stroke engine that had the cylinder parallel to the ground and the other engine was the 90º transverse V-twin.
The single was in production since the initial prototype in 1920 and stayed in production until 1976 in various forms. The transverse V-twin came to exist to meet the requirements of a contract in the late 1950’s with the Italian army who wanted a workhorse engine in a military vehicle with a single front wheel and double tracks on the rear. The engine did give way in later years to becoming a motorcycle engine, due in part because of military and police demands for more power after many years of using Moto Guzzi's single cylinder powered bikes.
Here is some interesting Laverda info re farm tools.
The Laverda company can trace its roots back as far as 1873 to a farm machinery company owned by Pietro Laverda. In 1948, grandson Francesco Laverda built his own lightweight 75cc 4-stroke engine for personal use and amusement. Although he had no intention of building any more motorcycles, many of his friends asked him to build bikes for them so into production he went.
There ya go.
STU
PS and of course, Mr Lamborgini is a tractor manufacturer who bought a Ferrari and complained about the finish of the car. He took his complaint to the boss who said, "You do not know what is good in a car, you are only a tractor maker, p!ss off". Obviously he got the sh!ts on with Enzo and decided to build a better looking and better finished sports car.
