MOTO GUZZI

500 GT "Norge" -1928

Polar explorer

By the late 1920s, Moto Guzzi had become one of the truly great marques. The motorcycle became a trusty and reliable machine. Carlo Guzzi (joint founder of the firm in 1921, along with Giorgio Parodi) wanted to take a major step fotward by making it a more comfortable mode of transport.

Reliable Suspension

Rear suspension had long been available on motorcycles - both in Europe and the US - but it was still rare and often had an adverse effect on roadholding. Guzzi created a reliable and effective installation, which it lost no time in fitting to its racing machines.

"Elastic" Frame

In 1927, Giuseppe Guzzi (brother of Carlo) designed an "elastic" frame. The lower frame of the "Sport" was replaced with a pressedsteel assembly. At the rear, a triangulated fork, pivoting on the frame, had twin extension pieces compressing two pairs of forward facing coil springs in the box section of the frame under the cylinder. The suspension was so well-designed that Guzzi used it until 1967. The GT, which used a single-cylinder engine taken from the Sport, bad a friction damped girder front fork that benefited from dual compensator springs, in addition to the central spring. just 78 examples of this model were built between 1928 and 1930, after Giuseppe Guzzi had demonstrated the capabilities of his design by riding a GT to the Polar Circle in Norway. This feat earned the model its popular name "Norge."

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 498cc (88x82mm) air-cooled horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke; Bosch magneto; dry-sump lubrication

Power Rating: 13 hp@ 3800 rpm

Valves: side intake, overhead exhausL

Fuel System: A mac France carburetor

Transmission: 3-speed, tank-shift, chain final drive

Suspension: girder forks (front); frictiondamped swing arm with four coil springs (rear)

Brakes: drum (rear)

Wheels: 3.50x19 inch (from & rear)

Weight: 331 lb

Maximum Speed: 60 mph

Comfortable, efficient, rugged and affordable yet extremely well-equipped - the GT was nevertheless a genuine lightweight.