TT Isle of Mann, 1935, from left, Carlo Guzzi, Stanley Woods, Giorgio Parodi. (ref. No. 4)

" The management of MOTO GUZZI has corrupted in 1966, and it was carried over to the new system, IMI, which was partly held by the Italian nation. "
In 1966, MOTO GUZZI released civilian V7 in Milan show at the end of previous year, and would win the contest. Do you see that is the corrupting company ? Was IMI really needed ?
I'd like to refer the words of Carcano once again.
" Our employer Parodi was really a good man. He was severe, but a man of character. He was entrapped by the close associates. It was nasty, disgusting... "
At this time, IMI laid off many employees. Not only Carcano, also Micucci, who was the designer of small GUZZI and first 3X3, and many person have left MOTO GUZZI.
In Italy there were some other examples of nationalization of private company, like Alfa Romeo, and each might have its own background. And also about the MOTO GUZZI, the officers would say some specious logic, like a reinforce of production efficiency, etc.
No, their work did service little.
After this event MOTO GUZZI came back again, but it has done on its own energy, and with one man's will who opposed to the officers.
Well, let's go back to the stage.
Development of V7 was let to the new team, with remained staff like Umberto Todero, the right hand man of Carcano, and new staff, like Lino Tonti, who was invited by SEIMM, the new management after IMI.


In 1962, most left is Tonti, still belonged to Bianchi. (ref. No. 19)

Lino Tonti was welcomed by various jobs, which is, drawing, test course, sales, and so on, namely, all.
He must pick up user's requests or claims, and feed back them to the design, realize it as a production model, and transfer to a mass production model, keeping fine quality.


A view of an activity at a sales. Most left is George Kerker, and far right is Tonti. (ref. No. 3)

V7 was a biggest motorcycle of MOTO GUZZI ever made, and its engine architecture was also new for it. And more, the north american market was new, too. V7's brushing up was continued after its debut in 1967.
One easy example of its maturity is the ribs on the surface of crank case. Very first model of V7 had a crank case with flat surface, and then as the model changing went on, ribs like a pattern of morning waffle has appeared. It reinforced crank case so stiff.
And many improvements like that made V7 good robust, then, it has become enough tough for a hard north american market.


Staffs of a north american dealer, most right is Kerker. (ref. No. 3)

In north american market, there was a strong back up of local dealer. They boldly began to sell V7 to police department.
U.S. police market was the newest and biggest official needs in the world of that day. And the success in that market was a proof of high performance and reliability. US dealer and MOTO GUZZI tried to pass the tests of Los Angels Police department (L.A.P.D) beyond the hard effort of George Kerker, US dealer staff who would become famous with his exhaust parts company after that, and Lino Tonti. Their succeed can be seen over the white GUZZI of U.S. police, and California models, with long handlebar and step board, which was required to fit the police staff who was already familiar with the riding position of Harley Davidson.


Which would fierce him or Inspector Harry Callahan ? (ref. No. 3)

The development of V7 continues after that, and Ambassador (757cc), Eldorado and GT (844cc) succeeded. Matured and loved as good heavy cruiser, V7 and its predecessor was manufactured until the mid of 1970's. Its production was quitted by De Tomaso, but the customers struggled to get remained new bikes, they say.


Nowadays they love Eldo, also in U.S. (ref. No. 3)

Tonti's next job was a try for a more sporty type of bike. Many customers requested it and the dealer desired it. But the bigotry SEIMM, organization of MOTO GUZZI of that days, was not interested in it at all.
Tonti knew how was the V7 through the jobs described above, and that may encouraged him to make it more faster one. That can be seen on the achievement of world speed record in 1969.


Speed trial in 1969 at Monza. (ref. No. 3)

Tonti was a racing motorbike designer in Bianchi, Paton, Linto, etc. before MOTO GUZZI. He knew how was the sports bike, and conditions that makes a bike interesting and exiting. He could design, and he also fabricate it for himself.
Here, one defiance has budded.
In 1970, he started new bike development in his own garage with some old friends of Aermacchi, apart from stubborn SEIMM and lazy fabrication line on strike. The object was the sports production race 750cc class. He thought it needs next three, max. speed more than 200km/h, weight less than 200kg, and 5 speed transmission.
Engine required few, some modification on V7 was the enough. Problem was frame, it was a bit too "flexible". He focused job on it.
He moved electrical system from between the two cylinder to the front end of engine, and dropped frame top tube there. He used straight pipes as much, and tightened its alignment as possible. It fits like a glove, but he also cared to fabrication and maintenance, its down tube was fixed by bolts, and it made easy to mount the engine unit. It brought good alignment, low steering head, high engine mount, deep bank angle, and then, the new double cradle frame becomes small, light, and strong.
Modification of transmission from 4 to 5 speed was easy for him. And then, the new bike appeared with its stylish silhouette. And the development was finishing over his own testing.
He worked so energetic that it may be him who desired this GUZZI sports bike most earnestly.

SEIMM disapproved Tonti's job. Their purpose was just a conservative benefit upon the models they already had. They didn't understand the reason why they should try new models beyond the risk with further investment at all.
The bud of defiance continued to grow.
First, he let the tasks on production to MOTO GUZZI technical division. Since V7 sport had many newly designed parts, mass production of it was not so easy. But Todero and his team worked well, and till the mid of 1971 its production was almost ready.
Next, he did with some strategic action against the marketing tasks, which is, the racing activity with "Telaio Rosso".
That is the racing special model of V7 sport, means "Red Frame". Its frame had same alignment with production models but made with different material. The engine was tuned up and assembled carefully one by one. Gas tank was painted green with the image of glory dustbin era, and the frame was red which reminds the historical horizontal single racers.


Telaio Rosso (ref. No. 3)

In 1971 June, at Monza 500km race, Telaio Rosso held second position for long time, and finished 3rd. Next Bold'Or 24hrs in Sep., 844cc Telaio Rosso kept 1st position at the beginning of the race for 10hrs, then finished 3rd and 6th.
"That cool and fast Italian eagle came back again to the circuit !"
Tonti showed what's the new GUZZI is, and the market was filled with the desire for it. Tonti's second task was achieved. SEIMM had no any reason to deny V7 sport.
It appeared Milan show in 1971, and from the latter half of that year, it began to run on the production line "too".


Telaio Rosso in Bold'Or (ref. No. 6)

I'd add some notes of Telaio Rosso.
It's not clear how many Telaio Rosso produced, but its scarcity might show some premium value, even though it had some weakness for its transmission. Someone say "It was produced 100 or 200 units, but now there remains only 500". There may be many fakes with the frame painted red afterward.
And there's another affections of it. It made notice for bike makers' managers that it's a efficient job to show market a racing model before its production begins. It may stir up their profit too.

I'd say V7 sport had two innovative point, that is, handling and styling.
It's fine handling is made on unique mass distribution. OHV V twin has cam in the crank case, and only minimum mechanism for valve action exists in engine head. Top of the engine is small, and Its mass distribution is concentrated near the crank case. The engine sits a bit high and forward compared to its rivals, that helps V7 sport to have more load on its front tire, and contributes to achieve high speed stability. For roll movement, engine moves with steering head linearly, so its handling is very smooth from beginning of the bank to the deep roll angle.
V7 sport has shaft drive system, but it doesn't behave rear body up and down much. Rear tire traction pushed steering head directly through the stiff Tonti frame,  so you can control the acceleration  smoothly enough.
At this time MOTO GUZZI changed the design theory of motorbike, which was, bring the load to rear wheel and make front wheel just to follow the body.  With V7 sport, you can control freely motorbike's body mass near steering head (namely your hand) with the traction of engine power. It's very comfort and enjoyable.
Braking stability may suffer high and front gravity point, but MOTO GUZZI was solving it with integral braking system.


These photo show easy comparison of V7 sport with its rivals, a bit rough drawing though.
From up to down, the models are,
  V7 Sport (1971 ref. no. 1),
  LAVERDA SFC (1971 ref. no. 11),
  MV 750 sport (1973 ref. no. 15).
Lines on the each photo shows
  height of steering head,
  height of crank shaft,
  wheel axle,
  tire contact point,
respectively. And the "X" shows the point of crank case.
You can see that V7 sport has
  steering head low,
  crank shaft high and front ,
compared to the rivals in its structure.

Also its styling was brilliant.
At that time, motorcycle market was changed from traditional view of old GUZZI lived. Almost all of the bikes exceeded its performance beyond the average bikers' ability. And the reliability has improved sufficiently, so riders didn't need to worry it would brake or not. Then the styling raised its value as important appeal point to the customers.
Tonti knew it, and he designed V7 sport to be a attractive silhouette. (Some references says there were some contributes of Bertone staff.) Seeing its low and condensed silhouette, customers expected power and speed, and it was reinforced by the image of Telaio Rosso dancing in the circuit. And for it's owners it also supported right handling and comfort for a long period with high reliability. That was a quite new style of MOTO GUZZI bike of next era.


Low and condensed mass appeals ready to run. (ref. No. 1)

These good points were took over with its successor, LeMans. And the frame developed at this time was arranged to many types of bikes, like basic type of "T" series, grand tourer "SP", American luxury "California", etc. It is used also nowadays, evaluated and appreciated by many riders.


Nowadays they love Tonti frame, also in Japan.

After this story, Mr. Lino Tonti concerns MOTO GUZZI till 1990's. He seems not to talk about his job so much. I don't know it's because he is silent, or there's any restrains or fitters still now.

 
Left : In De Tomaso era, MOTO GUZZI was obscured.  (from RIDERS CLUB No.57, 1988.3)
Right : Comparatively resent photo. (from Anima Guzzista http://www.guzzisti.it)

And at MOTO GUZZI factory, you may see Mr. Todero, who worked with Carcano and Tonti, still now.


Mr. Todero at his office.  (ref. No. 6)

Note.
Umberto Todero died at Sep. 2005, at 82 years old. I'd like to say thanks much and good bye.

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