About Moto Guzzi

Founded by Carlo Guzzi in 1921, the Italian motorcycle company won 45 World Championship Grand Prix races and seven World Championship titles in the 250, 350 and 500cc classes between 1949 and 1956.

In 1955 Moto Guzzi produced the world?s first (and only) V8 Grand Prix motorcycle, the Otto Cilindri. With an overall weight of just 148 kg the 500cc racer reached a top speed of 280 km/h - after the factory pulled out of racing in 1957 it would be twenty more years before a racing 500cc motorcycle attained that speed again.

The Italian company, that invented the motorcycle centre stand, is also credited with being the first motorcycle manufacturer to have its own dedicated wind tunnel.

Since discontinuing racing Moto Guzzi has concentrated on building mainly touring and sports machines, all using their signature across-the-frame V-Twin engines with shaft drive to the rear wheel.

Owned today by the industrial giant Piaggio, who also own Vespa, Aprilia, Derbi and Gilera, the factory produces under a thousand bikes a month, and these are snapped up by the growing body of Guzzi fans around the world.

The Piaggio Group announced that Moto Guzzi sales in 2011 had increased by 31% over the previous year, and they would invest almost 50 million Euros (R 500 million) in the company over the next five years. The money will be spent on updating and expanding the Mandello del Lario factory and developing new models that are true to the Moto Guzzi tradition.

Moto Guzzi products are distributed in South Africa by Kawasaki Motors South Africa. KMSA also imports and distributes Aprilia, Triumph, Aeon, PGO and Zongshen motorcycles, scooters, watercraft and quads

KMSA, a subsidiary of Associated Motor Holdings, has been the sole official importer of all Kawasaki motorcycle and personal watercraft products for Southern Africa since 1975. Associated Motor Holdings, a subsidiary of the Imperial Group, is KMSA's major shareholder, with the balance of ownership being held by Kawasaki Motors South Africa's management. .

Information related to the Promotion of Access to Information Act can be found on the Imperial Holdings website http://www.imperial.co.za.