Mandello capital of Moto Guzzi passion
It happened again. The desire to meet, to return to the birthplace of their Moto Guzzis, to celebrate together is a necessity for every Guzzista. And it is beautiful to see the entire town of Mandello del Lario mobilized in every way in order to express a deep love for Moto Guzzi and for its enthusiasts, who came en masse this year once again, creating all together (about thirty thousand) a wonderful celebration spread over a large slice of the Mandello territory: from the factory area – which also hosted a good part of the Moto Guzzi activities themselves despite the plant being in full renovation – to Piazza Leonardo da Vinci up to Piazza Garibaldi, the latter connected by Via Manzoni, also home to various initiatives offered to the general public.
Moto Guzzi opened its doors to the never-ending flow of visitors to the always fascinating Museum, as well as to the wind tunnel and the engine assembly room; in the parking lot in front of the factory, the shop and the registration point for the Test Rides, starting from the train station parking lot, all satisfied the hunger for memorabilia and the desire to try the coveted – if not next – Moto Guzzi model.
In the other exclusive areas, the offer of events and attractions for all Guzzi enthusiasts has never been so rich: in the parking lot near the factory, the ASI set up a large stand again, full of content and meetings with historical figures. As for the historical theme, in Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, behind the always popular monument to Carlo Guzzi, the displays (and ignitions!) of a large collection of racing and special Moto Guzzis teased and charmed the large audience; the area of via Manzoni was an exciting collection in stages: from the second edition of the Aquila Market, to the first steps (or rather revs) on motorbikes offered to the little ones by the Bimbi in Moto Association, to the exhibition of the Alpini and the Freccia Rossa della Bontà; from the exceptional presence of two jewels of the Armed Forces (the sidecar based on a V7 of the Padua Police Corps and the only 3×3 Mulo Meccanico still in operation from the Alpine Training Centre of the Moena Police), to the historic exhibition of the Moto Guzzi three-wheeled work trucks.
In Piazza Garibaldi, the nerve center of meeting and gathering, the many Guzzisti who attended viewed in admiration the specials and special parts of the 10 stands along the Custom Street, preceded by the sponsors’ stands, while on the other side of the square the organization’s stand whetted the appetite for lottery tickets and gadgets dedicated to the event, while on the side the great travelers on their tireless Moto Guzzis of the “Le vie del Naco” group welcomed those curious about travel stories.
The two art exhibitions were quite impactful: the Lido Multipurpose Centre hosted the splendid exhibition by Ettore Gambioli, a precious opportunity to admire the originals of his famous drawings and portraits of our favourite motorbikes up close in every detail (in addition to the possibility of meeting him in person), while at the Square Art Centre space it was possible to see up close one of the Moto Guzzis that belonged to Antonio Ligabue: a beautiful Sport 14, surrounded by a very rich collection of black and white images of the rallies of the 80s and other splendid works – pictorial and sculptural – themed on Moto Guzzi. Two very large exhibitions reflecting the passion for Moto Guzzis in the form of art.
For those who don’t like to stay still, the Moto Tour of the museums and the visit to the Torre Maggiana gave the opportunity for a pleasant jaunt, while Friday evening the Fabrizio De André theatre hosted the screening of the film “Volevo Nascondermi” on the life of Antonio Ligabue presented by the managers of the House Museum dedicated to the great painter who were present for the occasion, preceded by the splendid short film made by Moto Guzzi “Road to Mandello” with the presence of three of the four protagonists.
This would have been a rich program in itself, but let’s not forget the fascinating catwalk of the Fashion and Motors show, with the wonderful outfits of Sartoria Attaccabottone accompanied by the jewels of Gioielleria El Dorado with the bouquets of Di Fiore in Fiore worn by the charming girls of the Polisportiva and dedicated to each decade, accompanied by a corresponding Moto Guzzi model. And in the evening the party exploded to the notes of rock’n’roll emanating from the three stages for each evening of the event. Equally important were the plentiful refreshment points in every part of the town, there to quench the thirst of a continuous flow of Guzzi fans between events, points of reference also for socializing, an appropriate verb and inspired by the desire to share our infinite passion for Moto Guzzi! Finally, the lottery offered five important prizes, starting with the mouth-watering Moto Guzzi V7 Stone in a unique livery dedicated to the event; second prize the mini-cruise in the Mediterranean, followed by a helmet, jacket and leather trunk all distinctively branded Moto Guzzi.
A big THANK YOU goes not only to the organization of the event (ASD Polisportiva, Città dei Motori, Coop. Incontro Onlus, Canottieri Moto Guzzi, Corpo Musicale Mandellese, Laghèe prospect club MC, Alberto Sala Design, in collaboration with the Municipality of Mandello del Lario), but also to the many volunteers who supported the activities of the artists, associations and owners of the motorcycles made available; to the Pro Loco, GAMAG and – last but not least – to our sponsors: Acinque main sponsor and the official sponsors Agostini, FCA, Mistral.
Thanks to everyone who attended the great party and see you at the next Motoraduno Internazionale Città della Moto Guzzi 2025!
Source: Moto Guzzi
