How it started
History
Similar to other storied motorcycle manufacturers that have survived for decades, Moto Guzzi has experienced a series of business cycles and a series of ownership arrangements—some complex, some brief, some that have endured.
1921–1966: Origins
Moto Guzzi was conceived by two aircraft pilots and their mechanic serving in the Corpo Aeronautico Militare (the Italian Air Corp, CAM) during World War I: Giorgio Parodi, Giovanni Ravelli and Carlo Guzzi. Assigned to the same Miraglia Squadron based outside Venice, the three became close, despite coming from different socio-economic backgrounds. They envisaged creating a motorcycle company after the war. Parodi (the son of wealthy Genovese ship-owners) would finance the venture, Ravelli (already a famous pilot and motorcycle racer) would promote the bikes with his racing prowess and Guzzi would engineer the motorcycles. Ravelli died just days after the war's end in an aircraft crash and is commemorated by the eagle's wings that form the Moto Guzzi logo.
Giorgio Parodi, his brother Angelo, and Carlo Guzzi created a privately held silent partnership "Società Anonima Moto Guzzi" on 15 March 1921, for the purpose of (according to the original articles of incorporation) "the manufacture and the sale of motor cycles and any other activity in relation to or connected to metallurgical and mechanical industry".
The company was legally based in Genoa, Italy, with its headquarters in Mandello. The very earliest motorcycles bore the name G.P. (Guzzi-Parodi), though the marque quickly changed to Moto Guzzi. As the only shareholders, the Parodis wanted to shield their shipping fortunes by avoiding confusion of the name G.P. with Giorgio Parodi's initials. Carlo Guzzi initially received royalties for each motorcycle produced, holding no ownership in the company that bore his name. In 1946 Moto Guzzi formally incorporated as Moto Guzzi S.p.A. with Giorgio Parodi as chairman.
From Wikipedia’s article on Moto Guzzi, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2