1932 Moto Guzzi 250 SS
Extremely rare pre-war Moto Guzzi catalogue racer
Frame number; D 397
Engine number D 344
By 1926 the success of Moto Guzzi’s racing program was beginning to pay dividends and Guzzi introduced a 250 alongside the 500 C4V. With the classic Guzzi layout of a horizontal engine, tubular double-cradle frame and three-speed unit gearbox now well established, the 250 also followed this pattern. Unlike the 500, the 250 engine had square dimensions, with a 68x68mm bore and stroke, and a bevel-gear driven single overhead camshaft operating two valves. These had an included angle of 58 degrees, a very narrow angle for that time, and this undoubtedly contributed to be very high specific power output. In 1926 this was an extraordinary figure for normally aspirated engines, and only matched by the Delage and Bugatti Grand Prix cars. With an 8:1 compression ratio, the 15 horsepower was produced at 6,000rpm. Lubrication was dry sump and the oil reservoir was situated on top of the petrol tank.
In June 1926 Pietro Ghersi Ghersi astonished the partisan crowd at the Isle of Man by finishing second in the Lightweight TT Unfortunately, Ghersi was disqualified for changing an unspecified spark plug during the race but it had been an impressive racing debut in the most prestigious race in Europe. Further victories followed, Ugo Prini winning the Circuito del Lario, and Prini and Ghersi joint winners in Italy’s most important event of the year, the Nations Grand Prix held at Monza. The TT250 was then marketed as a catalogue racer and for 1927 a faster 250 SS supplemented it.
250 SS Guzzis won the Italian championship in 1927, and from 1930-33. In 1931 the 250 was again victorious in the Nations Grand Prix, Alfredo Panella and Riccardo Brusi taking the first two places. Ghersi attempted the Lightweight TT at the Isle of Man once more but retired. Other victories during 1931 included Prini’s win in the 250cc class of the Circuito del Lario, and Terzo Bandini’s victory in the 250cc Swiss Grand Prix held at Berne. 1931 also saw the introduction of a foot operated gearchange and single spring Brampton front fork. Factory bikes were fitted with either a hand or foot gearchange, sometimes both, and from 1932 the foot gearchange was an option on the catalogue 250 SS.
Race victories were hard to come by during 1933 and the Milano-Napoli event was a disaster for Moto Guzzi. Federico Susini, on a non-factory 250 SS, was victorious in the 250 class and the only Guzzi to finish. The 250 SS was sold through until 1934, by which time the three-speed gearbox was a limiting factor in its competitiveness as a racer and the bronze cylinder head had reverted back to cast-iron. From 1934 racing 250s were reserved for factory riders only.
Offered here is an extremely rare example of the 1932 catalogue racing Moto Guzzi 250 SS. It is provided with documents from the Piaggio company stating that it was produced on August 25 1932 and subsequently dispatched on August 29. The engine and frame numbers are correct and it is in good condition throughout.
To view high resolution images of the motorcycles, please follow the below Dropbox link;
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n5bcjb2nuoc16t4y3k5hs/h?dl=0&rlkey=exyqlbxilyvv4n3ue8jmppkbx
This motorcycle is sold unregistered.
