The Moto Guzzi Corsa 4 V is a competition motorcycle that was introduced in 1924 as a development of the earlier 500 cc racing-class machines. This model represented a significant step forward in Moto Guzzi’s technical evolution, as it introduced more advanced engineering solutions compared with previous motorcycles, whilst maintaining a mechanical layout consistent with the company’s established design tradition. The Corsa 4 V was employed in official competitions and made a substantial contribution to shaping Moto Guzzi’s sporting identity during the 1920s. From a technical standpoint, the Corsa 4 V engine was derived from Moto Guzzi’s traditional horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke unit. It differed, however, through the adoption of a four-valve cylinder head with inclined valves, actuated by a single overhead camshaft driven via a bevel gear transmission. This configuration, fairly widespread in aeronautical engineering at the time, allowed for improved engine performance at higher engine speeds and distinguished the Corsa 4 V from many contemporary motorcycles within the same category. Overall, the motorcycle combined refined mechanical solutions with a still relatively simple structural layout, the effectiveness of which was demonstrated through numerous successes in a variety of sporting competitions both in Italy and abroad. The Corsa 4 V can therefore be regarded as one of the most representative models of Moto Guzzi’s early competitive endeavours and, more broadly, of Italian sporting motorcycles of the immediate post-war period.

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Motorcycle on temporary display, made in collaboration with the Associazione Siciliana Veicoli Storici - ASI