1959 Moto Guzzi Zigolo on 2040-motos

Moto Guzzi Zigolo description

This is a 1959 Moto Guzzi Zigolo Series 2 which I have owned and ridden for seven years. The person I bought it from did not know the history of this bike or how it ended up here, so I don't know how many owners there have been. My understanding is that the Zigolo was never officially imported and that consequently there are very few in the U.S. I mean very few like a dozen. Maybe some Guzzi expert will see this and shed some light; what I do know is that I've had it in a couple parts of the country and of all the hundreds of people - expert or otherwise - who just have to approach me every time I park it, no one has ever seen one in person, if at all. I've never cared about how rare it may or may not be, I just love the bike and have tried to honor it. I feel pretty safe in saying that, with a couple small exceptions, this is a 100% unmolested original. I replaced the tires, brake, throttle and clutch cables, all of which were basically unsafe when I bought it. I'm pretty sure the spark plug and wire have also been changed, but not by me. I think you should be able to see by the tire photos how many miles I've put on it. Of course you can't be sure because there is obviously no odometer, but suffice to say not many. As you may know, many of the Guzzi's of this era were named after birds. Zigolo translates to Bunting, which is what you see where the speedometer would ordinarily be. I can tell you without hesitation that of the half-dozen or so vintage bikes I've owned, this is without question the most reliable. Even at times where it hasn't been ridden for 6 months, it starts in about 6 kicks. Seriously. It's hard not to wear a smile on this thing, but at 54 years-old and 98cc's, you're not going to be setting any speed records. I don't really know what to tell you about it that you can't generally see. It's a pretty straightforward 2 stroke single and it runs like a top. It's my belief that the seat will be structurally useable, but the upholstery is definitely shot. It has numbers on the frame and the engine, which match. I don't know if this is the 40th one made of this version, but that seems to be the accepted wisdom. I do know that this was the last year of the scissor / friction rear shocks, which to my eye is way way more desirable. The modern shocks they started using in 1960 ruined the beautiful lines of this model in my opinion. So this has been a hard decision to come to and I will be truly sorry to see it go. I live in a hilly place now, which is not really where it wants to be, and it's collecting more dust than miles. I'm aware that it would be a sought after piece for collectors, but hope it will end up with someone who will ride it. As difficult as it will be to part with, I'm of the mindset that if I am not going to use it the way it's intended, someone else should have a go. There is a short video of it starting and running, but I'm not clever enough to get around the new ebay regulations which will not let me give you the link. You should have no problem finding it if you go to you tube and search "Moto Guzzi Ziglolo". I do not care if you pick it up in person or have it shipped. If you are going to ship it, please read the following carefully: Shipping is 100% your responsibility - I will get it to the end of my driveway and wish you the best. I will not calculate, arrange, pay for, or in any way be involved in the process other than opening my garage door when the truck arrives. Sorry, I've sold a couple of items recently whose buyers somehow became really unclear. It will be coming from 84103. If you're not picking it up and paying in cash, I will expect some sort of instant method like paypal or wire transfer. Sadly I do not have any of the original paperwork, but I do have a title in my name which is clear, in-hand (and fairly amazing.) Thanks for your time, good luck and happy bidding. Remember, they're only original once and if you don't like this one, by all means wait for the next.