Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Moto Guzzi Albatros 250 was a racing motorcycle produced by the Moto Guzzi motorcycle manufacturer between 1939 and 1949. Built in just 59 examples, however, it boasts 872 victories in its register, a number that rivals that of the most successful motorcycle ever, the Norton Manx, also winning two European Championships and two Tourist Trophies in the two-year period 1947-1948. The winning formula lies, in addition to the notable qualities of lightness, in the architecture of the engine, thanks to the strongly finned horizontal cylinder with the uncovered head, which allows for optimal cooling and a low center of gravity, and a rigidity and compactness of the crankcase (to allow (this means the flywheel, magneto and oil pump are located externally). Furthermore, to ensure the greatest possible cooling, abundant dry sump lubrication was applied, facilitated by a delivery pump and a recovery pump with high flow rates (2 liters at 7500 rpm) which connect the engine to the oil tank - placed above the petrol one - with a capacity of five litres. Furthermore, the single overhead cam distribution with slightly inclined valves to facilitate combustion and square bore and stroke dimensions suitable for high revs contributed to creating one of the most successful motorcycles ever. It was also a perfect motorbike for private racers, as the engine was extremely reliable and free from large vibrations, and spare parts were always available; maintenance and setup were facilitated thanks to the references stamped on the various components. The only defects, noted by Lorenzetti, were the undersized front brake, the flexibility of the fork, the abrupt reactivity of the front and rear springs and the risk of burning yourself on the oil tank when riding lowered. The first Albatros produced produced 20 HP at the wheel at 7500 rpm with 50% petrol/benzene fuel, but in post-war racing commercial petrol was used, extremely low in octane (with a minimum of 72), for which the compression was reduced from 8.5 to 8 and a consequent loss of around two horsepower; only after the Second World War did increasingly richer petrols (reaching 98 octane) make it possible to bring the compression to 9 and to add two horsepower to the originals (thanks also to the adoption of higher-performance cams and the new 32 carburettor to replace the original 30), leading to a power of 22 HP at the wheel and 24 HP at the crankshaft, and pushing the Albatros to a speed of 150 kilometers per hour.
The Moto Guzzi Albatros 250 was a racing motorcycle produced by the Moto Guzzi motorcycle manufacturer between 1939 and 1949. Built in just 59 examples, however, it boasts 872 victories in its register, a number that rivals that of the most successful motorcycle ever, the Norton Manx, also winning two European Championships and two Tourist Trophies in the two-year period 1947-1948. The winning formula lies, in addition to the notable qualities of lightness, in the architecture of the engine, thanks to the strongly finned horizontal cylinder with the uncovered head, which allows for optimal cooling and a low center of gravity, and a rigidity and compactness of the crankcase (to allow (this means the flywheel, magneto and oil pump are located externally). Furthermore, to ensure the greatest possible cooling, abundant dry sump lubrication was applied, facilitated by a delivery pump and a recovery pump with high flow rates (2 liters at 7500 rpm) which connect the engine to the oil tank - placed above the petrol one - with a capacity of five litres. Furthermore, the single overhead cam distribution with slightly inclined valves to facilitate combustion and square bore and stroke dimensions suitable for high revs contributed to creating one of the most successful motorcycles ever. It was also a perfect motorbike for private racers, as the engine was extremely reliable and free from large vibrations, and spare parts were always available; maintenance and setup were facilitated thanks to the references stamped on the various components. The only defects, noted by Lorenzetti, were the undersized front brake, the flexibility of the fork, the abrupt reactivity of the front and rear springs and the risk of burning yourself on the oil tank when riding lowered. The first Albatros produced produced 20 HP at the wheel at 7500 rpm with 50% petrol/benzene fuel, but in post-war racing commercial petrol was used, extremely low in octane (with a minimum of 72), for which the compression was reduced from 8.5 to 8 and a consequent loss of around two horsepower; only after the Second World War did increasingly richer petrols (reaching 98 octane) make it possible to bring the compression to 9 and to add two horsepower to the originals (thanks also to the adoption of higher-performance cams and the new 32 carburettor to replace the original 30), leading to a power of 22 HP at the wheel and 24 HP at the crankshaft, and pushing the Albatros to a speed of 150 kilometers per hour.
