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The ORIGINAL MOTO GUZZI Trike Story by Ding Bob

'With a little help from my friends' as the song goes.

October 2005

Over the years I have been asked 'what got you started building trike's'.

This is part of the story on how it happened.

In 1983 a good friend of mine, Paul Walsh, went through the process of building and licensing one of the first home built custom trikes in Western Australia.

After that success I decided to have a go at building my own trike, so after many hours of planning and a lot of good advice from Paul I was off on my own trike building journey late in 1983.

To start I swapped a VD1000 Harley for a 1976 Moto Guzzi 850 T3.

Then the hunt was on for a rear suspension unit and diff and I decided on a split arm Subaru. I picked one up and the project was on its way in 1984.

Paul's help was invaluable and together we came up with the plans for the trike based around the Guzzi frame and front end and the Subaru diff and rear suspension.

An Architect friend of mine drew up the plans for the trike in return for some parts off an old EK Holden. I still have those drawings.

Then I hit a snag as I needed all the bits welded together. I had a 'proper' day job at that time and knew Mick Fiora because, through the company I worked for, I was able to give him sheet metal work. I had a chat to Mick and he agreed to do the welding on the Guzzi frame in return for a Harley bike frame. Mick could only do the work after hours and this suited me fine as I wanted to be there so that I could remain involved right through-out the project.

Okay, the frame was completed but now I had to work out how to build the body. Aldo to the rescue. He had a business converting Limo's and VW's convertibles. We came up with the idea of using the discarded roofs from cut up VW's to form the shape. Once again after a little bartering he helped beat out the panels from which we would make the plug for the body mould.

Now it was time to build the body. Having no idea how to do any fibreglassing work I had a chat to another mate Frank who had a fibreglass business. As payment we agreed that I would help in the shop with his work while he made the mould and finished the body for The Guzzi in his spare time. I thought that was great because I was getting hands on 'glassing' experience and still got to work on the trike.

At this time I decided on the rear tail lights from a HQ Holden and we shaped them into the body.

I entered the trike in the 1985 Hot Rod Show / Car Spectacular as an unfinished project. But we were well and truly on our way.

By now my wife Lora was starting to ask questions as I was spending so much time away from home and excuses like "Oh I am working late again" weren't cutting it anymore.

However by this time I had the trike finished and with the help of friends and the good old Australian 'mates rates' it had cost me next to nothing in monetary terms, which pleased Lora no end.

By this time it was 1986 and I took the trike in for licensing. An engineer tested all aspects of the bike and passed it with flying colours, much to my relief. In fact it was highly commended, even above some other quality trikes of the time.

I used the Guzzi for daily transport for a number of years and even rode it to the Philip Island Grand Prix in 1989

The rest is history and I have been designing and building trikes ever since and as an added bonus, I am still married. Without the help and support of Lora I certainly wouldn't be at the point I am now.

The only thing that has marred the journey, and made me a little sad, is the fact that another person is claiming to have had a major part in the building of The Guzzi. This is simply not true.

As this person has recently started his own trike building business it makes no sense whatsoever as I am sure he has ideas of his own.

At this point I would like to thank the people who helped with the Original Guzzi - Lora for being there - Paul - My architect mate - Aldo - Frank and all the other people, whom I respect and remain friends with. They all started this journey with me and some 20 years on we are still travelling. Older and hopefully wiser.

Footnote: I still have the Guzzi and it is still licensed.     

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