58 :OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA

Magni

StoryPeter Laverty

PhotosJim Scaysbrook,

OBA archives.

MAGNI MOTO GUZZI 1000 ARTURO

Around four years ago, Bruce Hollow was at

Sydney Motor Sports Park taking in the sights of the

annual Festival of Speed when he spied a sandwich

board sitting outside the pit garage occupied by

Steve Leembruggen, boss of Old Gold Motorcycles

and a keen Historic racer himself. The board

contained photos of bikes currently on offer, plus

shots of a few that were being prepared for

shipment from Japan. The one that really caught

Bruce’s eye was a vivid yellow Magni Moto Guzzi, so

he thought about it overnight before talking to Steve

In issue 67 we brought you the feature story on the Magni MB2

BMW, the fully-fared version of the boxer twin of which only

around 100 were built. That rare machine was imported to

Australia by Old Gold Motorcycles in Sydney, but it’s not the

only Magni to pass through their hands.

The All-Italian

the next day. “We just discussed the price and when

it would be in Sydney, shook hands and the deal was

done”, says Bruce. “Steve was great to deal with, I

was happy with the price and everyone said ‘You got

a bargain’. In the eighties, there was plenty of

money around in Japan and Magni sold quite a few

bikes there. I have seen videos of gatherings of

social rides from the period with several Magnis in

the shots, so there certainly were a few in Japan.”

Arturo Magni himself is one of the truly legendary

figures in European motorcycling. Born almost