Old Bike Australasia – July 21, 2019

OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA: 61

that carried the rear axle. In the Italian fashion of
the day, the movement was controlled by a vertical
spring and friction dampers.
The Le Mans was a sales success and was
followed in 1987 by the Arturo 1000 and the
Classico 1000. Both these followed the traditional
styling of the Le Mans with a circular headlight set
in a bikini style quarter fairing. The styling certainly
appealed to the Japanese, who became the Varese
company’s principle export market. In 1989 the
Sfida (Challenger) 1000 appeared, further refining
the design, and continuing the healthy sales. The
Sfida grew to an 1100 by 1995, the first Magni to
employ fuel injection.
The Magni-Guzzi marriage reached its culmination
with the impressive and now highly collectable
Magni Australia model – a tribute to the long-time
local importer Ted Stolarski from Perth who died in

1994. The Australian used the Daytona engine and
      transmission in Magni’s frame, which was changed
      from the twin rear shock design used in the earlier
      Sfida to a single shock set up with a White Power
      shock absorber, still employing the Parallelogram
      system for the swinging arm. Stolarski commissioned
      Magni to build two bikes for the new BEARS (British,
      European, American Racing Series) with modified
      Daytona engines and Magni frames in Australasian
      racing and at Daytona in USA (painted in patriotic
      green and yellow with a ‘boxing kangaroo’ on the

fairing) with Owen Coles in the saddle in the late

1980s. Magni’s Australia model first appeared in

1993 in 2-valve form. After 75 of these were built, a

4-valve version came on stream in 1998, developing

a reputed 102 horsepower and fitted with Weber

Marelli fuel ignition. Titled the Australia 98, the

frame’s head angle was brought back to 24 degrees

and 50 examples were produced. Altogether, around

700 Moto-Guzzi engined Magnis were produced, the

bumper years being in 1990 and 1991. Even more

could have been built – there was certainly no

shortage of willing customers – but the engines were

never available in sufficient quantities, or within the

promised time frame, while Moto Guzzi was under

the ownership of De Tomaso.

As the ‘nineties dawned, Arturo began to scale

back his involvement in the company, while son

Carlo left to pursue other business interests,

COVER STORY

Magni’s bespoke rear suspension swinging arm.