The Tonti frame stands out in red on this 1972 V7 Sport1955 LinTo-Aermacchi Record1969 Linto 500GP
Lino Tonti (September 16, 1920 – June 8, 2002) was an Italian motorcycle engineer known for designing a number of sport and racing motorcycles in the 1950s and 1960s, and for creating his signature 'Tonti frame' for Moto Guzzi's 1971 V7 Sport, setting his stamp on all Moto Guzzis since.[1][2]
Lino Tonti joined Moto Guzzi in 1967 to replace Carcano. There he developed the V7 Sport and the small-block V50.
In the 1970s, Tonti helped his longtime friend Reno Leoni in his efforts to fit Ducatifork dampers in the Moto Guzzi racer he was campaigning in American AMA Superbike racing.[3]
Linto racing motorcycle
In 1967, Tonti built the Linto Grand Prix racer with his assistant Alcide Biotti. The motorcycle was powered by a pair of 250cc Aermacchi-Harley Davidson four-stroke, single-cylinder engines joined. It was a six-speed pushrodstraight-twin engine using the cylinders and heads from Aermacchi's horizontal single DS racer, combined with a new crankcase.[4] The machine attained fourth place in the 1968 championship, and placed second in 1969, and continued to make appearances against more powerful two-strokes in 1970, 1971 and 1972.[4]
