Marushu lilac 250

[troyhamilton]

could this be where the v twin guzzis came from?
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2061199857513899/

[Tusayan]

A more likely model for the Guzzi shaft driven longitudinal crank v-twin is the Indian 841.  There are others, Guzzis mid-60s design was not an original or unique configuration, it was just a convenient way to build a motorcycle utilizing car technology to last 100K km for the Italian government.

[pete roper]

The Lilac V-Twin was essentially a copy of the Victoria-Bergermeister from Germany but much, much more horrid. I know. I used to own five of them!

[Moto]

I think the case for the 1953 Lambretta 250 GP Racer as the immediate model for Guzzi's later v-twin is the strongest. Googling will get you to the story.

Moto

[n3303j]

They fixed the abnormalities in later machines.

[pete roper]

They fixed the abnormalities in later machines.

No they didn't! The flat twins were horrible as well! 

[JukeboxGothic]

Um Yeh. Look up AJS S3 from 1931. Brough did one as well and probably a few others I cant remember off hand. P and M (Phelon and Moore) Panthette 1926, a 250.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I very nearly bought aMarushu 500 twin in 1965.  They were considered (at the time) to be a good looking BMW.
 Flat twin and just as quiet and very smooth.

[JohninVT]

Victoria Bergmeister’s are beautiful. 

[Aaron D.]

Indian also made some.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Um Yeh. Look up AJS S3 from 1931. Brough did one as well and probably a few others I cant remember off hand. P and M (Phelon and Moore) Panthette 1926, a 250.

AJS


Panthette


Both of those had chain final drive though.

As Tusayan wrote, I really do think the one that possibly influenced Guzzi would have been the Indian 841. There could have been some left in Italy after WWII and Carcano et al could have seen them. But, Guzzi built two 90 degree v-twins prior to the V7/V700 - the one meant for a Fiat car and the other in the "Mechanical Mule" 3x3 military vehicle.