The company was established in Legnano, about 18 kilometres north-west of central Milan. For a short period cars were produced. In 1909 economic difficulties led to a closure of the company but it was taken over by business man Emilio Bozzi. In 1902 he had founded in Milan the Emilio Bozzi & Co. Bicycle factory. The brand used by Bozzi for its bicycles was “Aurora”.
Bozzi started a joint-venture with the Milan entrepreneur and industrialist Franco Tosi to produce Wolsit bicycles and already in 1910 they managed to produce 20,000 bicycles with a production force of 300 workers. Bozzi also used other brand names such as Athena, Aura, Gerbi and Legnano-Labor. In 1914 in addition to the bicycle production a single model of motorcycle was marketed.
It was built along British lines with TDC engine (built by T.D. Cross & Sons of Birmingham), Druid forks, Sturmey- Archer 3 speed hub gear, Zenith carburettor and Bosch magneto.
The engine was a side valve single with bore x stroke of 80×90 mm. The machine weighed 110 kg and it could reach a top speed of 75 km/h. In 1915 the production of the same model continued although allegedly the engine of the 1915 model had a 100 mm stroke and thus a capacity of 502cc. There is very little information available about this rare motorcycle; we have actually never seen another one. Tosi left the company in 1927 and subsequently the name was changed to Legnano. For a number of years the company also produced cycle motors and mopeds. It was taken over in 1987 by Bianchi. (Main source of information: Milani, “Moto Italiani”.)
This good-looking combination has been restored and is fitted with acetylene lighting with Rejna Zenardi Milano headlamp/ generator. Note the badges on the headstock and petrol tank: they depict Alberto da Giussano, a legendary warrior from the battle of Legnano that took place on May 29, 1176.
With the machine comes a facsimile of a 1920s registration book from the province of Brescia indicating that at that time a gentleman with the melodious name Signoroni Giovanni di Isidoro Salazzolo was the owner of this rare Wolsit.
Report by yesterdays.nl
