Published in MC avisa 23.06.2022 at 07:19

Text and photo: Ole-Andreas Isdahl.

Last week, the motorcycle magazine “Guzzi Week” aimed to learn and understand more about the Guzzi culture, the drivers and not least why these people love their motorcycles so much!
For some reason, guzzlers get a very close relationship with their motorcycle, which is rarely sold – the guzzler just buys more!
During the preparations for this week, we heard about the Gundersen family from Ulefoss who have an unusual passion and a beating heart for restoring and rebuilding Moto Guzzi, and the interest is actually shared by the whole family.

The family’s interest is led by father Sture Gundersen, who can best be described as an innovative perfectionist with very special skills!
Sture, who through his profession has also worked with innovation and development, is quite simply a perfected jack-of-all-trades who maintains an unusually high standard.
He spends time, thinks, analyzes before he decides and implements.
Only the best is good enough, and the details are exquisite and tasteful.

 

 

We are so impressed that we choose to refer to the family as “Moto Gundersen”, because this is simply a brand that an entire family, each in their own way, lives up to with their own style and skills.
And that’s cool.
A completely appropriate name for the small community in Ulefoss.

 

Sture’s interest in motorcycles dates back to his youth, but like many others, he was without a motorcycle for many years.
When his interest returned, it started with the purchase of an 1100 Sport that was test ridden on a February evening in Oslo, in light snow (madness, according to Sture).
This was the start of a passion that, after many hours of study, innovation and hard work, eventually led to a hefty portfolio consisting of:

– V75 1986

– Centauro 1000 1996

– V75 1986

In addition, he has:

– 1100 Sport 1995

– California II 1984

– Stelvio NTX 2011

 

The bikes eventually become unrecognizable with exquisite and stylish details that you actually have to sit down to discover.
Sture is happy to discard work he’s not happy with, and most of it is modeled with templates before the part is produced.
Sture always starts with the tank to get the proportions right, and even the tank lid, seats and dipsticks for the oil are designed and custom-made.
Absolutely insanely beautiful.

 

Just look at the battery box with the power and fuse termination points covered with Plexiglas and locking pins!

The Guzzi interest has gradually inspired the whole family, each of whom has developed a passionate relationship with Guzzi in their own way.
Son Brage and daughter Gølin with partner Jørgen Bergheim have all become passionate Guzzis, perhaps a little more functionally oriented, but with exactly the same passion.
The young people are probably a little more interested in riding Moto Guzzi, but of course they have their own projects going on.
Brage has just bought a bright yellow V65 Lario to be rebuilt, so it’s good to have a father who knows what it takes to succeed.

Six years ago, Gølin test rode a Honda, but was not approved.
Gølin wanted something different and had been let loose on a Moto Guzzi Breva 750, which she fell head over heels for.

His mother, Bente Marie Finckenhagen, could probably be described as patient.
But then she was also bribed with a grand piano before Sture bought his first Guzzi.
At times, there have been tough negotiations about scrapping requirements before something new could be brought in.
According to the source, Sture interpreted these agreements with the kind of discretionary power of four wheels out – two new bikes in!

 

Not just a good mechanic:

There’s so much more we’d love to share about this family that has a very special heart for Moto Guzzi.
Later, we’ll delve a little deeper into the projects that each take hundreds of hours to complete.
During the exhibition at Straand Hotel, several people wanted to buy, but as the Guzzis themselves say, you don’t sell your children!

To highlight all sides of Sture, we asked him to join us for a ride and photoshoot on Saturday with the new bikes we brought with us from the Motorcenter at Rud, and boy was the guy a really good driver too.
With perfect driving skills, he made the ride look just as beautiful and cool as the exhibits.
Driving pleasure and driving skills are important components in a motorcyclist’s life, and we think it’s cool that Sture masters so many aspects of motorcycle life.
It’s also not often that we come across entire families who share the passion so strongly, and that can only be an inspiration.

Thank you to Sture and the whole family for letting us share the weekend’s experiences with you – we are mightily impressed and we thank you for the days with the family and the wonderful Guzzi.