Moto Morini

Moto Morini is a company incorporated in Bologna by Alfonso Morini 1937 Italian motorcycle manufacturing company.

The headquarters of today's Moto Morini SpA is Casalecchio in the province of Bologna / Italy.

History and historical model series

Before the Second World War, the company employed primarily with the production of load - tricycles. But even immediately after Morini created his first motorcycle, the 125 Turismo, which - like many other manufacturers at this time also - bonds on the DKW RT 125 took. The Turismo with a typical two-cycle engine was ahead of time in that they had a Geradfederung the rear wheel.

Quickly followed by a sports and a Super Sport version, the development culminating in the Competizione, on the Alberti in 1948 won the Italian championship. Famous drivers like Alberto Pagani, Raffaele Alberti Umberto Masetti or started with the Competizione successful. The two-stroke models remained until 1953 in the program.

To the emerging market Mondials oppose with double ochres something that followed the two-stroke Competizione 1951 123 cc factory racing machine with chain -driven overhead camshaft. She followed the general trend towards four-stroke principle.

For customers, published in 1953 as the first four-stroke models, the 175 Turismo 8.5 hp and the famous Settebello on the market. The Settebello 175 was offered until 1958 as a road-suited Production Racer for ambitious participants in the well-known long -distance races like Milano -Taranto or the Giro d' Italia and was predestined with about 15 hp from 175 cc racing. The range in 1954 was supplemented by the sports version of Gran Turismo with 11 hp. A Super Sport version made ​​13 HP and must be regarded as suitable for everyday use alternative to Settebello 175.

The type " Settebello 175 branches Corte " was created in 1958 as a pure racing machine in a few copies, and was still used until the early 1970s by private drivers. All engines of this series followed the same principle of a single-cylinder OHV with pushrods and rocker arms. The Morini were generally considered very reliable.

1956, the model Briscola with 17- inch wheels and fork with short swingarm pushed as an economically priced alternative to the market.

From 1958 the new Tresette replaced all previous 175er models, thus ensuring clarity in the wide range of models. There was also this model in a sports version as Sprint with 13 hp. Both were offered until 1963. A ³ to 250 cm drilled version called Settebello 250 GTI and should 1965-1969 especially conquer the American market, which largely failed.

The factory racing model Rebello as the successor of the 123 cc factory racing machine scored with 175 cc OHC and DOHC engine with initially 22 hp from 1955 a number of significant national and international success.

From Rebello 250 GP Bialbero was developed in the following years, from 1961 to the Tarquinio Provini also at the international level was incredibly fast. In 1963, he missed even just two points for the world title against Jim Redman on the four-cylinder Honda. With last up to 40 hp, this machine is still regarded as the fastest 250 cc single-cylinder history.

The model range in 1956 down completed by the 98th Sbarazzino, an interesting, at his time of modern OHV single cylinder with parallel overhead valves, four gears and 17 -inch wheels, the basis for many subsequent models until 1975. Early as 1958 addition was the congeneric Corsaro 125, which appeared in the following years in various Turismo, sport and off-road versions with up to 160 cc and 5 - speed transmissions, with fairly good sales success.

Noteworthy are the off-road racing versions that Regolarita Casa, the ³ were available with 98, 122, 143 and 163 cm 1967-1975. With them were a number of grounds competitions, including also Six-Day Events, successfully disputed. In Moped area came in 1963 with the Corsarino a 48 cc four-stroke engine on the market. They launched a completely independent new development is and was offered until 1976 in several variants, including with 60 cc.

Died in 1969 company founder Alfonso Morini, and his daughter Gabriella took over the management of the company.

In 1971, there was a completely new development at Morini. The 3 ½ had to have a 72- degree V - twin cylinder OHV engine, the first time it was in a motorcycle fitted as standard with an electronic ignition and a 6 -speed transmission. The Heron combustion chamber concept and the timing belt for the first time used to drive the central camshaft are also worth mentioning. It was designed by engineer Franco Lambertini. The 344 - cc engine delivered 35 hp version of the tour, and even 39 HP model in sport. 1973 First came the tour model 3 ½ T on the market, in 1974 the sports version 3 ½ S. The torquey powerful and durable engine was in details constantly evolving, however, maintained in principle. He found until 1991 in a variety of size and performance variants to a prototype with 478 cc and turbocharger use. Was ½ - motor with changed bore and Hubabmessungen - As the successor to the 1975 set Corsaro models the 125H, the engine almost a halved 3 appeared.

1978 was followed by the 3 ½ logical consequence a 478 cc version, first with five gears, and later with 6- speed gearbox, which graduated its model range and engines modular system upwards. In half the execution a 239 cc single-cylinder OHV engine was available as 250T only a year earlier. The good chassis could not compensate for the low engine power and the strong vibrations of 250 and limited their success, their construction was finished in 1980. In their place appeared with the 250J then again a real V2 engine with the same displacement, but also sold only in small numbers. The 478- cc models have been criticized for the standard only modest engine power.

An old site experiences Morini tied the end of 1981 with the Camel 500, a light Enduro with a slightly modified 478 cc engine from the road model and recognized good terrain features that the Camel 501 mutant 1985 with 507- cc engine, a spirit of the times corresponding enduro motorcycles. Thus, the V- series engine had received the strongest with 43 ​​hp motor all Morini - series models. Parallel to the Camel published in 1982, the smaller -displacement 350cc Kanguro, a light, sporty and suitable for everyday use enduro, like the Camel was built until 1989 in some versions, and whose characteristics corresponded to the respective Camel model. Also, a 125 cc Enduro was available, but with its engine is not competitive.

1986 Moto Morini was acquired by brothers Castiglioni. Their group united beside the marks Cagiva, Ducati and Husqvarna and now Moto Morini. The name should cover the market area chopper in the Group in the future. Under the new government came in Morini factory soft chopper models Excalibur 350/501 and New York 350/501. The bikes were called from 1989 Coguaro 350/501 and were on a further improved technical standard for the athletically ambitious rider, the fully enclosed Dart 350, outside of Italy as a Dart 400, a synthesis of a pre-existing 125 cc Cagiva model and the now antiquated V2 engine.

In 1991 the production of Morini motorcycles was Cagiva set and the brand disappeared. The rights to the brand name Moto Morini were sold in 1999 at the well-known through their built-in motors Motori Franco Morini company in Bologna. One of the owners is Maurizio Morini, a nephew of Alfonso Morini.

On 2 December 2004 Franco Morini presented at the Motor Show Bologne two new models which should be produced from the summer of 2005 under the brand Moto Morini in the newly built plant in Casalecchio. The 9 ½ and the Corsaro 1200 have, inter alia, a tubular space frame, a 50 -mm upside-down fork from Marzocchi and a water-cooled 87 -degree DOHC V2 engine with 1187 cc; the 9 ½ with smaller valves, camshafts and other adapted motor management to 86 kW ( 117 hp ) and 102 Nm throttled. The engine was again developed by engineer Franco Lambertini, creator of the legendary 3 ½ in 1973.

For 2008, inter alia, the Moto Morini Granpasso was introduced in 1200, a large touring enduro.

Mid-2011 was bought by the company Eagle Bike the Moto Morini motorcycle and scooter production.

2012, production was resumed and expanded the model to the Rebello 1200. The machines are to order now only via the homepage of the manufacturer. In the site you will also find the service provider.