Today in motorcycle history, February 18, 1987

 

  Moto Morini.  Moto Morini. 

  Alfonso Morini began building Moto Morini motorcycles in Bologna in 1937.  But first...at the age of sixteen, Alfonso opened a small workshop.  Then in 1925 Mario Mazzetti, impressed by Morini’s work, asked him to build a single-cylinder 120cc two-stroke racing bike, making Alfonso the designer, constructor, and racer.  They were a successful team, racing under the MM name.

 

  Then WWII interupted things and in 1943 the factory was bombed.

 

  Undeterred, in 1946, a new three-speed transmission, single cylinder, two-stroke T125 emerged from the new Bologna factory.  In 1953 a 175 cc pushrod OHV four-stroke model appeared in production.  Models like Gran Turismo, Settebello, Rebello, Supersport, Briscola, Tresette, and Tresette Sprint also appeared.  In 1956 Moto Morini moved to a larger production facility at Via Bergami.

 

In 1948, Raffaele Alberti won the Italian Championship for Lightweight Motorcycles on a two-stroke 125 Competition. Umberto Masetti won the Italian Championship for Lightweight Motorcycles in 1949, on a 125 SOHC four-stroke that produced 12 hp (8.9 kW) @ 10000 rpm, and could exceed 140 km/h (87 mph).  In 1952 Moto Morini won races outside of Italy with the 125 SOHC four-stroke, as Emilio Mendogni won both the Nations Grand Prix, and the Spanish Grand Prix.

  In 1961, Giacomo Agostini began his racing career on a Moto Morini Settebello “Short Rods”, coming second at Trento-Bondone. Agostini was Italian Cadet Champion in 1962, and Italian Junior Champion in 1963. Tarquinio Provini, riding a Moto Morini 250 GP, won the Italian Championship in 1961 and 1962. In 1963, Provini convinced Alfonso Morini that they should try for the World Championship. Provini would wage a season-long battle with Honda's Jim Redman for the 250 world championship.  Each rider won four races and the title wasn't decided until the final race in Japan, with Redman winning the championship over Provini by two points!

  In early 1971, Moto Morini launched their first 72° V-twin motorcycle with Heron heads.  The Morini 3 1/2.  Great start to the decade but, by the late 70's the good times began to fall due to bad design and limping sales. 

   The early 1980s did not go as well for Moto Morini, with labour disputes and diminishing sales both dragging them down. Then on February 18, 1987 hope arrived when Gabriella Morini sold the firm to the Castiglioni firm, Cagiva.  But, despite their assurances that Moto Morini was important to them, the company was allowed to decline.

  In 1988 the Dart 350, a fully race faired version of the 72° V-twin, appeared.  In 1989 the last enduro version, the Coguaro appears, in 350 and 500 versions, and another cruiser version, the New York.

  Franco Lambertini had a new 60° engine design, so he jumped ship and went to Piaggio-Gilera.

  The Via Bergami factory was closed and by 1993 Excaliburs are assembled at Agostini works.

  In 1996 Ducati and the Moto Morini name are sold to TPG. There were no plans to revive Moto Morini.

  Finally, in July 2011, the company was sold to Eagle Bike, a newly formed company that is run by two Italian entrepreneurs, Sandro Capotosti and Ruggeromassimo Jannuzzelli, for 1.96 million Euros. The factory was not included in the sale although they are thought to have a two year lease on the premises.

  In March 2012, the factory re-started producing a limted edition of the Rebello 1200 named Giubileo.  Other models are hopefully following, including the Corsaro Veloce and the Scrambler.