Moto Morini

[4] The government regulations favoured these lighter fuel efficient machines, and the successful Moto Morini M610 had advanced features, like cardan driveshafts.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 1961, Giacomo Agostini began his racing career on a Moto Morini Settebello “Short Rods”, coming second at Trento-Bondone.The former editor of Classic Bike magazine, veteran motorcycle writer Hugo Wilson, has owned a 3½ Sport since 1982 and still uses it as a regular commuter motorbike.A fuel consumption test by Motorcycling Monthly at Britain's Motor Industry Research Association in 1976 returned a performance of 65 miles per imperial gallon (4.3 L/100 km; 54 mpg‑US) while a 3½ bike carried rider and pillion passenger.[12] The engine also incorporated one piece forged steel crankshaft, ball main bearings (first series motors), plain big end bearings (second series motors), and the conrods run on a common pin, desaxe, and offsetting the rear cylinder to the front by 50 mm (2.0 in).VBH Dell'Orto (25 mm VHB 25 BS) square slide carburettors were fitted to the 350, with air fed via air-box with two filters.Early models had kick-start only but later ones also included a starter motor using three centrifugal friction shoes engaging the alternator rotor cover.The frame is a full steel duplex swingarm design, with Ceriani rear suspension, and Marzocchi front forks.Although not suitable for large riders, the 3½ was renowned for sharp and impeccable handling and was able to compete against larger capacity motorbikes on twisty roads.There was criticism of the snatchy fuel injection mapping in these early models; however, power delivery was improved in time.[16] In 2008, at the "Padova Motorcycles" fair, the 1200 Sport was announced (and went into production) together with the Scrambler, that was afterwards produced, from 2009, just in few pieces due to the sudden financial impasse of the company[17] At the end of 2009, the latest marketing attempt by Morini was almost ready to enter the market : the hypermotard "Granferro", designed by Rodolfo Frascoli (of Marabese Design).The company went into voluntary liquidation in 2009, after failing to pay suppliers or staff in September while hoping to find further financing.By July 2010, interested buyers could download a pdf of bike stock held by the company and being sold on a direct basis to customers.Liquidator Piero Aicardi believed there were enough parts left in the factory to build as many as 45 bikes, with the production being split between 16 Scramblers and 29 Granpasso, seven of which would use frames originally built for the stillborn Granferro.In March 2012, the factory announced online auctioning of coupon in order to win a completely new and in limited edition model.It also introduced the "buy-back" system: a long term rent that allows customers to pay a monthly fee and decide, after some time, whether to keep the motorcycle or give it back to the factory.In the summer of 2014 the headquarters and all Moto Morini locations moved from Casalecchio di Reno (BO) to Trivolzio (PV).In 2015 the company management changed and so did the trade policy: Moto Morini concludes contracts with dealers and distributors and ended the online sale.In November Moto Morini returned to the 2016 edition of Eicma after seven years of absence with a new model: the Corsaro ZZ.Furthermore, the lightning system is fully LED, the fuel tank is in aluminium and several body parts are made of carbon fiber as standard.In 2017 Moto Morini launched also the new One-off department, an internal area dedicated to customized models on clients' requests.To celebrate the 80 years of the company (1937 - 2017) Moto Morini created a limited edition of 8 specimens of a special Corsaro, called Corsaro80.At the end of 2017, due to the success of the first e-bike, Moto Morini launched a range of four more models: Gravel, City, Urban and Sport.