VOGLIO LA MOTO MORINI (3 e 1/2)

I WANT THE MOTO MORINI (3'n'1/2)

Few days ago, while I was travelling through the roads of Milan, I have seen one of these MOTO MORINI.
It was like to dive immediately into past. I was in love with this bike when I was a young guy.


In 1971 Moto Morini launched on the market the challenging project of Ing. Lambertini (coming from Ferrari experience), with a very nice bike, innovative and rather fast.
With its 72° inclined cylinders it was possible to keep it shorter and agile. The back cylinder is also “out of the axe” in order to keep it cool.

Another peculiar characteristic was the multi disc-dry pack friction, typical application of sporty bikes.
The SPORT version was able to deliver 39 Cv at 8.500 rpm, with a maximum speed of 175 km/h.

In the pictures below some nice example of how a nice bike from the early past can become an excellent basis for customization.
In the last picture, a friend was able to put the gear clutch “in the right position” (at left), since the standard motorbike was fitting the brake on the left and the gears on the right.

The Moto Morini 500 Turbo

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originally published in "Bike" magazine, July 1982

Throughout last year (1981) the residents of a quiet Bologna suburb were regularly treated to the sight and sound of a scruffy black Morini V twin growling along their streets to and from nearby dual carriageways. It obviously wasn't just another 500cc prototype - it's motor appeared to breathe through a collection of washing machine parts, the steering head was loaded with dials and controls, and the tester riding it occasionally fiddled with various knobs on a small electronic control box. Had those same residents visited the Milan motorcycle show last November, it’s likely they'd have failed to make any connection between the slickly finished machine grabbing all the attention on the Morini stand and that ratty test bike tooling up and down the Via Alfredo Bergami back home in Bologna.


Except that both bikes had Turbo written on their side panels. Morini, the smallest of the Italian motorcycle manufacturers making it’s own motors, just had to be the least likely candidates for the title of First Non Japanese Production Turbo Makers. Committed to moderate production of a standard range of machines of no more than half litre capacity, using 72o V twin motors and a single-pot derivative, the little Bologna factory’s philosophy hardly included assaulting the problem-strewn heights of turbocharging - let alone turbocharging a V twin; something supposedly so difficult Honda only did it to show off. Yet the decisions which sent Morini down Turbo road were taken nearly 10 years ago. In 1974, soon after introduction of the 350cc Sport, Moto Morini began looking at what to do next.


The Sport itself, designed by former Ferrari engineer and designer Franco Lambertini, was introduced in response to the changing world market for motorcycles. The Italian industry saw the writing go up on the wall in large Japanese characters during the late ‘60s. Morini, having been bombed out in 1943, built a steady base by meeting Europe's post-war demand for small motorcycles with a series of 98cc-25Occ four strokes. Convinced that they'd be unable to continue for long in the face of Oriental competition, Morini and the other Italian marques decided to move into areas where the Japs couldn't or hadn't the technology to compete - exclusivity and handling. Laverda went for super berserk mega muscle triples. Ducati brought out its refined and esoteric 90o V twins, Moto Guzzi did its best with its antiquated transverse V twin, shaft-driven motor. Only Benelli (under Alessandro de Tomaso) tried to take on the Japanese on their own ground with a never-very successful range of fours and sixes. Morini's founder, Alfonso Morini, died in 1969 and the business was taken over by his daughter Gabriella. Two years later the first Morini V twin prototype appeared. At the time, it was an ideal move. The company now had a sporty (read 'satisfyingly loud'), slim, nice handling machine with an instantly identifiable powerplant, production of which was easily within the capacity of its small factory. Add a 125cc single (effectively a V motor with one pot looped off), a 250cc twin for rich kids in the home market and a 500cc V for overseas and their short-term future was assured. So far so good. Morini's thinking from this point on was influenced by several factors. For one thing, three-quarters of its production goes to the home market where anything larger than 380cc has got to be pretty exciting to sell well because of Italy's infamous 35 per cent VAT loading on bikes over that capacity.


Morini were determined to stick with the 72o motor which had become their trademark but at the same time it was clear that hogging Lambertini's design out to 500cc for the Maestro was pushing its ability to produce horsepower in the required amounts... Read more



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2010 Moto Morini Granpasso details released

Italian motorcycle manufacturer Moto Morini have released details of the improvements to their adventure sport bike the Granpasso for 2010. These include:-

• The handlebars have been upgraded with risers that allow greater adjustment
• The redesigned seat decreases the riding height and is fitted with a moulded alloy heat shield underneath
• Morini have homologated the Granpasso for use with knobbly enduro style tyres
• Fitted high strength iron alloy motocross style footpegs too, these have removable rubber inserts.
• New software for injection engine control has been developed
• The lambda sensor has been moved to the front cylinder exhaust pipe, delivering smoother response, particularly during the initial opening of the throttle

Ride safe.


Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Free Moto Morini Wallpapers

If you a fan of the revived italian motorcycle brand Moto Morini, we've just finished loading up 7 great Moto Morini wallpapers ( in a variety of common screen sizes) in the new Moto Morini wallpapers gallery on www.inter-bike.co.uk. They are free to download and use for personal use.

Ride safe.


Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Moto Morini Scrambler now in Red and White

Moto Morini have now released their 1200cc Scrambler in a new red and white colour scheme, together with new accessories.

The factory accessories available are black steel grills to protect the front headlight (£138.00) and alloy skid plate that covers the exhaust down pipe (£287.50), both of which reinforce the bike’s purposeful appearance. Completing the period competition image is a plastic race number holder (in white or black), supplied with steel fitting kit for £86.25.

Ride safe.


Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Accessories for the Moto Morini Granpasso

Motoi Morini's Granpasso now has an extensive range of accessories for you adventure sports bikers.
The picture above shows it with Alumix luggage fitted, additional accessories now include hand guards, heated grips, tank cover, tank bag, mobiplast luggage top case, side cases including fitting kit, side cases including fitting kit and top case back rest. Further details at www.motomorinimotorcycles.co.uk.

Ride safe.


Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

New black/orange colours for Moto Morini 1200 Sport

Moto Morini has introduced a new black and orange colour scheme for its 1200 Sport.

Nice!!

Ride safe.

Jon Booth

Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk

Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/

Moto Morini 1200 Sport

Moto Morini’s new Sport 1200 has arrived in the UK!

Ride safe

Jon Booth

Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk

Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/

Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/

Moto Morini 9½ road test

If like me me you liking riding a motorcycle thats different and will turn heads, then revived Italian motorcycle manufacturer Moto Morini's 9½, might be the motorcycle for you.

1200cc of V-twin grunt with added Italian passion and flair. I got the opportunity to road test one for a week late last year.

You can read my full Moto Morini's 9½ road test on www.inter-bike.co.uk by clicking here.

Ride safe!

Jon Booth
Email: webmaster@inter-bike.co.uk
Blog: http://inter-bike.blogspot.com/
Swicki: http://motorcycling-swicki.eurekster.com/