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Motorcycle factories in Italy: impressions and information

Passione

Moto Guzzi

It looks like a picture book: The aged factory halls are in the warmest evening light, behind them the mountains of Lombardy and above all this deep blue sky. Good-humored people leave the building, rattle on wheeled scooters towards the end of the day. Moto Guzzi. The oldest Italian motorcycle factory. A glorious past with series racing victories and technical highlights from one to eight-cylinder. Airone, Falcone, V7, Le Mans – to name a few at least. 2000 people worked here in Mandello del Lario during the 1950s ?? almost Japanese standards.
The decline began in the 1960s with the military vehicle »Mulo meccanico«, because the all-terrain four-wheeler tipped over during use. After only 260 units, production had to be stopped, but had devoured enormous development costs. Guzzi has not recovered from this low blow to this day.
Business was bobbing quietly, but when the plant was to be relocated from Lake Como to Monza last year, fans and employees woke up. “A Guzzi that doesn’t come from Mandello is not a Guzzi,” they said in unison. And prevailed: The company got the right to stay in Mandello and a new managing director who carefully wants to build on the success of earlier times.
And that can even work, because Guzzi has an enormous plus: this mighty, uncouth V2, which makes all models with the eagle on the tank seem incredibly long. He has his own fascination. Just the pounding when starting? every ignition has detonation. This engine is alive, no question about it. And he wants to be treated like a living room being. He responds to blunt actions on the throttle with pronounced load change reactions. Its so-called overturning moment, caused by the lengthways built-in crankshaft, regularly messes up the line for gross motorists.
In conjunction with a sporty chassis, this archaic drive marks one of the last major challenges on two wheels. The Sport Corsa 1100 i, for example, is anything but a heating iron for hobby racers. Your character is somewhere between superbike and dinosaur. If you want to be fast on this motorcycle, you have to deal intensively with the subject matter: difficult handling, high weight, enormous dimensions, little comfort – a lot comes together. But what an uplifting feeling, when everything fits, when the load thunders around the bends like a rail vehicle, when the world seems to make room for this extraordinary V2 event. Once you’ve experienced it, you can’t get away from it.

Cagiva

Cagiva has settled down a stone’s throw from Mandello. The manufacturer from Varese is not as firmly anchored in the hearts of Italo fans as Guzzi, after all, its history does not go back half as far. So no "passione"? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Cagiva boss Claudio Castiglioni has more than enough of it. He earned his first million with the production of suitcase fittings before he raised himself to the savior of long-established motorcycle brands. First he bought the Aermacchi factory, which at the time belonged to Harley-Davidson, and with his 500 cc in the Grand Prix stood up to the mighty Japanese. Then he saved Ducati from government administration. Tea Swedish brand Husqvarna also went to Cagiva almost on the side. And now Castiglioni is starting the relaunch of MV Agusta.
Sure, the stormy development did not go off without problems. Due to financial constraints, Ducati recently had to be sold again, and the quality of the in-house models sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. But gradually the brand seems to be recovering: state-of-the-art production facilities and new models give hope.
The Gran Canyon for example, the successor to the Cagiva Elefant. A machine for which there is no categorization: a little enduro, a little tourer, a little athlete, a little bit of everything. Similar to Yamaha’s TDM 850, only much more exotic. There is this engine, a 900 V2 from Ducati with injection and a kick-off that cemented the most beautiful grin on even the most sophisticated twin experts. The sound also has its own charm: not rumbling or cultivated or something, no – somehow screaming, almost a little vulgar, but without being loud.
The surroundings of this pleasure maker: a stable chassis, which, however, seems to be subject to enormous series variations. In any case, the three test machines that MOTORRAD got between its fingers so far behaved completely differently. One was flawless, the other did not stay on track, and the current model came with a much too soft set-up. Italy as it lives and breathes. Also when it comes to the equipment of the Canyon: the luggage rack, for example, seems relatively pointless. But it’s beautiful, just like the two filler necks on the tank? and that counts in the country where the lemons bloom sometimes more than anything else.

Ducati

We are approaching Bologna, the cradle of the second oldest Italian motorcycle factory, and we know that we have taken the right motorway exit when this larger than life poster appears: Foggy in full action – pinned to a factory facade. Ducati. Currently the epitome of successful motorcycles from Italy, they combine tradition with modern technology and one racing success after another. Originally Ducati had nothing to do with motorcycles; if it had been up to the founding fathers, the company would now compete with the electronics companies Siemens and Philips instead of wetting the Japanese in the Superbike World Championship.
The sales figures have increased continuously in recent years, especially the Monster became a complete success. At first nobody wanted them. Developed by the parent company Cagiva at the time, it caused sheer horror among the sports-minded Ducati employees: "What kind of monster is that?" They are said to have exclaimed in amazement, giving the bike its name.
There is now a complete monster family. You can choose from 600, 750 or 900 cm3 and countless equipment variants. One of them: the M 900 S. All in black. With fine carbon parts, Ohlins shock absorber and cockpit fairing. Like all monsters, it impresses with its pronounced handiness, like every one it struggles with slight chassis weaknesses, like none it gains in the upper speed range, since its engine is inspired by 74 horsepower. The conventional 900 has seven fewer. Likewise the almost identical engine of the Cagiva. Nevertheless, the Gran Canyon looks livelier, which is less due to its injection than to its shorter gear ratio.
Compared to a number of Japanese naked bikes that are much too softly tuned, the Monster occupies a special position because, being entirely Italian, it provides good contact between man, machine and road. There can be no question of the so-called ground effect, which sets the sporty Ducati models apart from the crowd, but the feedback is correct.
Just like the company policy of the new US-American owner TPG, who turned Ducati into a noble brand with trendy advertising campaigns and luxurious stores. To the chagrin of many old fans who miss their oil-smeared mechanics and are anxiously looking into the future: What if the whole Ducati share package is listed on the stock exchange and TPG withdraws? Who then determines the fate of the two-cylinder from Bologna??

Bimota

One thing is clear, who controls the fortunes of Rimini: tourism. And what does tourism have in common with motorcycles? Right, both give people enjoyment and pleasure. Actually it is clear that in the orbit of Rimini only motorcycles can be built that classify everyday use far back: Bimota. Originated on the breeding ground of unbridled creativity, which has blossomed numerous times over the meanwhile 26 years of company history. Just think of the wheel hub steered Tesi or the two-stroke Vdue. Wonderful machines, always fraught with small or even larger inadequacies – a disgrace of small series production.
Bimota almost broke his neck when he decided to practically double the number of pieces. Just because you sell 800 to 900 motorcycles well every year, that doesn’t mean that you will get rid of 2000 – especially since the exclusivity is not far off. In the meantime, however, the crisis seems to have been resolved, a new management and new shareholders, who are investing around 20 million marks, should help the company get back on its feet.
Bimota offspring are known for presenting technical components in an aesthetic way. form follows function follows form – a cycle of theses that the mantra gives tangible form. Constructive rigor and creative playfulness come together in a miraculous way – the straight lines of the framework frame with the curves of the plastic parts, the cockpit in the root wood look with the four macho-like raised silencers.
In the center of this elegant appearance orchestrates – well, who? Exactly, again the 900 two-valve Desmo, made by Ducati. Equipped with mantra breathing organs, it brings a proud 86 hp as well as an eerily beautiful concert of thundering burns, organ overtones and rhythmic rattles.
The mantra hangs splendidly on the gas, smoothly pervading the speed range. On the other hand, it rejects low-speed operation under low load with a slight jerk – an indication that large two-cylinder units with such carburettors cannot simply be cultivated.
The driving behavior is on the playful side, and after a bit of getting used to it is explained by adjectives such as handy, precise, track-stable. Even the much-scolded Brembo brakes bite strongly and carefully. It could all be so beautiful if it weren’t for that fork that is much too soft and kneels hopelessly when braking. Bimota seems to know that too and offers adjustable pressure damping for 259 marks.

Aprilia

There is no doubt that the Italian language is something special, as it also gives sound and melody to words with the most trivial meaning. Bernoccolo just sounds better than Beule and Aprilia more exotic than Bayerische Motorenwerke. Young, dynamic, successful, the company from Noale is a real outlier among Italian manufacturers. However, their success is based on the production of scooters; at first they weren’t very lucky with motorcycles. The Moto 6.5 designer bike stood like lead and the Pegaso never really caught on alongside the BMW F 650. But now there’s the RSV mille.
Not even the Italians themselves doubt the professionalism of this machine. The cool outfit, meanwhile, did not bring the top-class sportswoman in her own country any friends: "Ugly, boring," judged the Italian trade press, only to shed light on the qualities. Nonetheless, the Mille has meanwhile become the declared favorite of motorcycle riders Tifosi, and complaining about them is tantamount to sacrilege.
It is one of the thoroughbred racers, the RSV. Your competitors trade under the name Ducati 996 or Bimota SB 8 R; one a good 7 grand more expensive, the other 17, and yet the Aprilia keeps both in check. At least in terms of chassis. Even the roaring 60-degree V-engine would have what it takes to win, if – yes, if it hadn’t been for this homologation problem, in which the two-cylinder lost ten hp and a good deal of persuasiveness. The gear ratio just doesn’t really fit the new performance curve. But what would an Italian bike be without a story of suffering? It would be boring.

Laverda

There can be no question of boredom here. The Laverda company has seen quite a hilly ups and downs since its revival in the early 1990s. At the moment the situation is particularly complicated, as there are disputes among the operating shareholders, the outcome of which cannot be foreseen. Meanwhile, the plant in Zanè keeps afloat with the production of tiny units.
Laverda is hardly represented in Germany these days, as there is no official importer. “However, we couldn’t deliver at all,” confesses Aurelio Lolli, head of sales. "We have so many orders from England, France and the USA that we can hardly keep up with production." No wonder, with only 58 employees.
But even lying on their backs, the people from Zanè manage to build interesting motorcycles again and again. For example the recently revised 750 S Formula, equipped with the water-cooled in-line two-cylinder that was only presented in 1997. In its current form, the bright orange racer shows a performance like no 750 S at MOTORRAD before. If the shortness of breath disappeared in the lower speed range, the sluggish throttle response is eliminated. Grim, almost irrepressible, the twin pushes the formula forward.
AT.The Laverda is also euphoric on the chassis side. Sitting position, handling, feedback – everything is great. The fork responds fine, the rear spring stiffness harmonizes. And then these details: the polished frame, the fine instruments, the tank under the pillion hump. The first desires are already awakening: How do you get such a formula? What does she cost? Who repairs when something breaks. And just at that moment, the starter freewheel rollers give up their clamping function, which condemns the electric starter to pointlessness. Without “passione” nothing works anymore.

Italy special – Passione

Why Italian motorcycles are the way they are: a story of suffering and passion with six practical examples from Aprilia to Moto Guzzi.

Beyond the main Alpine ridge they have a magic word when it comes to motorcycles: »passione«. With the term “passion” it can only be roughly translated into German, because it means more: enthusiasm, devotion, love. It doesn’t matter who you speak to in Italy, be it a designer, engineer, manager or just a normal biker, at some point everyone says: ”passione“. A word that melts on the tongue like cappuccino foam and expresses the fascination of Italian machines better than 17 four-color illustrated books. The other side of the coin: "Passione" in rare cases also means grief and sorrow. This is not exactly what the manufacturers mean when they speak of their »passione«, but the customers know: To love Italian motorcycles often enough also means to suffer – with the machine and the brand. Of course, a lot has happened over the years, the times as Guzzi & Co already at the sight of a rain cloud from the on-board electrics are over. Measured against the high standard of the Japanese, however, many things still seem very improvised: stiff clutches, built-in oil filler necks, crashed side stands, moody indicator lights – which Italo fan could not tell you a thing or two about it? Then there are the high inspection costs, the bottlenecks in the supply of spare parts – something is always there. Anyone who just wants to ride a motorcycle has come to the wrong address with the Italians. This is about a way of life. You have to get involved with these fascinating creatures, some of which are manufactured in such small numbers that nobody in the Far East would pick up a wrench for them. We saddled six typical representatives of their kind and started a tour of the most famous Italian manufacturers to find out more about the »passione«.

Moto Guzzi 1100 i Sport Corsa

Engine: Air-cooled two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, 1064 cm³, 66 kW (90 PS), 95 Nm (9.7 kpm), crankshaft lengthways, two valves per cylinder, electronic intake manifold injection five-speed gearbox. Chassis: central tubular frame made of square steel profiles, Upside-down fork, Ø 40 mm, triangular swing arm, central spring strut directly hinged, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 282 mm, two-piston caliper, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 4.50 x 17, tires 120/70 ZR 17; 160/70 ZR 17. Wheelbase 1475 mm, steering head angle 64 °, caster 90 mm, weight fully fueled 240 kg, tank capacity / reserve 19/3 liters. Test consumption 6.6 liters / 100 km Warrantyy three years with unlimited mileagePrice incl. and additional costs 24,300 MarksComparative test in MOTORRAD 1/1999 Company headquarters: Mandello del Lario on Lake Como (Lombardy). History: Founded in 1921 by the aviators Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi. Oldest Italian motorcycle manufacturer. Taken over in 1971 by the Argentinian industrialist Alejandro de Tommaso, who already owned Benelli. Tommaso’s attempt to supply Guzzi and Benelli with identical parts led both companies to a crisis. Benelli temporarily disappeared, Guzzi barely survived. Today the ownership structure at Guzzi is relatively complicated: 39 percent of the shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the remaining 61 percent belong to the Oam Group, which in turn is controlled 84 percent by Trident Rowan and 16 percent by Daimler- Chrysler. Number of employees: 330. Annual production 1998: 5800 pieces. Sales in 1998: around 90 million marks. Best seller: California.

Cagiva Gran Canyon 900

Engine: Air / oil-cooled two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, 904 cm³, 49 kW (67 PS), 73 Nm (7.4 kpm), transverse crankshaft, two valves per cylinder, electronic intake manifold injection, six-speed gearbox. Bridge frame made of steel and aluminum profiles, telescopic fork, Æ 45 mm, two-arm swing arm, central spring strut with lever system, double disc brake at the front, Ø 296 mm, double piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 240 mm, double piston caliper, spoke wheels 2.15 x 19; 4.25 x 17, tires 100/90 R 19; 150/70 R 17, wheelbase 1530 mm, steering head angle 62.7 °, caster 92 mm, weight with a full tank of 232 kg, tank capacity / reserve 24/6 liters. Test consumption 7.4 liters / 100 km Warrantyy two years with unlimited mileage Price including VAT and Additional costs 18,495 MarkTest in MOTORRAD 13/1998, comparative test in 15/1998 Head office: Varese (Lombardy). History: The company emerged in 1978 from the Aermacchi factory, which the brothers Gianfranco and Claudio Castiglioni took over from Harley-Davidson and named after their father Giovanni. Cagiva stands for: CAstiglioni GIovanni VArese. Today, the brands Husqvarna (acquired by the Swedish electrical company Elektrolux in 1986) and MV Agusta (naming rights acquired in 1993) belong to Cagiva Motor. From 1985 to 1996 Ducati was also go of the Cagiva group. At first, Cagiva mainly produced small-volume motorcycles, mainly for cross and trial. After the takeover of Ducati, the two-cylinder from Bologna (Elefant, Gran Canyon) were also used. Number of employees: 550. Annual production 1998: 21,000 pieces. Sales in 1998: around 157 million marks. Best seller: Mito 125.

Ducati Monster 900 S.

Engine: air / oil-cooled two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, 904 cm³, 54 kW (74 PS), 82 Nm (8.0 kpm), transverse crankshaft, two valves per cylinder, constant pressure carburetor, six-speed gearbox. Chassis: tubular space frame made of steel, upside-down fork, Ø 41 mm, two-arm swing arm, central spring strut with lever system, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 245 mm, two-piston caliper, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17, tires 120/70 ZR 17; 170/60 ZR 17, wheelbase 1430 mm, steering head angle 67 °, caster 104 mm, weight with a full tank 199 kg, tank capacity / Reserve 16.5 / 3.5 liters, test consumption 6.5 liters / 100 km, guarantee for two years with no mileage limit, price incl and ancillary costs 20340 Mark Registered office: Bologna (Emilia-Romagna). History: In 1926 Antonio Cavalieri Ducati founded the electrical company Ducati with his sons Adriano, Marcello and Bruno. After the Second World War, the plant was used to produce a bicycle with an auxiliary motor. Ducati is gradually becoming a motorcycle manufacturer. In 1954, engineer Fabio Taglioni came from competitor Mondial, who developed the Einyzlinder Marianna, then the first engine with desmodromic valve control. Series production of the Desmo V2 begins in 1970. 1985 Cagiva takes over the company and successfully participates with Ducati in the Superbike World Championship. Due to a financial bottleneck at the parent company, Ducati was gradually taken over by the US investor group TPG from 1996 to 98. 1999 IPO. Number of employees: 1000. Annual production 1998: 28000 pieces. Sales in 1998: around 480 million marks. Best seller: monsters.

Bimota mantra

Engine: air / oil-cooled two-cylinder 90-degree V-engine, 904 cm³, 63 kW (86 PS), 94 Nm (9.2 kpm), transverse crankshaft, two valves per cylinder, constant pressure carburetor, six-speed gearbox. Chassis: tubular space frame made of aluminum, telescopic fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm, central spring strut, directly linked, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 230 mm, two-piston caliper, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.50 x 17, tires 120/70 ZR 17; 180/55 ZR 17, wheelbase 1370 mm, steering head angle 66 °, caster 96 mm, weight with a full tank of 198 kg, tank capacity 24 liters, test consumption 6.9 liters / 100 km, two-year guarantee with unlimited mileage, price including VAT and ancillary costs 16,999 MarkComparative test in MOTORRAD 10/1997 Head office: Rimini (Emilia-Romagna). History: In 1973 Messrs. BIanchi, MOrri and TAmburini converted their heating plant into a motorcycle forge. Japanese big bikes are refined. That means: The engines are retained, the abundantly horrible undercarriages are exchanged for their own designs. Bimota is successful with low numbers and expensive, fine products. But then the Japanese build good chassis themselves. So the Riminese develop a complete bike with a two-cylinder two-stroke engine, but the project devours unimagined sums of money. In November 1998 the company was taken over by several Italian industrialists, including Francesco Tognon, previously managing director of Laverda ?? which in turn led to a hitherto unresolved crisis at Laverda. Number of employees: 50. Estimated production 1999: 1200 pieces. Best seller: SB 6.

Aprilia RSV thousand

Engine: Water-cooled two-cylinder 60-degree V-engine, 998 cm³, 87 kW (118 PS), 93 Nm (9.5 kpm), transverse crankshaft, oven valves per cylinder, electronic intake manifold injection, six-speed gearbox. Frame: aluminum bridge frame, Upside-down fork, Ø 43 mm, two-arm swing arm, central spring strut with lever system, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 220 mm, two-piston caliper, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 6.00 x 17, tires 120/70 ZR 17; 190/50 ZR 17, wheelbase 1415 mm, steering head angle 65.5 °, caster 97 mm, full tank weight 223 kg, tank capacity / reserve 21/4 liters, test consumption 6.2 liters / 100 km, guarantee three years without mileage limit, price including VAT and Additional costs 22,920 MarkTest in MOTORRAD 20/1998, comparative tests in 21/1998 and 13/1999 Company headquarters: Noale (Veneto), 30 kilometers west of Venice. History: After the Second World War, Alberto Beggio opened a small bicycle factory and named it after his favorite car: Lancia Aprilia. The company produced its first moped in 1962, and off-road motorcycles were added in 1969. At the beginning of the 1980s, the company was restructured: the company limited itself to the development and assembly of two-wheelers, and from then on all of the components came from suppliers. 1985 Aprilia got into road racing. The big commercial breakthrough came in 1990 with the revival of the scooter. Number of employees: 1650. Annual production 1998: over 300000 scooters and motorcycles. Sales in 1998: a good 1 billion marks. Best seller: Scarabeo 125 scooter.

Laverda 750 S Formula

Engine: water-cooled two-cylinder in-line engine, 747 cm³, 68 kW (92 PS), 74 Nm (7.5 kpm), four valves per cylinder, electronic manifold injection, six-speed gearbox. Chassis: aluminum bridge frame, upside-down fork, Ø 40 mm, two-arm swing arm, double disc brake at the front, Ø 320 mm, four-piston calipers, disc brake at the rear, Ø 245 mm, two-piston caliper, cast aluminum wheels 3.50 x 17; 5.00 x 17, tires 120/60 ZR 17; 160/60 ZR 17, wheelbase 1375 mm, steering head angle 64 °, caster 103 mm, weight with a full tank of 206 kg, tank capacity / reserve 19/3 liters, test consumption 7.1 liters / 100 km, guarantee one year with no mileage limit, price converted around 22,000 marks, driving report in MOTORRAD 8 / 1999 Head office: Zanè (Veneto), around 60 kilometers northwest of Venice. History: The company chronicle begins in 1873. But founder Pietro Laverda had nothing to do with motorcycles. Under his rule it was about church bells and agricultural machinery. The family business only got into the two-wheeler business after the Second World War. The first two-cylinder came in 1966, and the three-cylinder approached in the early 1970s. 1986 decline due to a failed company policy. Laverda has been sold several times. Today the situation is very delicate: the company is in voluntary liqudiation, which aims to settle a dispute between the shareholders. Laverda currently has no importer for Germany. Number of employees: 58. Annual production 1998: 2000 pieces. Best-known model: SFC 750 (1971 to 1976).

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