Morbidelli
| Morbidelli SpA | |
|---|---|
| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1952, 1994 |
| resolution | 1982, 1997 |
| Seat | Pesaro , Italy |
| management | Giancarlo Morbidelli |
| Branch | Motorcycle manufacturer |
Morbidelli was an Italian motorcycle manufacturer based in Pesaro .
history
In the company founded in 1952 to manufacture woodworking machines , the owner Giancarlo Morbidelli, who raced himself, had the idea of opening a motorcycle division in the late 1960s. From 1969 Morbidelli's motorcycles took part in the motorcycle world championship with a 50 cm³ machine developed by Franco Ringhini . Later two-stroke engines up to 350 cm³ were added, which were quite successful. Drivers like Eugenio Lazzarini , Toni Mang and Pier Paolo Bianchi drove for Morbidelli . In addition to Ringhini, Jörg Möller, who had already designed the basic engine for the Kreidler Van Veen , was also responsible for developing the models. From 1975 they worked with Benelli under the abbreviation MBA .
In addition to the successes in national races, including seven Italian championship titles, the manufacturer's machines were able to achieve well over 30 victories in the FIM motorcycle world championship. In 1979 Graziano Rossi - Valentino Rossi's father - drove up to third place with Morbidelli in the overall classification of 250 cm³. The 125 cm² machine won two world championship titles: 1976 and 1977 . The motorcycles also served as an advertising medium for the mechanical engineering division. As a result of the dominance of Japanese manufacturers, the brand went under from the late 1970s, like many European manufacturers. In 1982 the production of two-wheelers was stopped. In 1994 Giancarlo Morbidelli tried to revive the brand with a spectacular 850 cc V8 machine, the Morbidelli V8 , but failed.
The mechanical engineering company Morbidelli was taken over in 1987 by the SCM Group based in Rimini . In addition to woodworking systems, the SCM Group also develops and manufactures CNC machines for processing composite materials, stone and glass.
Today a museum at the former company headquarters reminds of the history of the brand. Among other things, the entire history of the world championship is presented through the exhibits. In 2014 Jeffrey Zani and Matthew Gonzales made a documentary with numerous contemporary witnesses about the motorcycle brand. After the film was shown at some film festivals, the film was also distributed on DVD.
Others
The motorcycle racing driver Franco Morbidelli bears the same name as the brand, but has no family ties with the former manufacturer.
See also
Web links
- Museum website (Italian)
- Morbidelli - the film (ital.)
- Internet presence of the machine manufacturer with history (partly in English and Italian)
- Franco Morbidelli: Nothing to do with the dynasty! speedweek from November 7, 2013, accessed on January 5, 2016
- Museum website (Italian)
Individual evidence
- ↑ All drivers with Morbidelli brand championship points. eggersdorfer.info, accessed on January 4, 2016 .
- ↑ Multi-cylinder bikes - Morbidelli 850 V8. motor-talk.de from June 19, 2010, accessed on January 4, 2016 .