For those who love motorcycles, it is more than likely that many bicycle fans will own a Benelli model. Indeed, the brand has more than a hundred years of history to its credit and a proud and established reputation.

His website boasts that Benelli talks about “heritage, emotion and intelligence†that have become legendary due to decades of revolutionary designs, advanced technologies, triumphs and famous riders.

Benelli motorcycles tend to be sporty, and every rider will often find a bike that meets their requirements. Most people who know motorcycles tend to know a Benelli model when they see one. They are renowned for their attractive designs and unmistakable sporty look. The most innovative design concepts are implemented in all models of the Pesaro company due to the expertise of its R&D center.

In 2005, Qianjiang Group (QJ), the largest Chinese group in terms of size and manufacturing capacity in the motorcycle world, purchased Benelli. Its production reaches 1.2 million vehicles per year and it has 14,000 employees. But Benelli has retained his approach which combines Italian ingenuity, style and engineering with QJ’s business approach and global vision. All-new models still carry Benelli’s DNA and story, celebrating the company’s original appearance, innovation and brand strength.

Before 2005, Benelli had an incredible story. Let’s take a look back at the brand and see what readers already know about it and what they don’t already know about it.

RELATED: Here’s Everything You Need To Know About the 2021 Benelli 1200GT

The emergence of Benelli

As already mentioned, Benelli is an Italian motorcycle manufacturing company. It was founded in 1911 in Pesaro, Italy. When Teresa Benelli became a widow, she invested all of her money in a business so that her six sons could get decent work. Two of these sons also went to Switzerland to study engineering, all at Teresa’s expense. At first it was called Benelli Garage and the company dealt with the repair of motorcycles and cars, and it could also produce the spare parts needed for these repairs.

Money Inc. pointed out that Benelli not only produced bicycles but also shotguns, and the Benelli family linked up with the Beretta Gun Company to make automobiles. The prototype they created was called Beretta, Benelli Casterbarco.

Over time, they have gained a reputation for being excellent manufacturers and sort of engineers. The Benelli brothers came up with their first engine that was produced entirely in-house in 1920. It was a 75cc two-stroke single-cylinder engine and it was modified into a bicycle frame. A year later, the company built its first motorcycle, based on the 75 CC engine, which turned into 98 CC.

Benelli then decided to enter motorsport in 1923 and sent Tonino Benelli to the track to ride a racing version of the company’s first motorcycle. Tonino quickly became a star within a few years and used his Benelli 175 to win the Italian championship in 1927, 1928, 1930 and 1931. He then won again in 1932 only to tragically die in a traffic accident that year. .

RELATED: These Are The Fastest Electric Motorcycles, Ranked

The post-war era of Benelli motorcycles

World War II brought bad luck to Benelli despite the fact that they presented a supercharged four-cylinder 250 CC in 1940. But the start of the conflict hampered their plans. Their production continued until 1949.

1949 should have been a great year for the Italian motorcycle manufacturer, but Giuseppe Benelli left the company and founded Motobi. But their fate changed in the 1950s when they started selling Leoncino 98 CC and 125 CC bikes, available in both two-stroke and four-stroke. And then there was the Tornado 650, an impressive motorcycle capable of generating 57 hp and reaching a top speed of 17 mph. At the time, this was considered remarkable. Business boomed until the 1960s, when Benelli and Motobi were able to manufacture around 300 motorcycles and had a total of 550 employees by 1962.

The 1970s were a difficult time for the world economically, and Benelli stopped production because they were unable to compete with the arrival of Japanese motorcycles from Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda in the European market. Business was quiet until 1995, when the Italian bicycle maker underwent a transformation under Andrea Merloni. He developed the Tornado 900 Tre super sport bike in 2002, but that was not enough for the company to survive as they were eventually acquired by QJ a few years later.

Benelli’s story has been a mixture of good and bad luck, but they have succeeded and with QJ’s help, they will likely maintain their established reputation for years to come.

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The story begins in 1931 when designer Vittorio Jano was commissioned to create a worthy successor to the Tipo A, the manufacturer’s first successful racing car which debuted in 1924 and has become obsolete.

Jano returned to the drawing board and came up with a whole new design after an arduous development process. While the Tipo A had a complicated powertrain, consisting of two parallel in-line engines mated to a few gearboxes, the new car, originally dubbed Tipo B, featured an in-line eight cylinder consisting of two cast iron blocks with Fixed heads made of aluminum alloy, each with its own overhead camshaft. The unit was powered by two carburetors and propelled by two Roots compressors operated by a gear train mounted centrally between the two blocks. Initially, it displaced 2.6 liters (2,654 cc) and delivered a maximum power of 215 hp at 5,600 rpm.

The four-speed gearbox was mated to the front-mounted engine via a dry multi-plate clutch. Two drive shafts arranged in a V-shape protruded from the differential which was installed next to the transmission and drove the rear wheels through pairs of bevel gears.

This innovative design allowed Jano to place the driver’s seat centrally between the two drive shafts, a solution that exponentially lowered the center of gravity and improved weight distribution. Coupled with a total weight of just 1,543 pounds (700 kg), it could easily reach a top speed of 144 mph (232 km / h), but more importantly, it was much more agile than its predecessor.

With all these improvements, the car subsequently renamed P3 was introduced in the middle of the 1932 Grand Prix season. It made its home debut on the original Monza circuit, which at the time included the road track and the high-speed loop, for a total of 10 km per lap. In the five-hour race, Tazio Nuvolari dominated from the start, managing to overtake Fagioli’s new 16-cylinder Maserati V5, which finished second.

The resounding victory proved the P3 to be a successful design, but the victories didn’t end there, as Alfa Romeo won six more races that year, including all three major events in Italy, France and Germany.

In 1933, the Italian manufacturer was hit by financial difficulties and initially decided to withdraw his Alfa Corse team from the European Championship. This left the door open for Enzo Ferrari’s Scuderia to continue to compete as Alfa’s de facto factory team, albeit with older and less efficient cars.

In August, the team was finally allowed to use the P3s that had been locked in a garage for the first 25 events, and after receiving some minor tweaks along with a few Ferrari logos, the cars won six of the last eleven races in the season.

For 1934, new regulations brought greater body constraints, so to counter this, the powertrain displacement was increased to 2.9 liters (2905 cc), which led to a performance increase of 40 hp. .

That season, Louis Chiron won the French Grand Prix at Montlhéry, one of the most prestigious races on the calendar and the P3s crossed the finish line the first eighteen more times.

The following year, the complete management of the cars was entrusted to Scuderia Ferrari, which made several modifications to the suspension as well as to the now hydraulic brakes. Despite this, the P3s were definitely not competitive against the top Mercedes and Auto-Union racers.

However, for the German Grand Prix which took place on the legendary Nürburgring, the engine that powered Tazio Nuvolari’s car was bored to 3.1 liters (3,165 cc), resulting in an output of 265 hp. . The Italian driver managed to surprise the Germans at home after an incredible performance, despite a tire puncture at the start of the race. Although inferior to the more recent cars in the competition, the legendary Alfa Romeo still won fifteen other events that season.

Despite a tumultuous career that lasted only three years, the P3 notched 46 wins in total, earning its place among the greatest racing cars of all time. The innovations implemented by Vittorio Jano made it extremely agile and the first true single-seater, inspiring other engineers to do the same and paving the way for racing cars of the modern era.

Thirteen of the fifteen units built between 1932 and 1935 have survived to this day with chassis number 50006 auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in 2017 for well over $ 4,000,000. Other private chassis make occasional appearances at classic car events, such as the Chateau Impney Hill Climb where one of them was driven rough by Matt Grist several years ago, as you can see in the video below.

Moto Guzzi was founded on March 15, 1921 by Carlo Guzzi and Giorgio Parodi under the name “Società Anonima Moto Guzzi”. The main activity of the company was to build and sell motorcycles and to engage in other activities related to the metal industry. The company was later renamed Moto Guzzi and helped shape the motorcycle industry by building some of the most iconic motorcycles known to man.

Related: Check Out 9 Of The Most Iconic Motorcycles Of All Time

That said, all of this to agree that the brand set the standards for many modern motorcycles on the roads and tracks today – the company built the first center stand for motorcycles. From police fleets to racing beasts, Moto Guzzi’s rich history spans an array of iconic builds, and here are eight of the most significant.

8
Moto Guzzi Normal 500 – 1921

Although Moto Guzzi is renowned for its longitudinal V-twin motorcycles, the first motorcycles the company built featured a horizontal single-engine configuration. And it wasn’t just a short-lived affair; the horizontal single dominated Moto Guzzi motorcycles for 45 years. And the 1921 Normal 500 was his first model.

At the heart of the Normal 500 was an air-cooled 498cc four-stroke engine that produced a modest 8.5 horsepower. The bike came with a three-speed transmission that included a hand-held shifter. It might not have had much to offer, but the Normal 500 remains one of the most iconic motorcycles of its time.

7
Moto Guzzi Airone 250 – 1939

Moto Guzzi’s single-engine flatbed setup lasted 45 years, meaning it was the same powertrain powering the Normal 500 as the Airone 250, but with major upgrades. On the Airone 250, Moto Guzzi introduced a telescopic fork and large diameter brakes. These advancements were aimed at improving performance and safety.

The quarter-liter engine under the heart of this bike made it quite accessible, but the company went ahead and presented a sporty version of it, which had 13.5 horsepower. Its top speed also increased to 75 mph, making it one of the fastest motorcycles of its time.

6
Moto Guzzi V8 500 GP – 1955

As the journey went on, Moto Guzzi’s racing department released the V8 500 GP racing nicknamed “the Otto”. The V8 500 GP was powered by a V8 engine that produced 78 horsepower which propelled the motorcycle to a top speed of 171 mph. The air-cooled four-stroke V8 with a displacement of 499 cc could also mate to a four, five or six-speed transmission depending on the application of the stroke. While the V8 500 GP frequently led track races and recorded the best lap times, its complex engine never allowed it to finish number one.

Related: The 10 Most Iconic Performance Motorcycles Of All Time

The air-cooled four-stroke V8 with a displacement of 499 cc could also mate to a four, five or six-speed transmission depending on the application of the stroke. While the V8 500 GP frequently led track races and recorded the best lap times, its complex engine never allowed it to finish number one.

5
Moto Guzzi V7 700 – 1967

By 1961 the motorcycle industry was slowly wearing out, and it reached a point where Moto Guzzi began to explore car manufacturing. The company’s first car engine was a 90-degree 500cc V-twin engineered for Fiat by engineer Giulio Cesare Carcano. Unfortunately, Moto Guzzi could not manufacture the number of engines requested by the famous automaker. At the same time, the Italian road patrol had issued a call for tenders for companies to submit proposals for its fleet of motorcycles. They wanted the bike with the lowest maintenance cost over the 6,200 miles.

Moto Guzzi won the contract with its pierced 703cc longitudinal V-twin engine with shaft drive. The V7 700 had 40 horsepower, but it was widely known for its comfort and reliability. It was the first time that Moto Guzzi had used a longitudinal V-twin on a production motorcycle.

4
Moto Guzzi V7 Sport – 1971

When engineer Lino Tonti joined Moto Guzzi in 1967, he devoted his energy to perfecting the work of engineer Carcano. It quickly expanded the V7 platform to include models such as the V7 Special, Ambassador, and California. These were incredible milestones, but Tonti’s crowning achievement was the development of the Moto Guzzi V7 Sport.

Having worked in the racing divisions of Mondial and Gilera, Lino Tonti was convinced that he could get more performance from Moto Guzzi’s best-selling motorcycle. He refined the V-twin 90 degrees to 748cc, for an output of 53 horsepower. With a smooth five-speed gearbox and a dry weight of 454 pounds, the V7 Sport easily became the company’s fastest motorcycle until its successor hit the streets.

3
Moto Guzzi Le Mans 850 – 1975

This bike was named after the popular 24 hour endurance race, and it featured a seamless incorporation of café racer aesthetics and improved performance over the V7 Sport. At the heart of the Le Mans 850 was an 844cc longitudinal V-twin engine that developed a respectable 71 horsepower and a top speed of 130 mph.

Related: These Are The 10 Most Iconic British Motorcycles Ever Made

The Le Mans 850 had a glorious long lifespan between 1976 and 1993, and over the years the bike has received many improvements. The Mark II phase gave the Mans 850 a larger fairing and square headlights. During the Mark III phase the bike received updates on the engine and suspension, while the Mark IV phase brought minimal progress. The bike came off the market in 1993.

2
Moto Guzzi Griso 1100 – 2005

While Moto Guzzi was famous for building cafe racer style motorcycles, the company jumped into the bare bike segment in 2005 with the Griso 1100. The bike featured a higher version of the classic old school roadster compared to the Monster from Ducati.

Powered by a powerful 1,064cc V-twin engine, the Griso 1100 produced a respectable 87 horsepower and 66 lb-ft of torque. And with its aggressive lines and refined styling, the bike was a mature alternative that firmly established Moto Guzzi in the 2000s.

1
Moto Guzzi V85TT – 2019

The V85TT is Moto Guzzi’s latest motorcycle, capitalizing on the current Adventure & Dual-Sport trend, but cleverly redefining itself as the first classic Enduro motorcycle. The bike is fitted with an 853cc transverse V-twin engine, making the retro-style motorcycle a favorite of beginners and seasoned riders alike.

When building this bike, Moto Guzzi perfectly blended adventure riding and classic aesthetics – two hot segments in today’s bike market.

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On the eve of the season-opening MotoGP Qatar Grand Prix, six riders were asked about their championship predictions at the Lusail International Circuit on Thursday.
While most of them, unsurprisingly, had put their money on themselves, Marc Marquez was also holding a sign in his name before saying it with a laugh: “I always bet on myself. Even if I’m hurt, I’ll bet on me!
The Spaniard has endured a nightmare for the past two seasons but chose to see the fun side of it. The Honda rider broke his arm following an accident, which cut short his 2020 season, before being forced to miss the last two rounds of 2021 and sit out for three months when a concussion suffered in a training accident left him with double vision problems due to nerve damage.
During a period of uncertainty – in which he took three wins from 15 races out of 32 possible starts – the 29-year-old also considered quitting. But after ample rest and successful pre-season testing last month, Marquez is ready to challenge for the crown, which was won by Frenchman Fabio Quartararo on Yamaha last season.
Marquez is also chasing retired Italian legend Valentino Rossi’s record of seven top-flight world titles. The Spaniard has six and if he can stay fit and avoid crashing his Honda often, he can challenge for the title.
“Yes, of course, I’m happy to be here,” Marquez said yesterday.
“It’s already better than last year and that’s important. After the winter it wasn’t clear but it was important to test in Malaysia and in Mandalika, after Mandalika I felt a step in my physical condition and that’s important. Let’s see how to start the first race, for 2022 I want to fight all these guys for the title of course, maybe for the Qatar GP I’m not ready, during the weekend we will understand where we are, “said he added.
Marquez will race for the first time since 2019 at Qatar, a track where he has traditionally struggled and won only once. Although he is unsure of his victory this weekend at the Lusail International Circuit, he hopes the revamped and much improved RC213V can put him among the title contenders.
“They took a big step on the bike,” Marquez said. “Honestly, I feel like I changed brands because it’s a completely different bike. Since I came to Honda there have always been improvements but the character of the bike was always similar, but now it’s a big change, in Malaysia I struggled a bit but I felt the potential because in one lap the time was coming, but in Mandalika I was already bringing the bike to my riding style. driving and I felt a step. During the first races we will find small things, but the base is nice, that’s good, and yes we will see in the qualifying and race conditions where we are, “a- he declared.
Meanwhile, defending champion Fabio Quartararo will enter the new season with a whole host of uncertainties. The 22-year-old became the first Frenchman to win the title last season but things were less than ideal in pre-season testing as he put on a downhearted figure due to the lack of pace in the new motorcycle.
Quartararo finished on the podium 10 times last year, with five race wins, to lift the title, but he worries about the Yamaha YZR-M1’s lack of top speed improvement.
The signs were there last season when Quartararo struggled to keep up with the acceleration of the Ducatis as Italian Francesco Bagnaia won four of the last six races. To add to his problems on the track, Quartararo is also out of contract with Yamaha at the end of this season as he chooses to keep his options “wide open”.
“To be honest, it’s great to be back and when the season is over the weeks go by quickly, but when you’re about to ride in Qatar, the last week has been long and it’s great. “to be here. I think the pre-season was good, we expected a bit more top speed. That’s how it is, you have to give 100% in any case. I’m ready and I can’t wait to start tomorrow,” Quartararo said.
As rivals, especially Ducati, show signs of improvement in pre-season testing, Quartararo prepares for the toughest challenge to defend their world title. “It’s so difficult. Last year you could say five or six riders, but now I can say anyone. Of course the guys who are here today, but it’s hard to say We will have to wait a little longer to see the opponents clear,” he said.
The strongest competitor in terms of speed on the bike is Ducati’s Bagnaia. Last year’s runner-up has just agreed a new two-year deal that will take Bagnaia and Ducati to the end of the 2024 season. The 25-year-old will be aiming for Ducati’s first Riders’ Championship title since Casey Stoner dominated the grid in 2007.
The Italian heads into round one at Lusail on Ducati’s all-new GP 22 bike boasting more power than its predecessor which was untouchable on the straights last year.
“It’s always Ducati looking the best, but the last time they won was in 2007. It’s very hard to say if any other bike is better,” Bagnaia said. “I’m not saying Yamaha was better last year because Quartararo won. I think my bike and the bike for the last part of the season was the best I’ve tried, but I don’t know if it’s the best because I haven’t tried Suzuki, Yamaha, KTM or Honda . For me it’s the best bike, but I don’t know if it’s the best (on the grid),” he said.
As for Suzuki, ever-consistent 2020 champion Joan Mir finished third last year and the Spaniard will be in contention for the title once again.

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Driving the 2021 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo it was possible to forget all that Italian performance heritage and think you were behind the wheel of a quieter luxury sedan. Why? Because the car is surprisingly docile when engaged in everyday driving.

Yes, there is a powerful boost when the throttle is pressed. According to Maserati, the Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeos are “Maserati’s fastest on-road sedans of all time.” Top speed is an astounding 203 miles per hour, and the Ghibli’s 60 mph dash takes just four seconds.

Atala

With Phil Aynsley

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Unknown Italian manufacturer number 736 – Atala. As with many motorcycle companies, Atala (founded by Emerico Steiner) started out by producing bicycles, starting in 1909 in their case. In 1924, they released a motorcycle powered by their own 125cc 2-stroke horizontal engine.

This turned out to be a success and led them to start making motorcycles powered by 350 cc Blackburn and 175 cc JAP engines. A 500cc JAP model appeared in 1932. However, the company discontinued production of motorcycles in 1934, reverting to bicycles.

The company was sold to Caesar Rizzato & Co in 1938 who continued to produce bicycles and reintroduced production of motorcycles, still under the Atala name. A range of small 2-stroke models of 49, 98 and 124 cc, usually powered by Minarelli engines, were manufactured.

After 2002, Rizzato’s holdings passed through several different hands, resulting in the formation of a new company Atala SpA and based in Monza. In 2011, it was part of the Dutch group Accell which owns nearly twenty brands of bicycles. Atala continues to manufacture bicycles and electric bicycles

The motorcycle pictured below is a circa 1963 Freccia D’oro (Golden Arrow) that uses a 49cc P-3 Minarelli 2-stroke engine producing just over 1 hp. This was enough to propel the 56 kg machine to a top speed of 60 km / h. An unusual feature is the use of a twist grip mounted cable shift mechanism.

We have nothing but love for the builders who will take a modern motorcycle and turn it into a rolling, retro-style work of art. At the same time, there is just something about the design cues found on an old school endurance racing bike that has always fascinated us, so we were rather intrigued to stumble upon the heavily reworked 2006 Honda CBR600RR from Francis Von Tuto.

The Italian craftsman is proud of more than two decades of experience in the motorcycle industry, but his pure passion for custom feats only came to light a few years ago, when Francis was living in Australia. He’s recently returned to Italy, and the beast you see here is the latest project this guy has done on Australian soil, where he’s been living for eight years.

You should buckle up and take a deep breath, because the extent to which this CBR has been personalized is simply mind-boggling. With its lightweight construction, a healthy top speed of 160 mph (257 km / h) and no less than 117 wild ponies to the test, Honda’s Mechanical Samurai is a heck of a starting point for an exceptional business that will weaken gearboxes. at the knees. .

As the Japanese superstar hadn’t driven in quite a while, Von Tuto began by gracing its 599cc liquid-cooled inline-four engine with full service. Once the engine work was done and the suspension refurbished, the doctor’s bike moved on to cosmetics. After inspecting the many spare clothes housed in his (old) workshop, Francis found a replica of the Ducati 900SS fiberglass front fairing developed by Paul Borowinski.

After cutting it, the solo artist outfitted the fairing with a tinted windshield and an eccentric Koito H4 headlight. The predator’s original subframe was then amputated to make way for an aluminum alternative that houses the bike’s electricity, a pair of versatile LED taillights, and a lithium battery.

Additionally, a beautiful rear section can be seen in the spotlight atop the new subframe, complete with a tiny license plate holder and a simple, but equally gorgeous, seat upholstered by David Webster. You’ll also notice hand-shaped side panels and a reused carbon fiber front fender that comes from a 2010 MY CBR600RR.

In terms of powertrain settings, the standard exhaust system has been replaced with a modified four-into-two Moriwaki element, which expires via custom mufflers. Rear-mounted footrests have been fitted to provide a harder riding position, suitable for an endurance runner. The CBR’s three-spoke wheels were retained, but their rims are now wrapped in high-quality Diablo Rosso Corsa II tires from Pirelli’s inventory.

Finally, the final touch is a timeless color scheme that adorns the machine from head to toe. It incorporates a stealthy black base, which comes with a delicious mix of yellow and silver accents. With projects like this jaw-dropping wonder, I think it’s pretty safe to say that Francis Von Tuto left his mark on the Australian custom motorcycle realm. We can’t wait to see what he will come up with after his move to Italy!

One of the real benefits of the last decade has been the introduction of new business models in micromobility. An example is Swapfiets, which is the first “bike as a service†company in the world.

So we were thrilled that their CEO, Marc de Vries, took the stage at the TNW 2021 conference and told us more about how the company is disrupting cycling sustainability.

Founded in 2014 in the Netherlands, the scale-up has more than 220,000 members in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Austria and the United Kingdom.

The concept of Swapfiets is quite simple: for a monthly subscription, members of Swapfiets receive a fully functional bicycle or an electric mobility solution for their own use. If necessary, a repair service is available within 48 hours to directly repair or exchange the two-wheeler at no additional cost.

The challenges of micromobility during COVID-19

Three students founded the company in 2014. Marc de Vries joined as CEO in January – yes, in the midst of a pandemic while everyone was working from home. His first challenge was to get to know the company and understand the culture of the company. He noted:

Culture is what you see when others aren’t watching

Then there is the pressure to join us, with an organization that grows as its owners mature. As he explained:

If people ask me, “What do you really bring? I would say concentration. The company is full of good ideas and energy. Therefore, I make sure that every good idea can be validated and executed.

In addition, the company is not immune to the difficulties of shortage of semiconductor chips. The chips are built into both the batteries and the bikes themselves.

Fortunately, the impact was reduced thanks to a valuable partnership. They collaborated to order wholesale chips with suppliers Bosch and Shimano.

Sustainability above all else and a move towards a circular economy

Swapfiets is a leading company in the sector by greening its workflow. Take bicycle tires. Tires are generally difficult to recycle. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Italian tire maker Vittoria to improve performance and extend the life of their e-bikes.

Swapfiets has subscribed to the Vittoria2GO service – renting tires instead of buying them – in a key step towards achieving their goal of creating 100% circular bikes.

In the “pay for use†business model, the manufacturer manages the value of a product throughout its lifecycle. The model encourages the design of products optimized for durability, ease of maintenance and repair.

De Vries notes that the company is in a privileged position to rethink the production supply chain. He noticed

that traditionally most companies cared little about what happened to bicycles when they were no longer in use. This evolved into a trend of designing bikes to last, creating models of perpetual bikes for repairing and reusing parts.

The company aims to produce a fully circular bicycle within the next three years.

Introducing The Power 1 by Swapfiets

The company launched its latest bike, Power 1 in September. It owes its name to its one-speed setup, which means there is no speed, which makes it easy to use and maintain.

A Shimano E5000 electric bike system runs The Power 1, offering three levels of electric assistance up to a top speed of 25 km / h. When fully charged, the battery provides a maximum range of 80 km, which is perfect for a full day of work and play in the city.

Given how stylish this bike looks, we can’t wait for the fully circular