BIKE OF THE MONTH

1975 MORBIDELLI GRAND PRIX MOTORCYCLE
Frame #1001, Engine #1001

Giancarlo Morbidelli of Pesaro, Italy, began his professional career in a woodworking machinery company. Disappointed by the mediocre performance of the machines, he designed and built his own and its commercial success brought him financial fortune as well as being able to enjoy his passion for racing motorcycles. He built his first in 1969, a 2-stroke, 6-speed, disc-valve machine that proved competitive on the national level. By 1971, a very competitive but fragile 125cc twin followed, and ridden by Gilberto Parlotti, was leading the 1972 world championship. Unfortunately, Parlotti insisted to race at the TT on the Isle of Man, and while leading in the rain, crashed and found his death.

After a year on sabbatical, Morbidelli regrouped and in 1973, hired Spanish star Angel Nieto to race the revised 125cc machine, but it was a disastrous year as the machine proved fragile and lacked speed. The hiring of German engineer Jorg Moller in 1974 generated the production of a world beater. From the very first Grand Prix in 1975, it became obvious that the only 125cc motorcycle that could beat a Morbidelli, was... another. Ridden by Paolo Pileri and Pier-Paolo Bianchi, the machines won three world titles on the trot. A 250cc was added that won the 1977 title in the hands of Mario Lega.

The motorcycle you see here is one of four 125cc examples built in the winter of 1974, to win the 1975 world championship, which it did.

Technical Characteristics

• Displacement: 124.68cc (125cc, 7.6 C.I.)
• Bore/Stroke: 44 mm x 41 mm (1.73 in x 1.61 in)
• Two-stroke, twin-cylinder, liquid cooled w/ gear-driven coolant pump, disc-valve induction
• Two Mikuni VM28 carburetors
• Aluminum & magnesium crankcases, Hoeckle forged-steel crankshaft, Mahle cylinders with Nikasil coating, Mahle forged aluminum pistons, FAG celron-cage bearings.
• Transmission: 6-speed sequential, dry clutch
• Ignition: Krober electronic magneto with battery and high-voltage coils
• Fork: Marzocchi magnesium
• Shock absorbers: Marzocchi gas-filled with separate reservoir
• Brakes: Brembo calipers and rotors
• Weight: 81kg, 180 lbs. (FIM minimum weight, dry)
• Power: 42 hp (14 kW) @ 14,000 rpm
• Top Speed: 145 mph

1975-1976-1977 FIM World Champion