Italia Connections' Morbidelli page

One Man's Dream

The previous bikes bearing the Morbidelli name were blue and white Grand Prix racers during the 70's, which proved to be successful private machines. The bikes were built and prepared in his woodworking factory and won the 125cc World Championship with Paolo Pileri in 1975 and Pierpaolo Bianchi in 1976 and 1977.

- Paolo Pileri on the '75 125cc

There was also a 250cc crown with Mario Lega in 1977.

Mario Lega on the '77 250cc -

Other Morbidelli riders over the years included Angel Nieto, Giacomo Agostini. The former Suzuki rider Graziano Rossi also rode an innovative, monocoque chassis-ed 500cc square four introduced in 1979.
Giancarlo gave up bike racing a few years later to help with the car racing career of his son Gianni, who drove in Formula 1.

Morbidelli Spa is also one of the world's leading manufacturers of woodworking machinery. It was started by Giancarlo from nothing back in 1960, in his home town of Pessaro on Italy's Adriatic coast. The business has grown to employ 250 people, export to 70 countries and have an annual turnover of some UKp30 million. The Firm's products are high-tech, computer controlled, dedicated devices, many of which sell for 6 figure sums (UKp:).
It's the profit from the woodworking machines that enabled Morbidelli to build his bike, there's no way it will cover it's own costs!
It's a different style of business to sponsoring a football team or such like. The project was conceived with the intention of demonstrating his factory's technological ability.

The Bike

The Mk1 originally styled by Pininfarina :-((

150mph, 850cc liquid cooled V-eight. The engine, which forms a stressed member within the tubular steel space frame, sits low down , but Morbidelli has found plenty to fill the space between and above the V. The airbox and radiator are up there, contributing to a leg stretching 33.4 inch seat height. Dry weight is 200kg (441lb).

Pininfarina, more reknowned for their work with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo and other car bodies, is responsible for the bodywork. The original styling was slated by almost everone (including myself). It was certainly 'distinctive' as you moved from back to front, the finale being the layered, snub-nosed fairing and raised cruising bars.

It would have been neater with 2 silencers -

... so much promise :-(

Other spec include, upside-down forks, four pot brembos and Marvic wheels. The bottom line ...... a whopping UKp 40,000 when it was announced in 1994. This has been altered with the updated styling to approx UKp 27,000 in 1998.

The Engine:
The Morbidelli V8 has a wonderful spec:
a 90-degree, transverse V8, a capacity of 847cc, with 32 valves, it's four camshafts are driven by gear and then toothed belts at the front of the motor (as seen in pic below). Weber fuel injection serves the fuel.
In 1998 with the updated styling the engine spec was also changed so that peak power is an acceptable 120bhp at 11,000rpm, with claimed torque at 60lb.ft at 9,500rpm. The potential of such an engine layout could be huge. The Morbidelli V8 is a softly tuned, shaft drive machine with a 5 speed gearbox (bolted onto the rear, using a twin plate dry clutch). These figures compared to 100bhp and 54lb.ft for the original design.

The engine was modelled on the Cosworth V8.

The crankcases are sandcast magnesium.

Bore and stroke are a mere 55 x 44.6mm respectively.

The inlet and exhaust valves measure 21 and 17mm in diameter.

Links

• If you have any links or details to assist, please Email me at: italia@argonet.co.uk

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