c.1956 Moto Morini 175cc Settebello Racing Motorcycle
Frame no. L15113
Engine no. L15113
Moto Morini founder Alfonso Morini split from MM in 1937, setting up a foundry in Bologna. Post-WW2 he returned to motorcycle manufacture, commencing with a 125cc two-stroke and then a similar-sized overhead-camshaft four-stroke single. The company was active in racing right from the start, winning the Italian national 125 championship in 1949. Although never a Grand Prix category, the 175cc class was an important one in Continental Europe. Introduced for the 1954 model year, the Moto Morini Settebello (Seven of Diamonds) was a high-performance sports roadster that commenced a run of models named after card games. Although intended for production-class racing, the Settebello was sold with full road equipment and could be distinguished from Morini's other 175s by its larger cylinder head containing hairpin valve springs (all the rest used coils). Also offered alongside the less-exotic family members was an out-and-out racer, the twin-overhead-camshaft Rebello, which was one of the most advanced designs available when introduced in 1955. This Moto Morini is of a type used by future World Champion Giacomo Agostini in his first mountain races such as Bologna-San Luca and Trento-Bondone. An older restoration, it would make a superb acquisition for any collection and an ideal mount for next year's Moto Giro d'Italia.
Saleroom notices
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