Garelli Junior

GARELLI JUNIOR

Road Impression

MODERN ITALIAN ART takes many forms; the one we are concerned with is of the two-wheeled variety. Though little known in this country, the name Garelli in Italy describes one of the older more established makers of motorcycles and mopeds. Garellis are now being imported in a quantity suitable to satisfy the growing interest in lightweights.

lí is Italian in every respect: appearance, handling, performance, riding position, and design/construction. It would seem we would grow tired of complaining about the narrow hard seats, but not as long as they keep sending them over, and in the case of the Garelli it is a minor flaw.

A two-stroke, single-cylinder engine powers the bike: its dimensions are bore/ stroke of 40mm x 39mm, with a capacity of 49 cubic centimeters, or about three cubic inches. Horsepower is given as 4.3. via the Italian C.U.N.A. method which measures it at the rear wheel. Using the S.A.F. (Society of Automotive Engineers) system, it should figure out to somewhere around five or five and one half, since we measure it at the crankshaft before the power to drive the

machine has been robbed from the total rating. We rather like the Italian system; it seems a mite more honest and practical than ours since the only usable power is that which is left after subtracting the losses through gears, chains, moving weight, etc.

Four speeds are available from the gearbox, very important in getting the little machine underway and keeping it going. Performance is lively, top speed is a little over 52 miles per hour. The makers quote the top speed as being 56 mph. probably conceivable once the engine has loosened up and is freed from its delicate newness. Our system for checking on low-powered machines’ top speeds is to simply measure with a stop watch the interval between two measured markings on a stretch of road near our offices.

More important than pure top speed on machines of this type is the ability to maintain a safe and suitable cruising speed and to move through traffic. Here the little Garelli really shines. Plenty of power is on tap through all the gears, enough to move along with all but the fastest traffic road racers even in CYCLF

WORLD’S heavily traveled hometown.

Ignition is by flywheel magneto with windings for 6 volts of electric power for the lights. Of course if the engine isn’t turning over quite fast, little power, hence little light, is available. It doesn’t really matter very much though, since one must “buzz” the engine to keep performance up anyway. As with all machines of this type, the engine and gearbox are in unit with gear-driven primary and chaindriven secondary drive to the rear wheel. The elaborate silencer adds to the charm of the Garelli by producing a throaty sound, not too loud, but a noise more often suggestive of a 90 or 125cc machine.

The gearbox is an efficient, tidy little affair that works marvelously and never missed picking off the next gear. The gear change lever is a rocking type, allowing one to “heel and toe” through the gears, a familiar little Italian dance we learned to like long ago. Riders who prefer dress style shoes will welcome the opportunity to avoid grinding the leather off the tops of their shoe on this one. Only one of several reasons why the Garelli Junior represents a good buy. •