Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
THE ITALIAN SEASON opened with the traditional Modena meeting on March 20th, thus enabling one to have a better picture of the various factories’ racing plans, which have been kept secret or semi-secret until now, and have caused many false or exaggerated stories to get around.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON AERMACCHI — The famous “Golden Wings” 250 and 350 have been further improved and now develop respectively 33 bhp at 10,000 rpm and 35 bhp at 8500 rpm (the machines on sale are only slightly less powerful). The two-fifty now has magneto ignition while for the three-fifty the usual battery and coil system has been retained since the American magneto supplied by HarleyDavidson has fixed advance, and it is thus quite difficult to start the large 350. Factory riders Renzo Pasolini and Gilberto Milani, plus semi-works riders Alberto Pagani and Giuseppe Visenzi, are to compete in all Italian events and most of the classics, including the Isle, of Man T.T.
BENELLI — Main target this year is the 350 world championship title. Their only rider, the inimitable Tarquinio Provini, is bound to have terrific scraps with his old rival Giacomo Agostini, the young MV star. The Benelli 350 has been redesigned on the lines of the well known 250 four and with an eight-speed gearbox it is reported to develop 56 bhp at 16,000 rpm (the two-fifty now has 52 bhp at 16,500 rpm). Benelli will, of course, compete in the 250 class as well, beginning with Modena where Provini easily crushed the opposition, though not breaking the Agostini-Morini 1964 race or lap records (tight, twisty courses are not ideal for multi-cylinder machines).
DUCATI — Ing. Taglioni continues developing the 125cc four described last year, and plans are well advanced now to build a 250cc version. Works rider is Franco Famé, while Bruno Spaggiari is the factory rider for the Ducati parent company, Moto-Trans of Spain. Incidentally, Bruno Spaggiari, riding a much refurbished Ducati desmo twin placed third at Modena behind winner Ralph Bryans (Honda four) and Walter Villa (Mondial single). Improved also are the single ohc, double ignition, five-speed “Mach 3” 250 and 350 mounts for private owners: power figures are respectively 32 bhp at 10,000 and 35 at 9,000 rpm.
GILERA — After much indecision, Gilera has decided to again race the famous four-cylinder 500. Rider is ex-MV, Bianchi and Benelli teamster Remo Venturi who finished second at Modena behind Giacomo Agostini (on the 350 MV three-cylinder) but Venturi beat Silvio Grassetti (MV 500 four) after a ding-dong battle. The Gilera used at Modena is about the same as ridden by Caldarella in 1964 but interesting developments are in sight, among them a .ycvcn-speed gearbox, new front fork and brake, various retouching to frame and engine, etc. Moreover, Gilera will be the only Italian factory to compete officially in trials, with 125 four stroke machines.
MONDIAL — Mondial top rider for 1966 will be Walter Villa, just released by MV. Walter’s brother, Francesco, after many seasons and success with Mondial has left the factory to concentrate on development and riding his own “Snipe” 125cc singlecylinder rotary valve two-stroke with seven speeds and 24 bhp at 11,500 rpm. This model is particularly intended for the private owner and made a winning debut during the end of last year’s season at Rome. At Modena Walter Villa rode last year’s Mondial single-cylinder but very soon he will get the 125 twin (30 bhp at 14,000 rpm with 8-speed gearbox) and the 250 twin, also a two-stroke rotary valve with 48 bhp at 11,500 rpm, and a sevenspeed gearbox. Mondial is expected to compete in all Italian events, plus select international races.
MORINI — In spite of all the efforts made by riders, organizers, friends and so on, the fabulous “single lunger” 250 will remain inactive.
MOTOBI — A completely renewed 250 pushrod engine with over 30 bhp and a five-speed gearbox in the bag (built particularly for the U.S. market and the private riders) made a striking debut at Modena with Amilcare Ballestrieri riding, he succeeded in staying in front of Provini (and all the others) for a couple of laps before retiring with ignition trouble. This is a machine to watch.
MOTO GUZZI — The never-raced 500 single developed late in the 1957 season (just before Guzzi withdrew from racing), to substitute for the fabulous V-8, has been loaned to Giuseppe Mandolini, who has been racing one of the “old” 350s with success. Prepared by a factory mechanic, this 84 x 90 = 498cc machine develops 47 bhp at 7000 rpm with 11:1 compression ratio, has magneto ignition, five speeds and a huge 45mm carburetor. It only weighs 238 pounds in running order. At Modena Mandolini couldn’t show its best because of fuel pump troubles (the pump which takes fuel from the tank to the float chamber was defective) but it managed to finish fifth behind Agostini, Venturi, Grassetti and Pasolini but ahead of Milani, Visenzi and other good riders.
M.V. - Giacomo Agostini, winner of the 500 class at Modena with the famous 350 three-cylinder at record speed, will compete all alone in the 350 and 500 classes of the world championship. For Italian races he will be teamed up with Silvio Grassetti. The 350, with 52 x 54 bore and stroke and four valves per cylinder, has been strengthened inside and outside, has a seven speed gearbox and 55 bhp at 13,000 rpm. Also the 500 has been improved, with six-speed gearbox and 75 bhp at 11,500 rpm.
PATON — Giuseppe Pattoni, builder of the famous Paton specials, has nearly finished a 500 twin developed from the 350 seen last year. This machine will be used by Fred Stevens, sponsored by Castrol and Colin Lyster. Later Stevens will also get a new Paton 350 and still later in the season a 250. All these machines are built on the same scheme, with double ohc driven by gears between the cylinders. ■
