Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
A SMALL GROUP of Italian enthusiasts, headed by a German technician, has created a new road racer for the privat wishing to contest the one-two-five GP class. Called the DRS, it was successfully tested both at Monza and Modena by rider Angelo Bergamonti and will be produced in a small batch for sale at about $1,600.
The DRS is an interesting mount, built according to the latest racing two-stroke technique, but without the complications which would handicap private riders. It is a rotary disc valve two-stroke, with watercooled horizontal cylinder, air-cooled head, and chrome bore. Bore-stroke dimensions are 54mm by 54mm, and compression ratio is 17.8:1. Rear wheel output is said to be 22 bhp at 10,800 rpm.
The rotating disc, with a 204-degree opening, is at the starboard end of the crankshaft and is fed by a 29mm Dellorto carburetor. The primary drive gear is on the left-hand side and actuates the contact breaker gear. Ignition is by battery and external high tension coil. By means of a worm drive, the contact breaker gear moves a plunger type oil pump which forces lubricant to the crankshaft from a plastic container behind the radiator under the 2.8-gallon alloy gas tank. The worm drive also actuates the rev counter.
The gearbox now has six speeds, but nine will soon be fitted; gear change lever is on the right-hand side. The dry clutch runs externally on the left.
The power unit is attached under a double cradle, chrome-molybdenum, tubular frame weighing only 12.1 pounds, including the rear swinging arm.
In running condition, the complete bike now weighs 171.6 pounds, but the builders reckon they can shave off about 10 pounds using elektron in the crankcase castings and doing some other lightening work here and there. The DRS comes with the best equipment now available: Ceriani GP front fork, Fontana Daniele brakes, Girling rear shock absorbers, Avon GP 2.50-18 (front) and 2.75-18 rear tires.
Next season the bike will be raced by the designer himself, backed by Bergamonti (who also has been chosen by Benelli for some rides on the 250cc four-cylinder after his promising debut with the Pesarobuilt multi in the last round of the 1966 Italian Senior Championship).
Interested in the DRS 125 racer? Contact the German agent: Georg Munch, Belgrad Strasse 75, 8 München 13, Germany.
ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Italian Senior Championship had a very late conclusion in 1966, the last round being held at the twisting Vallelunga autodrome near Rome. Francesco Villa won the one-two-five race on a rotary disc valve Montesa he developed, but the class title was clinched by Francesco’s younger brother, Walter, on a Mondial, also a disc valve job. Francesco’s Montesa appeared in May, 1966. and Jose Maria Busquets won the Spanish championship with it. It puts out 22 bhp at 11,000 rpm through a sevenspeed gearbox; weight is about 165 pounds. Francesco Villa and Montesa are now reported to be developing a 250cc racer, presumably along the same lines.
In the 250 class, with Provini still out of action because of his IOM crash, Benelli gave their “fours” to the young riders Ballestrieri and Bergamonti, both of whom put up a fine show, coming home first and second ahead of Alberto Pagani on the Paton twin. Because of previous wins, however, Provini won the title.
Harley-Davidson Aermacchi did not compete in this final round of the senior championship and let their young rider, Renzo Pasolini, accept an offer from Benelli to ride the new 16-valve 350cc racer, which had been readied for Provini but never used. The engine (bore of 50mm, and stroke of 44mm times 4, equalling 345.2cc, with 11:1 compression ratio) has only slightly more power (55 bhp) than the previous eight-valve model, but has a great deal more torque, coming on nicely from 6,000 rpm instead of 10,000 rpm. Other details of the revised engine: magneto ignition (mounted, strangely, in front of the crankcase), gear-driven double overhead cams, primary drive by gears, eightspeed gearbox, a ready-to-run weight of 242 pounds and top speed a shade over 157 mph.
This new three-fifty was used by Pasolini in the 500cc race, there being no 350 senior championship. The early laps were very exciting. Pasolini led Agostini, MV3, and Venturi, Gilera 4. Trying to reduce the gap somewhat troppo con brio, Ago crashed, and as he limped away with a broken foot, Pasolini went on to win easily from Venturi, who was not overly comfortable with the big Gilera on this twisty circuit. A Paton twin was again third, this time with Bergamonti. The upshot: Agostini had the 500cc title wrapped up anyway, with which to console himself and foot, and now it is nearly a sure thing that Pasolini will ride Benelli this year.
Switching to a calmer sport, we note that the trials championship has concluded with a brilliant success for Güera, which won the lOOcc class with Gorini, the 125cc class with Eugenio Saini and the team award with the “Police of the Road” formation composed by Saini, Vergani and Moscheni. ■
