The Bologna Motor Show
The Bologna Motor Show
Debut of Europe's latest and hints of what may come.
Luigi Rivoli
The best thing about events like the recent Motor Show in Bolo gna, Italy, are the rumors. They float about every year and not one of them isn't exciting.
True or not true, they range from the expected to the bizarre. V-Fours, V-Sixes, opposed-Fours, Turbos. New generation BMWs, Ducatis, Laverdas, Guzzis, Morinis, Bimotas.
And every now and then, some of those rumors really do turn out to be cor rect. Remember, BMW actually is test ing an four-cylinder bike now. Keep that in mind while you read the latest bumper crop of rumors.
Like this one. How about a three-cyl inder Moto Guzzi? It supposedly is built around the usual V-Twin, with a third vertical cylinder added in between. The V-Three would resemble the fan-cylin dered engines of the early days of aviation.
Another Guzzi tip. De Tomaso Indus tries of Milan is working on a new four valve-per-cylinder head for Moto Guzzi.
Could this mean that the V-Three would have 12 valves?
On the Bimota front, that frame powerplant matchmaker supposedly is negotiating with Venezuela's Yamaha importer on the production of a Bimota Yamaha 550 Four. The bikes would be assembled in the South American coun try, using the Italian frames and Japa nese drivetrains.
Ducati. The long-rumored 1000cc V Four is almost ready to be released, ac cording to the latest rumors. The wedded double-Pantah engine has been running on the bench for two months without a hitch. Rumored power of the air-cooled, desmodromic V-Four is 152 hp at 11,500 rpm. 11,500 rpm? That's the word. Ducati also is reported to be preparing a 650cc version of the Pantah, which was bumped up to 600cc only last year.
Laverda, that bastion of the Three, has been working on a pair of Fours, 500cc and 750cc, but development has been slow. It may be 1984 before the factory is ready to release them.
Pretty good stuff, eh? But rumors are, well, just rumors, after all. Can't take them to the bank. Or ride them.
So, end of conjecture. Beginning of fact. Here's some information on some of the bankable models displayed at the Bo logna Motor Show.
Laverda makes a play for the highperformance touring market with the Kamm-tail package for its RGS 1000. The touring kit includes a bigger, vented fairing, higher handlebars with special cover and a pair of streamlined fiberglass bags. Designed by Laverda and Futura Motors (which created the RGS and the Moto Morini 500 Turbo), the kit suppos edly can be installed with a minimum of time and effort. Meanwhile, the Ameri can version of the basic RGS, which fea tures slightly higher handlebars and slightly larger fairing than the European model, is being exported. Information on it is available from Slater Bros. Ltd., P.O. Box 746, Kenwood, California.
New treatments of Ducati's 900 Darmah and 600 Pantah models were displayed in Bologna. The 600TL sports a flashy silver paint, red-orange-yellow striping and gold-trimmed wheels. The 900S2 is black, with the same partialrainbow striping and gold wheels. It has a red frame. Ducati, by the way, is setting up a new distribution system in the United States. Gone is the Berliner Motor Corp., former importer-distributor. New is Ducati USA, overseen by VM Group of America, which will establish three to five regional master distributorships around the country. Ducati USA/ VM Group has begun moving Berliner’s inventory to VM’s home in Houston and has started stocking parts.
Bimota unveiled its SB4, a Suzuki GSl 100-based motorcycle that fills out its 1983 line. The SB4 comes with the Katana’s llOOcc, 16-valve Four, chrome-moly tubular frame, beefed-up brakes and single-shock rear suspension. Wheelbase is 56 in., dry weight is 467 lb. A new exhaust system increases power to 112 hp at 8750 rpm. The red-and-white SB4 is capable of reaching 155 mph, Bimota says.
Moto Morini showed a modified Camel 500 Twin endurance bike that competed in this year’s 3750-mi. ParisDakar enduro. The specially tuned Camel has a strengthened frame, 9-gal. gas tank and new air filter with ramming^ intake atop the gas tank.
Morini also had its long-promised 500 Turbo on hand. Factory representatives allowed as how the on-again, off-again Turbo was almost ready to go into production, perhaps in 1983.
Finally, last and, in some ways, least, Benelli showed up touting its latest: the SI25 two-stroke scooter. Details include primary belt drive, electric and kick start, and a choice of three transmissions: automatic, manually selected twospeed automatic, or four-speed standard. Benelli says the SI25 scoot’ll do 62 mph. If one dares, that is. SI
