The Claiming Rule Team class was introduced in MotoGP for the 2012 season but was dropped with the introduction of standardised ECUs for the 2014 season. The intention was to bolster grid numbers (which had fallen to 17 entries by 2011) and increase the spectacle of the races.
Aleix Espargarò’s Team Aspar Aprilia ART GP13
The CRT bikes still had to be “prototypes” but in reality these Honda, BMW, Kawasaki and Aprilia privateer bikes were really just modified WSBK machines.
This is Aleix Espargarò’s Team Aspar Aprilia ART GP13 machine as it appeared in the final round of the 2013 season in Valencia. He placed 11th in the championship and first in the CRT class with six top-ten finishes.
Aleix Espargarò’s Team Aspar Aprilia ART GP13
Output is over 230 hp with a dry weight of 165 kg and top speed was over 330 km/h.
The museum building is located next to Milan’s Malpensa airport in Casina Costa, where Giovanni Agusta moved his aircraft manufacturing business in 1923. Both the company’s aeronautical and motorcycle history are on display.
MV Agusta MuseumThe company has been building helicopters since 1952.
The name MV Agusta rarely brings scooters to mind but the company produced tens of thousands from 1949 up until 1964.
From L to R: A 1949 125 Tipo A, 1952 125 CSL, 1954 125 CGT and 1955 125 Pullman prototype.
A distinctive feature of most of their scooters was that the motors were exposed, not enclosed like nearly all other scooters. The final model, the 150 Chicco did use an enclosing pressed steel monocoque chassis together with a bespoke engine.
A close-up of MV Agusta’s scooters
A cut away view of a motor from the 1975 750S America. The motor was a slightly modified version of the 1972 750 Sport (which in turn was based on the 600 Four).
1975 750S America engine
The bore was increased by 2 mm resulting in a capacity of 789 cc, compression increased, reworked heads housed larger valves but milder cams. 26 mm VHB Dell’Orto carbs replaced the earlier UB 24mm units and power was 75 hp at 8,500 rpm.
MV Agusta Museum
A museum visit really is a must for anyone interested in motorcycles – particularly red ones!
From a prototype 1963 125cc 2-stroke water-cooled disc-valve single (far right), to a 500cc straight six, with all manner of configurations in between. On the left is a 1956 250 Corsa.
008, 051, 052. When Piero Remor moved from Gilera to MV Agusta in 1949 he began work on a DOHC 500/4. This bore a very close resemblance to his Gilera design and had some strange design features such as seperate gear levers on each side for up/down changes.
Piero Remor’s DOHC 500/4 design
It first raced the following year. This 1951 version had a conventional gearshift but retained the Earls fork and twin carburettors mounted on Y-shaped manifolds.
The inspiration from his Gilera work was obvious
Helicopter engineering is also proudly on show throughout the museum.
A closer look at MV Agusta’s helicopter tech
Two contemporaries – Agusta’s first (’58) in-house helicopter prototype, the A.103 and a 150 Rapido Sport. Count Agusta moved his aircraft manufacturing to Milan in 1923.
Agusta’s first (’58) in-house helicopter prototype, the A.103
He began manufacturing the Bell 47 under licence in 1952 and helicopter production continues to this day. The 150.1cc RS was introduced in 1959 in response to the new law prohibiting bikes under 150cc from using the autostradas.
A 150 Rapido Sport
A one-off built to transfer guests from the dock to Count Aguata’s house in Portofino.
A special one-off…
A 1967 250B. Like most Italian motorcycle manufactures police and military models played an important part in their range.
1967 MV Agusta 250B
In 1945 Meccanica Verghera Agusta introduced its first motorcycle – the Vespa! The name was soon changed when it was discovered Piaggio had already registered it.
Meccanica Verghera Agusta tried to introduce their first ever motorcycle as a ‘Vespa’
From then on it was simply called the 98. About 1700 of this basic 2-stroke single were produced up until 1948. Alongside is final classic racing design, the 1974 500/4.
With the Vespa named taken it would instead be known simply as the ’98’
The first two road MV fours – separated by 15 years! Only this single, silver R19 500 was built and it debuted at the 1950 Milan Show.
The first two road MV fours
Many of the GP bike’s features were retained such as the double swingarm and shaft drive. It weighed just 155 kg and had a claimed 38-40 hp at 8,000 rpm. Top speed was 180 km/h. Mighty impressive figures for 1950! The 600 Four was the first MV four the (well heeled) public could buy. Only 127 were built.
MV Agusta’s 600 Four
This sole 350 Bicilindrica Corsa was loosely based on the proposed 300B road bike (only a show bike was built, without engine internals).
350 Bicilindrica Corsa
While the 300 used a high-cam/short pushrod design, the racer had a gear-driven DOHC set up. On the test bench the motor produced 46.5 hp at 12,000 rpm – not good enough to justify replacing the existing 350 racers.
350 Bicilindrica Corsa
The 1963 125 cc disc-valve 2-stroke prototype. A seven-speed gearbox was fitted.
Two of the 500cc GP bikes on display. On the left a 1973 four. Alberto Pagani scored the 500/4’s final victory at Austria (not a GP) in September 1973. Agostini won the design’s first at Modena in ’66. On the right a 1965 four. Les Graham won this design’s first race at Monza in ’52. Agostini its last in ’66.
Two MV Agusta’s 500cc GP bikes on display
The 1964 250 Bicilindrica featured a motor that was basically two 125cc singles siamesed together. It won two World Championships, in 1956 and 1958.
MV Agusta 250 Bicilindrica
A very small number of the trophies won by MV riders, including a IoM TT trophy.
A small sample of MV Agusta’s trophies
A 1955 175 CSS in front of some of the GP bikes.
MV Agusta 175 CSS
The four-wheel Vetturetta prototype from 1951 was powered by a 350 cc 4-stroke motor.
The Vetturetta prototype
The 1969 Overcraft (hovercraft) prototype used a 300 cc 2-stroke motor.
Overcraft (hovercraft) prototype
Certainly one of the rarest MV Agustas ever produced! One of the 50 1962 Motozappa 188 70 cc tiling machines built.
Every so often a bike comes along that is completely unknown to me (and I would hazard, to most). The Moraco-Droulhole is one of those.
The Moraco-Droulhole 354 cc development racer
Frenchman Bernard Droulhole patented his monocoque chassis (although he referred to it as “polycoque”) around 1970 and it was soon used by the Maingret brothers to house a slightly enlarged (354 cc) Yamaha TZ350 motor as their entry into the 500 cc GP class.
In 1974 their riders were Patrick Pons and Christian Bourgeios. Pons placed fourth at Spa for the team’s best result. Bourgeios did finish third at the French GP in the 350 race – presumably not with the 354 cc motor fitted!
Moraco-Droulhole TZ350 based development racer
The chassis weighed just 7.35 kg with the bike’s dry weight being 103 kg, while power was 64 hp at 10,000 rpm.
This bike was only raced four times, being mainly used as a development machine. Four other bikes still exist of the six made in total.
In the previous column I covered F.B. Mondial’s rare 1951 125 Bialbero, so I thought a look at its more readily available Monoalbero (SOHC) sibling would make for an interesting comparison.
F.B. Mondial 125 Monoalbero SOHC
Also introduced in 1951 this bike was developed for the long distance road races that were so popular in Italy at the time. Initially they were only used by factory riders but from 1952 they were also made available to privateers. The SOHC design was thought to be more reliable than the DOHC for these events.
The bikes were usually sold without street equipment for those wanting to use them on the track but they were available with lights and street electrical system for riders to use in the Moto Giro or Milano-Taranto races and the like.
The Monoalbero was the SOHC version of the Bialbero, and a far more common sight
The Monoalbero used a vertical stack of gears, on the right hand side of the motor, to drive the camshaft. Removable covers enclosed the valve springs. A wet sump crankcase was used in contrast to the Bialbero’s dry sump design.
It’s believed this Monoalbero was a factory machine
The bike seen here is either a ’51 or ’52 model and appears to be a factory machine. It is in original and unrestored condition and the front guard decal was most likely applied in late 1954.
Again thanks to the bike’s owner, John Goldman, for the majority of the information used to put this column together.
What we have here is a gem! In original and unrestored condition this is one of the three factory F.B. Mondial 125 Bialbero (DOHC) racers known to have survived. It is a 1951 model and is thought to be Carlo Ubbiali’s World Championship winning machine.
F.B. Mondial’s 125 Bialbero DOHC factory racer
Firstly however some background on how it came into existence.
Count Massimo Boselli was a wealthy land owner and lawyer from Ancarano who had four sons and a daughter. The youngest son, Giuseppe, not only had good management skills he also raced motorcycles and became a partner in GD (GD Ghirardi & Dall’Oglio Racers link), racing them as well. He then went on to be involved with CM (CM – Another defunct Italian Motorcycle brand link). It was during his time with these two companies that became friends with engineer Oreste Drusiani who manufactured engines and parts for both firms.
F.B. Mondial 125 Bialbero DOHC factory racer thought to be Carlo Ubbiali’s World Championship winning machine
In 1929 Giuseppe and his brothers founded a company F.B. (Fratelli Boselli – Bosselli Brothers) to produce three-wheeled delivery vehicles. The concern was set up in factory space owned by Drusiani and proved to be quite successful until it was destroyed during WW II.
The company re-established itself in 1946, continuing to produce three-wheelers, then in early 1948 Giuseppe bought a prototype motorcycle engine designed by Oreste Drusiani’s son Alfonso. This motor was very radical for the period, a 125 cc 4-stroke single with DOHC.
F.B. Mondial 125 Bialbero DOHC factory racer
Nearly all small displacement race motors were 2-strokes at the time. Unusually the design featured a “monobloc” crankcase – this was cast as a single piece (similar to a tube with open sides), it was not split into either vertical or horizontal halves. Alfonso was hired to run a newly established race department and resulting bike was called the F.B. Mondial.
The new bike first raced in September 1948 but had to retire with a split fuel tank (taken from a Moto Guzzi). However the next month the bike, ridden by Giovanni Cavanna in extremely bad weather, set 125 cc world records in the standing start kilometre and mile. On October 24th F.B. Mondial won their first race with Nello Pagani victorious at the Monza GP.
F.B. Mondial 125 Bialbero DOHC factory racer
Thus began a period of total domination of the 125 cc class in the new Grand Prix World Championships that began in 1949. F.B. Mondials won every race in ’49, ’50 and ’51 – with riders Nello Pagani, Bruno Ruffo and Carlo Ubbiali respectively. The main rivals MV Agusta and Moto Morini had fielded 2-stroke powered machinery in ’49 but had to switch to 4-strokes thereafter in an effort to be competitive.
Ubbiali’s victory in the 1949 125 cc class was followed by eight more world championships (all on MVs), five on 125s and three on 250s.
F.B. Mondial 125 Bialbero can be credited with forcing the competition to develop 4-strokes
The 125 Bialbero used a short vertical shaft with bevel gears at both ends to drive the central gear of five overhead gears of which the outermost gears drove the camshafts. All these gears were on the right hand side of the motor. Bore and stroke was 53 x 56.4mm, with a dry sump and external flywheel employed.
Thanks go to the bike’s owner, John Goldman, for the majority of the information used to put this column together.
I briefly mentioned Paton’s 250 parallel twin GP bike a couple of columns ago when talking about its big brother 500. I thought it would be interesting to have a more detailed look at it.
Paton 250 parallel-twin GP Racer
This design is itself a following on from the 250cc parallel twin that Giuseppe Pattoni and Lino Tonti designed for F.B. Mondial (F. B. Mondial 250cc twin-cylinder GP Racer) and formed the basis for all the four-stroke Paton’s to come.
Paton 250 parallel-twin GP Racer
The 250 used a 53 x 56 mm bore and stroke and a six-speed gearbox. The output of 32 hp at 12,000 rpm was acceptable but the bike was overweight at 137 kg which made its performance marginal. The best result it achieved was a third in the Lightweight TT at the IoM in 1964 with Alberto Pagani aboard.
Paton 250 parallel-twin GP Racer
Of the two 250s made the one seen here is the only original example left. The second bike was converted into a 350 (which was owned and raced by Mike Duff), before again being enlarged, this time to 500cc (which was raced by Englishman Fred Stevens who won the 1967 North West 200 on it).
Here is a bike that I’ve been taking photos of since 1978! Before I begin I would like to thank Neil Cummins for access to his history with the bike.
Ducati Factory 900 F1 ‘NCR’
Neil worked for Malcolm Bailey (Moreparts) and was involved with Jim Scaysbrook and Mike Hailwood’s Ducati production races in Australia in ’77 and ’78 as well as being Jim’s mechanic for his ’78 IoM campaign.
Ducati Factory 900 F1 ‘NCR’
Although commonly known as the “Ducati NCR” the first batch of these bikes were all built in the Ducati factory (with some NCR input) and are thus properly called 900 F1s. NCR (Nepoti, Caracchi, Rizzzi – after Rizzi left the R stood for Racing) went on to build the post ‘78 endurance racers (among many other projects).
Ducati Factory 900 F1 ‘NCR’
During the lead up to Mike’s historic return to the IoM in ’78 he asked Steve Wynn, under those Sports Motorcycles sponsorship he was riding, if Steve could help with any support for Jim to get to the IoM. The answer was yes, if he could supply his own bike.
Meanwhile Malcolm Bailey had approached Norm Fraser regarding sourcing a Ducati 900 F1 for Jim, only to be told that only three F1s were being built – two for Sports Motorcycles and one to be raced in Italy. However the factory later informed Frasers that more were to be constructed (it is thought a total of eight were built that year) and one could be delivered to Sports Motorcycles in May if Malcolm purchased it through Frasers.
The bikes duly arrived in Manchester several days after Jim, his wife Sue and Neil touched down at the beginning of May. Work began on preparing the bikes for the rigours of the IOM. The RH gear change/LH rear brake were also swapped to accommodate both riders. Jim was able to do some testing at Donington Park where Mike was testing his Yamaha 500s (see Neil’s prints).
As is now history Mike went on to famously win the F1 race while Jim was going well until a welded coil bracket broke causing the throttle to jam resulting in him crashing coming into Governors Bridge. He finished 26th in the Classic TT later in the week. Jim then rode the bike at the Post TT meeting at Mallory Park (again won by Mike on the 900 F1), still with the IOM gearing and tyres.
Jim’s final ride on the bike was at the Macarthur Park race meeting near Canberra in October ’78.
Jim on the bike at the MacArthur Park meeting in October 1978.Jim on the bike at the MacArthur Park meeting in October 1978.
The bike was raced at various events over the years including the 1980 Coca Cola 800 at Oran Park where Wayne Gardner led the race before the rain got into the electrics. Dave Robbins raced it at Bathurst in ’80 (with an alloy tank) and ’81. By this time the sand-cast crankcases had cracked (a common problem with the factory race motors at the time) and Darmah cases were used in their place for many years.
Wayne on the bike in the early stages of the 1980 Coca Cola 800.Dave Robbins at Bathurst 1980.
Ian Gowanloch eventually obtained and repaired the crankcases and they have since been reunited with the bike, which has undergone a painstaking restoration by the current owner – the results of which you can see here.
Dave Robbins at Bathurst 1981.
It was quite a privilege to be able to record Neil and Jim reunited with the bike at the Phillip Island Classic in 2018.
Neil Cummins & Jim Scaysbrook at the Phillip Island Classic 2018.
The Laverda 750 SFC is an iconic motorcycle that has a quite involved history. Next to Ducati’s 750SS ‘Greenframe’ it is probably the most sought after Italian bike of the period.
Laverda’s 750 SFC (Super Freni Competizione)
The model went through several individual development stages, each known by the engine serial number range. First came the 5.000, then the 8.000, 11.000, 16.000, 17.000 and 18.000 (the ‘.’ being the European equivalent of the ‘,’). Each batch was of limited numbers with total of 549 thought to have been made.
Laverda’s 750 SFC (Super Freni Competizione)
Again like the 750SS the SFC (although the Laverda actually predated the Ducati) was derived from more humble beginnings that started with Massimo Laverda’s original big twin 650 cc design that was debuted in 1966 (Laverda 650 Twin | The ‘modern’ Laverda story). This was followed by a standard 750 cc model in 1968, then the 750S the following year and the 750SF (Super Freni – Super Brakes) in 1970.
Laverda 750 SFC
The SF was successfully raced in endurance events in 1970 with a first place in the Monza 500, a 1-2-3 result in the Oss 24 Hour and then third and sixth in the Bol d’Or 24 Hour. Encouraged by these results a dedicated production racer, the SFC (Super Freni Competizione) was launched in May 1971.
Laverda 750 SFC
This batch of 20 bikes was the 5.000 series and all were intended for the factory race team. The results were all that could be wished for with six first places and numerous other podiums during the year.
Laverda 750 SFC
In November the second batch of 78-80 bikes were constructed – the 8.000 series and the subject of the images here. This original and unrestored example shows the typical features of the series – the protruding Carello headlight, the exhaust headers that run alongside the engine and the rear brake pedal that is bent to clear the exhaust.
Laverda 750 SFC
Stage 2 Laverda brakes are fitted (Ceriani front brakes were an option). Compared to the 5.000 series bikes there were numerous improvements that included new 9.6:1 Mondial pistons, modified swingarm, longer header pipes with shorter mufflers, close ratio gearbox, slightly differently shaped tank (in fibreglass rather than alloy) and front mudguard. Plus many other detail changes.
Laverda 750 SFC
Output was 70 hp at 7300 rpm. Wet weight was 226 kg, with a top speed of 204 km/h. The 8.000 series bikes were the first SFCs available to the public.
I’ve previously featured Paton’s later two-stroke GP bikes, but Giuseppe Pattoni is best known for his four-stroke 500 racers.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
He was the chief mechanic for F.B. Mondial’s GP team, then with former company engineer Lino Tonti, went on to found their own company to produce race bikes. The first of which was a 125 cc single, then a 250 cc parallel-twin which eventually (and after Toni had left to join Bianchi) was ridden by Alberto Pagani to third at the IoM.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
The English businessman Bob Hannah then stepped in to fund the team and the 350 (’65) and 500 (’66) twins that were developed from the 250. Fred Stevens finished sixth in the 1967 World Championship and fifth in the Senior TT on one 500 that started its life as one of the two 250s built (and thus had a wheelbase 100 mm shorter than the 500 seen here).
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
This bike is the ex-Billie Nelson machine that he finished fourth on in the 1969 championship and has a 1380 mm wheelbase. Later versions, from 1971, incorporated 4-valve heads which produced a further 5 hp compared to the 58 hp at 10,400 rpm (rear wheel) of the ’68 bike.
Ex-Billie Nelson Paton 500 4-stroke Racer
The 500cc Paton’s went on to finish in second place in the Italian Championship in ’71 (third in ’70 and ’72) with rider Roberto Gallina and with a Bimota frame took fourth in ’74 with Armando Toracca aboard. Virginio Ferrari rode for the team in ’75 and ’76 but the 4-stroke design was very outclassed by then and Pattoni and his son Roberto began to develop their new 2-stroke motor.
Phil Aynsley is raising funds for his next project on Kickstarter, aiming to release ‘500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era‘ a photographic tribute book on the machines acknowledged as being the most aggressive, wildest and untameable to ever be seen on a racetrack.
500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era (Limited Edition Box Set)
Nicknamed ‘the Unrideables’, from 1969 to 2003, these simple, yet wildly powerful engines dominated the senior GP class. Being extremely lightweight and powerful, two-strokes accelerated rapidly and violently, with performance that was scarcely believable… and rendering them incredibly difficult to control.
Renowned as a unique era in the annuals of racing, with unforgettable sights and sounds. Seeking to capture some of the mystique of the period, 500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era will include Phil Aynsley’s world renowned photography, with motorcycle journalist, Hamish Cooper offering insight and context to the many machines featured.
500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era
Measuring 265 x 300 mm, 500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era, A Photographic Tribute will be a limited-edition, 228-page art book celebrating the never-to-be-seen-again 500cc two-stroke motorbike era and incredible riders and teams that mastered those dangerous and exciting races.
The production and print will be funded through pledges on the Kickstarter page. It will ship out in December 2021 – first to backers and supporters. 500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era is a collaborative effort produced to the highest ethical standards and that does justice to the incredible machines contained within.
500cc Grand Prix Motorcycles: The 2-Stroke Era
The first run will be 925 books, and the first 100 backers also receive one signed limited edition print. The cost for these unboxed books will be $195 plus postage. The RRP of the book is $260 plus postage, so you are saving 25 per cent off the retail price.
For a limited time, there’s also 75 Boxed Limited Edition books. These books will include a signed certificate of authenticity, by Phil Aynsley and arrive in a special collector’s box, along with three signed limited edition prints. The cost for these special Collector’s Boxed Limited Editions is $650 plus postage.
