Classic Morini race bikes.

[Morini Jen]

Well, this is rather exciting... There are a couple of classic Morini race bikes entered in the Bonhams Auction to be held in Paris on 6th February. The first to catch my eye is a 125cc Corsaro race bike. Lots of people have constructed Corsaro race bikes over the years, but this looks to me like a genuine 1967 original and it even has the Campagnolo cable operated front disc brake. I would be a lot more excited if I actually had the money to buy it but c'est la vie. More pictures here...

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/30406/ ... ine-no-14/

Those of you who do have deep pockets may be interested in a 250 Bialbero racer in the same auction. The vendor claims it to be Provini's 1963 Grand Prix bike but I don't know enough to verify that. More pictures here...

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/30406/ ... gine-no-8/

[Morini Jen]

Looking again at the Corsaro race bike, it appears to have the 5-speed crankcases. The 5-speed road bikes didn't appear until 1970.

To be honest I have very little information about the 'Junior Competizione' Morinis. If anyone can point me towards some more information it would be very much appreciated.

Cheers,
Jenny.

[Morini Jen]

Well, I've just found this...

https://www.moto-collection.org/moto-co ... i-6305.htm

I'll have a go at translating it tomorrow.

[funsize]

Tell you what Jenny, if that really is Provini’s bike, or has provenance that it’s one of the same factory machines from that season, it should be gold dust. This makes a refreshing change from auction houses seemingly having a large cellar where they’ve stored 50 Brough Superiors, bringing one out every year (with ever more tenuous links to T.E. Lawrence) and getting ever more delusional ‘collectors’ stumping up ever more outrageous prices. There, I’ve said it and feel much better; I’ll get mi’ beret..

[ianlucas006]

The 125 is pretty but I have never seen a pukka race bike with a centre stand before!

[Morini Jen]

Thanks guys.

Well, I agree that if the 250 is a genuine Provini bike it would be worth a mint. Hopefully there will be someone out there with enough knowledge to pin down its provenance.

I also agree that the centre stand looks out of place on a race bike. I always assumed that it was some sort of 'budget racer' and so that justified the standard road bike frame. Still, I've done a bit of digging and I think I've found out some of the story...

It would appear that the Junior Competition bike never had anything to do with the Morini factory. Apparently the French Morini importer, Gabriel Couturier, offered a 'Client Kit' for people to prepare their bikes for racing. From what I can see, that would include all the race bodywork, alloy wheel rims and a Campagnolo cable operated front disc brake. The forks, or at least the sliders, would need to be changed in order to mount the brake. There would have been a larger Dell'Orto carb, a racing exhaust pipe, footrests and possibly a cut down rear mudguard.There must have been some engine tuning goodies as well as the bike was claimed to achieve 150/160 kph which is an astonishing 93/99 mph.

Trawling the internet I have come across dozens of home brewed Corsaro race bikes but it seems that there is no such thing as a 'Factory' Corsaro racer and the only 'Original' Corsaro racer will be one bearing the original Couturier 'Client Kit'.

That still doesn't explain the 5-speed bottom end on the bike that is for a sale, but I feel satisfied that I've learned something.

[BaldyBackmarker]

Hello Jen,

I don’t have any experience of these Morini race singles (they are tempting though), but do have some of trying to squeeze reduced lap times out of reluctant single cylinder race bikes with no money.

The 5 speed gearbox may have been an effective and affordable retrofit to get quicker lap times out of an existing race bike. Especially one built just a couple of years before the 5 speed box became available. In theory gearing the 5 speed gearbox as a 4 speed might result in a track friendly close ratio gearbox. It could have kept that bike competitive for a few more seasons.

Take care
Steve

[hombre]

I forwarded it to Luzzi, according to him it's the real thing, he said he was at Imola with his dad in 1963 to see Provini smash the "mito giallo" which was Redman on the Honda, he recognised the bike immediately

[Morini Jen]

Hi Steve.

I'm sure you are right that the bike for sale would have had the 5 speed bottom end fitted once it became available. It doesn't detract from the originality of the machine, it's just an upgrade. As far as gearing goes, yes it can be tricky trying to gain the right advantage. I remember the first time I did an MRC Track Day on my 350 Sport and when I changed into 6th on Park Straight the bike actually slowed down so I didn't bother after that, just kept it pinned in 5th.,

Our friend Phil Bootherstone races a 500 Triumph Daytona (4 speed) and a 500 Morini (6 speed). Power wise there probably isn't much in it but with the Daytona the overall gearing has been raised meaning that getting off the start line swiftly is nigh on impossible. Phil is a great rider and can get around corners as quickly as anyone and is an absolute demon on the brakes, but as you know, short circuit racing is quite frantic and if you've lost 100 yards at the start it's hard work trying to catch up.

What bike were you racing yourself? You never know, we might have been in the same Paddock at some point. I raced on and off with CRMC and BHR from 2012 to 2023. Not sure how many meetings I did but I know I raced in nine different seasons at eleven different circuits on seven different bikes. If you have some spare time you can read about Phil's racing exploits, and some of mine, on the following link. (Check out how many pistons we have destroyed).

https://www.spiritgames.co.uk/articles.php?menu=12

Cheers,
Jenny.

[Morini Jen]

I forwarded it to Luzzi, according to him it's the real thing, he said he was at Imola with his dad in 1963 to see Provini smash the "mito giallo" which was Redman on the Honda, he recognised the bike immediately

Wow! Brilliant! That's good enough for me.

It'll be interesting to see how the auction goes. Thanks for taking the time to do some research.

Jenny.

[BaldyBackmarker]

Thanks for the informative and entertaining link Jenny. I had been expecting to find more Morini twin racing info on the web and this is just the sort of thing I was after.

My (more limited) racing experience started in the late 1980’s with the Bantam and Newmarket clubs on a Honda 250 road bike based single, then a 500 Honda single. Having realised I was both slow (but got great value for money if measured in minutes of track time/£) and more interested in the technical side I started helping my youngest brother (Michael) from the mid 1990s through to about 2010. He started on 250 singles with BMRC, then I got him an old Harris Rotax for National Supermono. We had a few years racing a Hossack 350LC Yamaha with CRMC around 2003/4. Then built a replica of the Hossack with a TM Racing 600 single engine (and the the Rotax again) for the Supermono championship. Interesting times which have also left me with a garage full of bits, ‘remodelled’ pistons and crankcase shrapnel.

Oh those happy days
Steve

[corsaro chris]

Well - Provinis' 250 fetched Euro 66.000....

I wonder if the Chinese bought it - a good reference from a heritage point of view!

Good riding,

CC

[hombre]

hmmm I thought it might be pricier, 66000 isn't cheap, but still..

[Steve Brown]

hmmm I thought it might be pricier, 66000 isn't cheap, but still..

I agree with you there, perhaps the price was a bit low as the brand is still nowhere near as widely known as the more common stuff.
Still, I can provide any serious and discerning collector with the only 3narf to have ever won a racing championship-and it was still a genuine 350!
Please see my advert below! I will accept offers just under 50k in euros or sterling.