If you haven’t heard about Moto Morini, fret not. Moto Morini is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer and was founded by Alfonso Morini back in 1937. The Italian company has collaborated with the Mumbai based custom motorcycle maker Vardenchi to introduce its range of motorcycles in India and together have launched their off-roading adventure motorcycles at the ongoing 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. Taking the centre stage is Vardenchi’s custom motorcycle with Moto Morini’s 1200cc V-twin engine.
The first Italian motorcycle to come to India via this partnership is the Moto Morini Scrambler 1200. The Scrambler is an all-terrain bike powered by the Bialbero CorsaCorta 1187cc twin oversquare engine producing 120 PS of power and 102 Nm of torque. The motorcycle has been built on high tubular steel trellis frame and gets Marzocchi Upside down forks at the front, while the rear gets fully adjustable Paioli mono shock absorber. The motorcycle has been designed for extreme off-roading and features Metzeler Karoo3 knobbed tyres for off-road and well as tarmac use. The bike also offers a 21-litre fuel tank.
The other motorcycle launched is the Moto Morini Granpasso 1200. The bike has been designed for enduro rides and is also powered by the Bialbero CorsaCorta 1187cc twin-cylinder engine that is capable of producing 120 PS of power and 103.6 Nm of torque. The Granpasso features Marzocchi Upside Down forks for the front suspension, while the rear gets fully adjustable Ohlins mono-shock absorber. The clutch is a multi-disc wet slipper one, while the dual-brakes are from Brembo.
Both the models are offered with a host of accessories including saddles, off-roading gear, motorcycle accessories for protection along with the bike. Vardenchi will be the official importer and distributor of the Moto Morini bikes across India. The Indian custom bike maker will also make arrangements towards the orders, deliveries, servicing of the Italian bikes. On the other hand the partnership will entitle Moto Morini to market the latest Vardenchi line-up in Europe.
Both the models will be imported as CBU’s and prices for the Moto Morini Scrambler 1200 motorcycle starts at Rs. 14.5 lakhs, while the the Granpasso 1200 is priced at Rs. 17.5 lakhs (ex-showroom). The deliveries are scheduled to begin by June – July this year for the first lot of the Morinis. The company would like to see the response their products gauge in the Indian market before bringing up the street bikes.
