Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
NEW VILLA RACERS
The Brothers Villa, more active than ever in their well equipped workshop in the outskirts of Modena, have prepared two completely different 250-cc rotary valve two-strokes; a Single and a VFour.
The Single, raced at Imola by Walter Villa with promising results, will be marketed next year at about the same price of their 125-cc racer which is already in production, about $1550. The machine appears to be an excellent proposition for the private rider because of its sturdiness, simplicity and engine tractability.
The generously finned cylinder and head are made of light alloy, while the cylinder liner is austenitic iron to allow easy and inexpensive reborings. Bore and stroke dimensions are much oversquare at 72 by 60 mm. Compression ratio is 12:1 and carburetion is through a huge 40-mm Dellorto. Lubrication is achieved with a simple 6 percent oil-gas mixture. The engine’s 40 bhp at 9500 rpm is transmitted to the rear wheel by a six-speed gearbox. The tachometer drive, multi-plate clutch and geared primary drive are all mounted on the left side. At this time, the clutch is enclosed but the production models will sport an air-cooled dry unit. This modification will also be transferred to the production 125 racers. Another change the future will see is the substitution of a Spanish Motoplat electronic ignition for the more conventional system used now. The 250 Single uses a 2.75-18 tire on the front and a 3.00-18 in the rear. Dry weight is a feathery 198 lb.
The Villa Four was already at an advanced stage of development when the FIM decided on the two-cylinder limitation for 125and 250-cc machines beginning in 1970. Rather than scrap everything, the Villas pressed on with hot enthusiasm (unfortunately hindered by modest economical resources), and finished the Four just a few days before the Italian GP at Imola.
During practice the machine ran mostly on three cylinders, but when that fourth cylinder finally joined the wonderful chorus, Walter Villa easily slipped away from the Benelli Fours!
Now, the only remaining possibility for racing this fine piece of engineering (apart from the remaining ’69 races) would be to bore it out to compete next year in the 350 class. Many enthusiasts strongly hope this will come true.
Engine layout is actually two 125s with the cylinder heads canted forward. It was chosen to limit width and height and improve cooling. Water cooling was not used because of its attendant weight and complication. Also, water cooling can present a problem in cold weather racing (which is usually the case for most of the important Italian meetings, nearly all held in the spring) as it tends to cool the cylinders too well. As the engine warms, cylinders dilate less than the pistons within, causing frequent seizures.
This engine also uses alloy heads and barrels along with austenitic liners. Lubrication incorporates both a 3 percent oil mixture in the fuel and an oil pump. Both the pump and ignition points are driven from the central crankshaft primary drive gear. A dry clutch is used in conjunction with an eight-speed gearbox. Carburetors are the new guillotine slide type Dellortos with 27-mm bores and central float chambers.
The howling engine, with bore and stroke of 43 by 42 mm, delivers its substantial power (not disclosed by its builders) at 14,800 rpm but can run farther up the scale. Tires are 3.00-18 front and 3.25-18 rear; dry weight is about 253 lb.
NEW AERMACCHIS
A lot of activity is going on at the Aermacchi-H-D plant at Schiranna, on the shores of beautiful Lake Varese. Besides developmental work on a large capacity four-stroke Twin and a 350-cc two-stroke Twin (the latter also to appear as a racing version), the Rapido 125 is being improved for 1970 and given a new name—the MLS 70. Joining the model line will be a 100-cc scrambler called the Baja MSR.
The MLS 70 two-stroke four-speeder is slightly more powerful than its predecessors. It now produces 10.75 bhp at 6500 rpm. There is also another exhaust system available, incorporating a spark arrestor which brings power down a bit to 10.1 bhp at the same rpm. This arrangement makes for a little less torque spread over a narrower power band. Basic figures are: weight, 211 lb.; wheelbase, 48 in.; fuel capacity, 2.4 gal.; top speed, 67 mph; and fuel consumption, 68 mpg at 50 mph.
The 100-cc Baja is actually a 125 with the bore narrowed from 56 to 50 mm. The stroke is unchanged at 50 mm.
The machine is a genuine competition mount, with five-speed gearbox and 11.1 bhp at 7000 rpm. A 24-mm Dellorto carburetor meters the fuel while breathing through a large Krizman air filter. Also, the frame and swinging arm have been reinforced. Reasons of economy are well understandable, but this frame doesn’t appear the best for dirt riding. A more conventional configuration would be welcome indeed. Suspension is with Ceriani equipment and wheelbase has been stretched to 51 in. The saddle is soft and ample (perhaps too much), and the rear wheel mounts two sprockets of 42 and 72 teeth.
LAVERDA THREE
The factory test riders have started charging around on the new Laverda Threes. Although chasing them was a bit hard, we had a look and gleaned some information about these sensational new mounts. The cylinders, each with a capacity of 325 cc, are inclined similarly to the Twin but the timing chain is on the right. This drive method has been chosen to minimize complications in manufacturing the crankshaft, rather than adding a central gear or sprocket. However, many features of the Twin are repeated, e.g. electric starter, triplex chain primary drive, five-speed gearbox in unit, and the square edged finning of cylinders and heads. Power is reported to be about 75 bhp with plenty of torque. A big departure from previous Laverda models is use of a full duplex cradle frame, like the fabled “featherbed” frames.
Factory executives have not yet decided whether they will show this bike at the Milan “Salone” because production cannot start before 1971. Too, publicity may be premature as people who’ve been pondering the purchase of the 750 may decide to wait for the new model instead.
GILERA SALVATION?
Gilera, the glorious Arcore factory founded in 1909 and winner of 11 world championships, has had serious financial difficulties lately. Strong rumors now indicate that the giant scooter concern Piaggio (which in turn is controlled by the biggest industrial empire in Italy, FIAT) is coming to the rescue. Of course, this maneuver is not just charity. Scooter sales are dropping in Italy because people now prefer for utilitarian use secondhand small cars. Contrarily, motorcycle sales, expecially that of big bikes, dirt and competition machines, are climbing. So Piaggio may intend to bring Güera into this latter market. Let’s warmly wish that this Piaggio-Gilera agreement comes to a happy end.
