Motomorini Corsaro 1200

MotoMorini Corsaro 1200

CW RIDING IMPRESSION

A bigger, better Italian V-TWin?

BRUNO DE PRATO

TWO YEARS AGO, REBORN MOTO MORINI BURST OUT OF NOWHERE TO STEAL headlines at the Bologna Motor Show. Twelve months later, the same venue played host to the unveiling of the company's first product, the Corsaro 1200. Now, right on schedule, the bike has reached production. This is no small feat, as the recently aborted high-profile comebacks of storied Italian marques Mondial and Laverda (as well as Piaggio's on-again, off-again attempts to re-establish Gilera) reveal just how hostile the current environment is to romantic two-wheel visionaries.

The new Morini is not a flyby-night effort. Rather, it's a serious attempt to re-establish a company with a glorious past but with an eye for the future. There is a real factory, a proprietary engine line and a proper marketing plan. Indeed, that is what sets it apart from those who have failed.

Franco Lambertini is the link between the old and new. Lambertini knows V-Twins, and he knows how to design for performance on a budget. He is probably best known for penning the 3 1/2, Morini's early 1970s pushrod, two-valve 350, which got the job done with reliability to spare, even when it was bumped to 500cc. Likewise, the Corsaro's big-bore V-Twin is quite an engine, brimming with innovation and rational solutions in the best Lambertini tradition.

The company’s first impulse was to build a fully faired superbike, which would have allowed Morini to renew its old feud with Ducati. Not so fast, said Gianni Berti, Morini’s marketing director. He quickly steered the project down a more conventional path: a naked sportbike in the Moto Morini tradition, using a traditional color scheme and original golden eagle on double M logo.

The engine has a number of unique features. The 87degree Vee-angle, for example, was chosen in deference to the customary 90-degree Vee as a way to reduce overall

length. Lambertini then rotated the engine as far back as possible, and applied a little trick of his own: The crankshaft axis does not intersect the axes of the two cylinders, instead running slightly inboard of it. This makes the engine even more compact, and allows for a 90-degree firing sequence and, consequently, superior balance.

In all, more than an inch of length was saved compared to a conventional 90-degree design. To obtain maximum cross-sectional compactness, the crankcase and cylinders are of one-piece construction. Components are inserted from the open side and secured by a suitably thick cover. The result is a solid crankcase that also allows for a very rational interior layout.

One of the components that deserves attention is the pressed-together crankshaft. Questioned about this, Lambertini confirmed that thorough finite-element analysis indicated this assembly could withstand all anticipated loads. Further, pressed-together construction allows for a range of stroke options (and therefore displacements) using the same forgings; only the insertion point of the crankpin requires changing.

The entire assembly is massive and weighs almost 16 pounds. Crankpin diameter is 45mm, and main end-journal circumference is 60mm. The con-rods have full-circle big-ends, another weight-saving factor, and are of outstanding quality. Lambertini uses standard automotive-type, two-piece trimetal plain bearings by Federal Mogul; there are no bushings, or ball or roller bearings. The rods measure 122mm center to center, for a 1.848:1 ratio to the 66mm stroke.

MotoMorini

Corsaro 1200

The 107mm bore is the widest in the business, resulting in an actual displacement of 1187cc. The barrel liners are Cermetal-plated aluminum, the Italian variation of Nikasil. Lambertini is a firm believer in highly oversquare bore/stroke ratios, and this engine proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Flat-top Wiseco pistons provide a sky-high 11.8:1 compression ratio brought about by the compact combustion chamber, a product of the very narrow included valve angle. The valves themselves are massive: 43.5mm intakes and 35.7mm exhausts.

Dual overhead camshafts are driven by a mix of gears-off the crankshaft to an intermediate shaft high in the Vee-and chains, one at each end. In this way, Lambertini needed just one cylinder-head casting, same as on the 3lA. Mated to a six-speed gearbox and a hydraulically actuated slipper clutch, the engine breathes through 54mm throttle bodies and exhales through a Termignoni exhaust system that incorporates a three-way catalytic converter. Morini claims 140 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 90 foot-pounds of torque at 6500 rpm. Despite this outstanding performance, the Corsaro meets strict European EU3 emissions standards.

This superb engine is harnessed to a classic tubular frame that uses the engine as both a semi-stressed lower half member and a braced cross element, as Lambertini provided mounting bosses at the cylinders. In this way, stiffening cross tubing was avoided for a very clean and open structure that provides plenty of unobstructed room for both the airbox and a 4.8-gallon fuel tank. Parallel main tubes braced by smaller tubes form two spars that run from the steering

head all the way to the through-the-cases swingarm pivot.

Wheelbase spans 56.7 inches.

For front-end geometry, Lambertini resorted to wellestablished settings: 24.5 degrees of rake and 4.0 inches of

f trail. 50mm Marzocchi inverted fork. supplied At the the rear, front a braced suspension, cast-aluminum a massive swingarm is mated to a linkage-actuated Sachs shock. The front brakes are Brembo twin 320mm rotors squeezed by four-piston calipers, while at the rear, the Italian specialist provided a 220mm rotor teamed with a twin-piston caliper. Brembo also supplied the six-spoke, cast-aluminum wheels, which are shod with Pirelli Diablo radiais in 120/70-17 and 180/55-17 sizes.

With its staggering potential, the engine alone grants the Corsaro 1200 immediate standing among the hottest naked bikes. Engine starting is electronically managed as on a growing number of new automobiles: Just punch the starter button and release. The lights are

Pautomatically continues cranking switched until off the and engine the starter fires.

Oddly enough, it’s hard to not continue pushing the button or needlessly blip the throttle.

Lambertini’s V-Twin offers an unequalled feeling of raw power and a shameless willingness to rev all the way to 9000 rpm. Indeed, there is no substitute for cubic inches, especially when they come from ultra-large bores and very short strokes that ensure intimidating rev capabilities.

The pre-production unit that I rode on secluded, twisty roads up and down the Bolognese Apennines suffered from some minor injection mapping imperfections, but above 3500 rpm, any teething problems disappeared and the Corsaro surged through the revs with breathtaking speed. Transmission ratios are so close that revs barely drop between gears. Given the engine’s massive flywheels, once Marelli irons out the mapping problems, the Corsaro will no doubt offer a usable power range spanning from 2000 to 9000 rpm.

Checking top-end performance was out of the question, as the only meaningful burst of flat-out speed came on a short stretch of backroad. Nevertheless, I saw upward of 140 mph with only a moderately aggressive launch; expect 160 mph in final trim-and plan on getting there quickly.

Despite the lack of a steering damper, the Corsaro is ultra-stable at speed, even on semi-rough surfaces. On medium-fast and fast bends, the bike is very precise and stable, assisted by the superb grip and excellent profile of the Diablo radiais. The upright riding position and relatively tall 32.6-inch seat height allow the rider to remain in full command without any back or neck strain.

In sum, the Moto Morini Corsaro 1200 is a very hot bike, and not easily pigeon-holed. It is a well-rounded motorcycle, equally capable of commuting, sport riding or touring, as used to be the case with all bikes, and with a strong personality drawing on a strong heritage. □