Moto Morini racing bikes, the 175cc Rebello and 250GP racer from the 1950s and 60s, Tarquinio Provini, vice-worldchampion 250cc 1963
Moto Morini was a very well known brand in motorcycle racing. It's founder, Alfonso Morini had raced motorcycles in the 1920s.
After Alfonso founded Moto Morini in 1946, the company turned to the manufacture of 175cc single 4 stroke models in the 1950s. In an effort to become competitive
in competition the 175cc Rebello was built. This bike was meant for private riders to join long distance racing in Italy.
For the rich history of Moto Morini you can look at the time line of this site:
In the early 1950s the Moto Morini 175 Rebello was introduced and used in production racing. It was meant for private riders to compete in long distance racing,
like 'Milano-Taranto' and also the 'Motogiro d'Italia'. These races were held on public roads! In the table below you can see the excellent results achieved with the
Rebello in the 175cc class: 3rd in 1954, 1st and 3rd in 1955 and 1st, 2nd and 3rd in 1956!! From 1957 onwards, long distance racing on public roads was prohibited.
This meant also the famous car race, the 'Mille Miglia' (thousand miles) was banned. It had become too busy on public roads, racing became too dangerous.
The 175cc Rebello
175cc single
Bore 60 mm
Hub 61 mm
DOHC (double overhead camshafts)
25hp@/10,000 rpm
Weight 110 kg
Breaks:
- front 210 mm twin LS
- rear 190 mm single LS
175cc class
Milano - Taranto 1954
Ranking
Rider
Brand
Time
Average speed (km/h)
1.
P. Maranghi
Mondial
13.19'09"
96,777km/h
2.
G. Ridenti
Mondial
13.45'05"
3.
P. tramelli
Morini
13.49'11"
Milano - Taranto 1955, 175cc class
1.
Mario Preta
Morini
12.08'45"
115,265km/h
2.
Osvaldo Perfetti
Bianchi
12.36'19"
3.
Walter Tassinari
Morini
12.43'21"
Milano - Taranto 1956, 175cc class
1.
Franco Franceschini
Morini
12.18'31"
105,091km/h
2.
Virgilio Campana
Morini
12.23'54"
3.
Giampiero Zubani
Morini
12.37'38"
The 175cc Moto Morini Rebello
Giancarlo Benuzzi
on the 175cc Rebello
Clearly improving results:1954, 3rd place, 1955 2nd and 3rd, 1956: 1st, 2nd and 3rd!
Moto Morini 250 GP racer
1958 saw the highly successful 250 GP introduced, which almost gave Tarquinio Provini the 1963 World Title. Unfortunately,
Provini missed the race in former East-Germany (Berlin), due to a strike at the time. Due to this, he also missed valuable points for the World Championship.
During the '63 season Provini also missed the race in England as he was home-sick for Italy ;( On this website, there is a special page with an
excellent article on the 250 GP racer. The Morini 250 GP racer is still known as the world's fastest single cilinder motorbike!!
After the final race of the 1963 season (see the overview with the results of all the races), Honda did beat Moto Morini
by TWO points only. Nevertheless, the Moto Morini 250 single is still considered the fastest single of the world !
Tarquinio Provini
Above and below the 250 GP
without it's fairing. This one is from 1968
Tarquinio Provini in action on the 250 GP racer,
world's fastest single
Provini on the Imola racetrack back in 1961
Provini in 1963
†06.01.2005
Listen to the sound of
Provini's racer.
Click the startbutton. No startbutton?!
Update your browser, or use a different browser.
Tarquinio Provini on the 250 GP 'Bialbero'. Great shot of Provini,
the "Toro di Bologna".
This is the style that made him do a fastest
lap in the Hockenheim GP in 1963 at an incredible 190,33 km/h!!
Below the results of the 250cc Grand Prix racing season 1963
250cc -- G.P. season 1963
G.P. Spain, 5th May, Barcelona racetrack
G.P. East-Germany, 18th Augustus, racetrack Sachsenring Tarquinio Provini missed the race due to a strike
1.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
1.
M. Hailwood
UK
MZ
2.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
2.
A. Shepherd
UK
MZ
3.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
3.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
4.
K. Takahashi
Japan
Honda
4.
L. Szabo
Hongary
MZ
5.
L. Taveri
Switzerland
Honda
5.
L. Taveri
Switzerland
Honda
6.
G. Milani
Italy
Aermacchi
6.
S. Malina
Czechoslovakia
CZ
Av. speed Provini: 117,05 km/u
Fastest lap by Provini: 118,81 km/u
Av. speed Hailwood: 158,19 km/u
Fastest lap by Hailwood: 161,33 km/u
G.P. West-Germany, 26th May, racetrack Hockenheim
G.P. Italy, 15th September, racetrack Monza
1.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
1.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
2.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
2.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
3.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
3.
L. Taveri
Switzerland
Honda
4.
S. Grassetti
Italy
Benelli
4.
A. Shepherd
UK
MZ
5.
A. Shepherd
UK
MZ
5.
S. Malina
Czechoslovakia
CZ
6.
S. Malina
Czechoslovakia
CZ
6.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
Av. speed Provini: 187,10 km/u
Fastest lap by Provini: 190,33 km/u
Av. speed Provini: 179,60 km/u
Fastest lap by Provini: 182,22 km/u
T.T. Isle of Man, 10th June Tarquinio Provini missed the race
G.P. Argentinia, 6th October, racetrack Buenos Aires
1.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
1.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
2.
F. Ito
Japan
Honda
2.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
3.
B. Smith
UK
Honda
3.
U. Masetti
Italy
Moto Morini
4.
H. Hasegawa
Japan
Yamaha
4.
R. Kissling
Argentinia
NSU
5.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
5.
I. Schuman
NSU
6.
J. Kidson
UK
Moto Guzzi
6.
C. Marfetan
Parilla
Av. speed Redman: 152,65 km/u
Fastest lap by Redman: 156,47 km/u
Av. speed Provini: 126,90 km/u
Fastest lap by Provini: 131,38 km/u
T.T. Netherlands, 29th June, Assen racetrack
G.P. Japan, 10th November, racetrack Suzuka
1.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
1.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (vh Rhodesia)
Honda
2.
F. Ito
Japan
Yamaha
2.
F. Ito
Japan
Yamaha
3.
T. Provini
Italië
Moto Morini
3.
Ph. Read
Ver. Koninkrijk
Yamaha
4.
Y. Sunako
Japan
Yamaha
4.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
5.
T. Robb
Ierland
Honda
5.
L. Taveri
Switzerland
Honda
6.
D. Swart
Nederland
Honda
6.
J. Kasuya
Japan
Honda
Av. speed Redman: 138,71 km/u Fastest lap by Redman: 141,01 km/u
Av. speed Redman: 140,42 km/u
Fastest lap by Ito: 142,76 km/u
G.P. Belgium, 7th July, Francorchamps racetrack
G.P. France, 2nd June racetrack, Clermont Ferrand
1.
F. Ito
Japan
Yamaha
Cancelled due to fog
2.
Y. Sunako
Japan
Yamaha
3.
T. Provini
Italië
Moto Morini
Ranking after last race 250cc 1963
4.
L. Taveri
Zwitserland
Honda
Pos.
Naam
Land
Merk
Ptn.
5.
T. Robb
Ierland
Honda
1.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
44
6.
K. Takahashi
Japan
Honda
2.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
42
Av. speed Ito: 185,85 km/u
Fastest lap by Ito: 189,61 km/u
3.
F. Ito
Japan
Yamaha
26
G.P. Ulster, 10th Augustus, Dundrod racetrack
4.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
20
1.
J. Redman
Zimbabwe (former Rhodesia)
Honda
5.
L. Taveri
Switzerland
Honda
13
2.
T. Provini
Italy
Moto Morini
6.
A. Shepherd
UK
MZ
11
3.
T. Robb
Ireland
Honda
7.
Y. Sunako
Japan
Yamaha
9
4.
K. Takahashi
Japan
Honda
8.
M. Hailwood
UK
MZ
8
5.
J. Findlay
Australia
Mondial
9.
K. Takahashi
Japan
Honda
7
6.
C. Anderson
UK
Aermacchi
10.
U. Masetti
Italy
Moto Morini
4
Av. speed Redman: 139,43 km/u
Fastest lap by Provini: 143,60 km/u
P. Read
UK
Yamaha
4
B. Smith
UK
Honda
4
13.
S. Malina
Czechoslovakia
CZ
4
14.
S. Grassetti
Italy
Benelli
3
H. Hasegawa
Japan
Yamaha
3
R. Kissling
Argentinia
NSU
3
L. Szabo
Hungary
MZ
3
Above and below, made in Italy: home made replica's of Provini's 250 GP racer
Lhs: the real thing
250 GP 'bialbero'
Lhs: mighty 250cc engine: fastest single in the world!
Jim Redman (left), together with Luigi Taveri (middle) and
Kunimitsi Takahashiat (all Honda) AT the TT of Assen, 1963
