The so-called golden age of motorcycling, the 80s and 90s, left us curious gadgets like this one Motorcycle Morini Dart 400initially in version 350, but in any case an ingenious invention that the Cagiva group He went out of his way to create an intermediate model within the ranks of the Bolognese brand.
Basically, they took the precious Cagiva Freccia 125 and they foisted on it the already archaic Moto Morini V-Twin engine, which the brand began to use in the early 70s. Furthermore, it was not the first time that the Castiglioni brothers' business group used this iconic image on one of its motorcycles. . That same year, 1987, they would officially present another emblem of the company, the Ducati Paso 750.
As we see, the “Aero type” aesthetic, very fashionable at that time, was transferred to several models from the different brands of the Cagiva group, resulting in an amalgamation of very similar models, visually, with relevant differences in the technical aspect. and mechanic.
The Dart 400 It began to be marketed in 1989 and was developed specifically for the Japanese market, adapting to the well-known displacement and power limitations imposed in the country. Basically, it is the same bike as the 350 c version, although with an increase in displacement to 396cc.
With a power around 35 HPthe Dart 400 managed to reach a top speed of about 160km/h, figures very far from what its most direct rival, the Yamaha RD350, could offer. If we add to this fact a price significantly higher than the Japanese one, it was quite clear that it would not be able to become a commercial success.
Morini Dart 400 motorcycle from 1990 in detail
Recently, thanks to the colleagues at Bike Urious, we have discovered this Dart 400 for sale on the Marketplace commercial portal, specifically in San francisco California. Apparently this unit was imported from Japan to the United States at some point and now its current owner is looking for a new home for it.
Apparently it has only 14,770 km, although it needs an aesthetic review to restore its image to the splendor with which it looked more than 35 years ago. In the seller's own description we can read that:
“The engine is running and I will do a basic tune-up and fluid change this week along with a new battery. “It is in good cosmetic condition, except for where the tank cap is broken around the lock.”
With a starting price of 4,000 dollars, just under 3,700 euros, we can get a little piece of Moto Morini history, even more so taking into account that barely a thousand copies of the model were manufactured between both versions. More information and details by clicking on this link.
