Moto Morini was one of the brands that, in the early 80s, tried to join the tendency to incorporate a volumetric compressor into some of the models that at that time marketed. While the initial idea came in the form of a concept, the Morini 500 Turbo Moto, after finally discarding this idea due to lack of financing, the Italian brand proved to apply this technical solution in its 125 cc and 4 -stroke model of the moment.
It was the year 1983 when the project began to shape, affectionately called “the turkey” as it was at the time Luciano Negronibrand engineer for those dates, to Italy motorcycling In a detailed article published by the magazine in 1999: “The first time we put it on the bank, during the filling and regulation phases, a resonance was created so similar to the sound of a turkey that we looked in the test room, to see if an animal had entered.”
Continue: “Behind Morini there were trees, sometimes he passed that a mirlo entered through the windows. When we understood that there was no turkey and that the noise was caused by that lung resonance connected to the volumetric compressor, one of the engineers wrote turkey in the engine, with a piece of chalk. Lambertini took it badly, and immediately invited us to remedy this noise, and with magnets applied to the sheet the resonance was avoided. ”
Concludes: “We, however, liked that noise and as soon as Lambertini moved away we took the magnets and made him sing.” The idea was to install a volumetric compressor to the 125 cc model, very at a disadvantage in terms of benefits with respect to their 2T counterparts of the moment. With this modification they managed to move from the initial 12 hp that the brand declared almost 18 CV, reaching a peak speed near 140 km/h.
The idea of volumetric compressor and its “immorality”
That volumetric compressor acted blowing between 1.2 and 1.4 bar, as Negroni himself confirmed. This explained that “In some comparative tests with our 250 mono, with around 21 hp, on the road I did not lose one meter, and therefore, it was at least 20 hp.“For its part, the test pilot DAL FIUMexplained: “It had an exceptional pair and power, in acceleration it was as fast as the 250 that we used to do the entire development. Even compared to the two times of the time, there were no differences. “
However, despite the fact that the idea seemed interesting and very competitive regarding competition, both Gianni Marchettiaccountant of the brand, like Mrs. Morini, at that time mandamás of the company, refused to continue with the project. The curious thing was the explanation with which they argued their decision to the team in charge of the development of this 125 with volumetric compressor:
“Mrs. Morini and Marchetti were very reluctant to put on sale a motorcycle they considered too powerful for sixteen -year -old youth. And in the end there was not much interest in the development of the volumetric compressor 125. We realized that the two -stroke engine was changing the needs of the market, but it was above all the moral doubts that prevented it from entering production. ”as explained by engineer Franco Lambertini.
For his part, Negroni confirmed then: “The evolution of the volumetric 125 was carried out in free time and, although its production had been economical, we prefer to leave it as it was. In addition, young users were already oriented towards the two times, who remembered the image of the big prizes. Actually, the motorcycle could have entered production quickly and without major problems: Lambertini had found a small compressor made in the United States, which cost 6/7 dollars. ”
Concludes: “It would have been enough to make the belt transmission that controlled the compressor, a fuel tank and some other details. It must also be said that in that period Morini’s industrial planning was already complete, it was at a good pace and there were no great holes in the production to fill.“
At present, that prototype is stored in Ducati stores.
