Cimatti

Cimatti was an Italian two-wheeler manufacturer founded in Bologna in 1937 by Marco Cimatti, an Olympic cyclist. The company began as a bicycle producer, reflecting its founder's sporting background and the strong Italian tradition of bicycle manufacturing. After the Second World War, Cimatti broadened its focus: in 1950 it moved into moped production, responding to growing demand for economical personal transport in postwar Italy. During the 1960s, Cimatti entered motorcycle manufacturing. Its range included both road-oriented and competition-influenced machines, among them 100 cc and 175 cc Sport Luxury models and the Kaiman Cross line. These motorcycles used four-speed transmissions and helped establish the company beyond the entry-level moped market. In the following decade, Cimatti developed 125 cc models aimed at distinct uses: one designed for motocross with a five-speed gearbox and another configured for road riding. The company also produced a succession of mopeds, including the City-Bike and the larger Town-Bike, which represented its practical urban and commuter offerings during the 1970s and early 1980s. Cimatti sourced two-stroke engines from established Italian suppliers Moto Morini and Moto Minarelli rather than relying exclusively on internally developed power units. This approach allowed the relatively small manufacturer to offer several vehicle categories while controlling development and production complexity. Its product portfolio consequently ranged from bicycles and lightweight mopeds to sport, road, and off-road motorcycles. Under the direction of Marco Cimatti's son, Enrico Cimatti, the business expanded its export activity. Cimatti motorcycles were sold outside Italy in markets including the United States, France, Norway, and Tunisia. International distribution gave the company a wider commercial presence during a period when Italian small-displacement motorcycles and mopeds were marketed across Europe and in selected overseas markets. The company remained a relatively small specialist manufacturer rather than becoming part of a major international motorcycle group. A recession in the early 1980s placed pressure on the business, and Cimatti ceased operations in 1984. The brand is therefore principally associated with Italian bicycle, moped, and lightweight motorcycle production from the postwar period through the early 1980s. Available reference material does not establish a current operating company, a successor owner, or an active official corporate website.

Cimatti was established in Bologna in 1937 by Marco Cimatti, an Olympic cyclist. Its first business was bicycle manufacture, placing the company within Italy's established cycle-making sector and drawing on its founder's experience in competitive cycling. The company later adapted to changing transportation demand after the war. In 1950, it began producing mopeds, a category that offered inexpensive and mechanically simple mobility for Italian consumers. The business expanded into motorcycles during the 1960s. Cimatti's motorcycle program included 100 cc and 175 cc Sport Luxury road models as well as Kaiman Cross machines associated with off-road and racing use. These motorcycles were equipped with four-speed gearboxes. The move gave Cimatti a broader identity as a small-displacement motorcycle manufacturer rather than solely a bicycle and moped producer. During the period from 1972 to 1977, the company introduced two 125 cc motorcycles serving different purposes. One was intended for motocross and used a five-speed gearbox, while the other was designed for road use. Cimatti also continued developing mopeds during the 1970s and into the early 1980s. The City-Bike and the larger Town-Bike were among its named moped lines, extending the range from compact urban transportation to a more substantial commuter format. Cimatti used two-stroke engines supplied by Moto Morini and Moto Minarelli. Purchasing engines from specialist Italian manufacturers enabled Cimatti to concentrate on vehicle design, assembly, and market development while offering several models. The arrangement also reflected common practice among smaller European motorcycle companies, which often combined proprietary frames and equipment with engines from established suppliers. Marco Cimatti's son Enrico played an important role in expanding the company's export business. During the 1970s, Cimatti motorcycles were exported to the United States, France, Norway, and Tunisia. These markets broadened the company's reach beyond Italy and exposed its small motorcycles and mopeds to different regulatory and consumer environments. The company faced difficult economic conditions in the early 1980s. A recession weakened the business, and Cimatti closed in 1984 after roughly five decades of activity. The available historical record does not identify a subsequent corporate owner or a continuing manufacturer using the Cimatti name. The brand's historical significance rests on its progression from bicycles to mopeds and then to lightweight road, sport, and motocross motorcycles, as well as on its role as an export-oriented Italian two-wheeler producer.

• 1984

  Company closure

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  Cimatti ceased operations after an early-1980s recession placed the company under financial pressure.

• 1972

  125 cc motorcycle expansion

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  Between 1972 and 1977, Cimatti introduced separate 125 cc motocross and road motorcycles.

• 1970

  Export expansion

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  Under Enrico Cimatti's direction, the company expanded motorcycle exports to the United States, France, Norway, and Tunisia.

• 1960

  Motorcycle production begins

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  During the 1960s, Cimatti began manufacturing motorcycles, including Sport Luxury and Kaiman Cross models.

• 1950

  Entry into mopeds

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  Cimatti shifted into moped production, adding powered two-wheelers to its bicycle business.

• 1937

  Company founded in Bologna

  [1]Cimattien.wikipedia.org

  Olympic cyclist Marco Cimatti founded the company in Bologna, initially as a bicycle manufacturer.

An Italian specialist two-wheeler brand combining practical bicycles and mopeds with small-displacement road, sport, and off-road motorcycles. Cimatti emphasized accessible personal transport and competition-influenced lightweight motorcycles, using externally sourced two-stroke engines and serving both domestic and export markets.

• Bicycles · 1937

  Bicycles

  Bicycles were Cimatti's original products after the company was founded in 1937. The category reflected founder Marco Cimatti's background as an Olympic cyclist and formed the basis for the company's later expansion into powered two-wheelers.

• Mopeds · 1950

  Mopeds

  Cimatti entered the moped market in 1950 and maintained a substantial moped program through the 1970s and early 1980s. The range included practical urban and commuter models, notably the City-Bike and the larger Town-Bike.

• Road motorcycles · 1960

  Sport Luxury 100 cc and 175 cc

  The Sport Luxury motorcycles were small-displacement road machines introduced during Cimatti's motorcycle-producing period in the 1960s. The range included 100 cc and 175 cc versions with four-speed gearboxes, positioning them above basic mopeds for recreational and road use.

• Motocross motorcycles · 1960

  Kaiman Cross

  Kaiman Cross was a competition-influenced Cimatti motorcycle line associated with off-road riding and racing. It formed part of the company's effort to serve enthusiasts interested in lightweight motocross machines alongside its road models.

• Motocross motorcycles · 1972

  125 cc motocross model

  One of Cimatti's 125 cc motorcycles, introduced during the 1972–1977 period, was configured for motocross and equipped with a five-speed gearbox. It represented the company's continued interest in lightweight off-road motorcycles.

• Road motorcycles · 1972

  125 cc road model

  Cimatti also introduced a separate 125 cc road motorcycle during the 1972–1977 period. Unlike the motocross version, this model was intended for road riding and broadened the company's offering in the popular lightweight motorcycle class.

• Mopeds · 1970

  City-Bike

  The City-Bike was one of Cimatti's moped lines produced during the 1970s and early 1980s. Its name and positioning indicate an urban mobility focus within the company's broader range of lightweight powered two-wheelers.

• Mopeds · 1970

  Town-Bike

  The Town-Bike was a larger Cimatti moped line produced in the same broad period as the City-Bike. It extended the company's moped portfolio toward a more substantial town and commuter vehicle.

• 1984

  Cease operationsOther

  Background

  An economic recession in the early 1980s created pressure for the small manufacturer.

  Action taken

  Cimatti closed in 1984.

  Aftermath

  The Cimatti business became defunct, ending production of its bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles.

  Source

• 1970

  Expand international motorcycle salesStrategy

  Background

  The company sought growth beyond its Italian home market during the expansion of its motorcycle business.

  Action taken

  Enrico Cimatti expanded exports to the United States, France, Norway, and Tunisia.

  Aftermath

  Cimatti gained an international distribution footprint, although the available record does not quantify export sales or market share.

  Source

• 1960

  Enter motorcycle manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  Cimatti had already developed experience in bicycles and mopeds and sought to broaden its range into higher-performance lightweight vehicles.

  Action taken

  During the 1960s, Cimatti began producing motorcycles, including road-oriented Sport Luxury models and Kaiman Cross machines.

  Aftermath

  The company became a manufacturer across bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles, with products spanning road and off-road use.

  Source

• 1950

  Move from bicycles into mopedsStrategy

  Background

  After beginning as a bicycle maker, Cimatti operated in a postwar market where affordable motorized transport was increasingly important.

  Action taken

  The company added moped manufacturing to its bicycle business.

  Aftermath

  The move established powered two-wheelers as a central part of Cimatti's business and preceded its later entry into motorcycles.

  Source

1. 1Cimattien.wikipedia.org