Motobi

Motobi was an Italian motorcycle marque established in Pesaro in 1949 by Giuseppe Benelli, an engineer and one of the six Benelli brothers. The company emerged from a family and business separation within the Benelli family. Giuseppe remained in Pesaro but operated from separate premises, initially selling small motorcycles and scooters under the name Moto 'B' Pesaro. During the 1950s, the shortened name Motobi became the brand's principal identity. The marque became notable for compact engines with horizontal cylinders and an unusually smooth, enclosed appearance. Its early landmark was the B200 Spring Lasting, introduced in 1953 as a 200 cc horizontal two-stroke twin. The engine and its associated pressed-steel frame had a streamlined appearance that led riders to nickname the power unit the “egg.” This layout became a recurring visual and engineering signature of later Motobi motorcycles. Giuseppe Benelli and his sons Luigi and Marco subsequently pursued a four-stroke single-cylinder development based on the same general design philosophy. In late 1955, Motobi replaced the B200 program with two Catria models, displacing 125 cc and 175 cc. Designed by engineer Piero Prampolini, the four-stroke, four-speed singles made the horizontal-cylinder format the center of the company's product range. The machines were compact and suitable for the Italian semi-professional road-racing and hill-climbing scene. Under the development and tuning work of former racer Primo Zanzani, Catria-based motorcycles acquired a stronger sporting reputation, and Motobi promoted their racing successes with increasingly elaborate graphics and decals. The brand also benefited from the expansion of motorcycle demand in postwar Italy and the growing American market for recreational motorcycles. In 1962, the larger Benelli company acquired Motobi. The transaction reunited the related businesses under the Gruppo Benelli-Motobi name and expanded the combined industrial operation to approximately 550 employees, with reported production reaching about 300 motorcycles per day. Some Motobi-developed or Motobi-originated motorcycles were exported to the United States under Benelli badges, making the relationship between the two marques commercially significant. Motobi motorcycle production continued until 1977. The original marque subsequently became defunct as a manufacturing brand. In 2010, Austrian company Michael Leeb Trading GmbH, working with Demharter GmbH, revived the name for a range of 50 cc scooters. The revived brand also sponsored the JiR motorcycle racing team in the Moto2 class during that period. This later activity represented a commercial and sporting reintroduction of the trademark rather than a continuation of the original Pesaro motorcycle manufacturer. Motobi is principally remembered for its Italian origins, its close relationship with Benelli, and its distinctive “egg” engine architecture used in several small-displacement road and competition motorcycles.

Motobi was founded in Pesaro in 1949 by Giuseppe Benelli after a family disagreement led him to establish a separate operation from the Benelli company. The new venture initially traded as Moto 'B' Pesaro and produced small two-stroke motorcycles and scooters. During the 1950s, the name was shortened to Motobi. The brand's early technical identity was established in 1953 with the B200 Spring Lasting, a 200 cc horizontal two-stroke twin. Its pressed-steel frame and horizontal cylinder arrangement gave the motorcycle a clean, modern appearance. The engine's distinctive enclosed form became known as the “egg,” a nickname that later became associated with Motobi's engineering style. Giuseppe Benelli and his sons Luigi and Marco then developed a four-stroke single-cylinder direction. In late 1955, the B200 was discontinued and replaced by 125 cc and 175 cc Catria models. Both used four-speed transmissions and horizontal single-cylinder engines designed by Piero Prampolini. The new motorcycles made the layout central to Motobi's range and helped distinguish the marque from other Italian manufacturers. Following Giuseppe Benelli's death, the company continued under the leadership of his heirs. Primo Zanzani, a young former racer and tuner, was engaged to develop the Catria into a competition-capable motorcycle. Motobi gained visibility in Italian semi-professional road racing and hill climbing, where the small but robust machines acquired a sporting reputation. Riders referred to the engine as the “power egg,” and the company publicized racing achievements through prominent tank decals. Motobi also benefited from rising postwar consumer demand and motorcycle sales in the United States. In 1962, Benelli acquired the company. The two operations were grouped as Gruppo Benelli-Motobi, with a combined workforce reported at roughly 550 employees and production reported at around 300 machines per day. Motobi motorcycles and designs also reached the American market through exports carrying Benelli branding. Original Motobi motorcycle production ended in 1977. The brand was later revived in 2010 by Austrian company Michael Leeb Trading GmbH in partnership with Demharter GmbH. The revived operation marketed 50 cc scooters and supported the JiR motorcycle-racing team in Moto2. This revival gave the historic name a new commercial use, but it did not restore the original manufacturing company as an independent producer of the classic Motobi motorcycles.

• 2010

  Motobi name revived

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  Michael Leeb Trading GmbH and Demharter GmbH revived the brand for 50 cc scooters and associated it with JiR's Moto2 racing sponsorship.

• 1977

  Original motorcycle production ends

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  The original Motobi motorcycle manufacturing period ended after production that began in the early 1950s.

• 1962

  Acquisition by Benelli

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  Benelli acquired Motobi and combined the businesses under the Gruppo Benelli-Motobi name.

• 1955

  Catria models replace the B200

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  Motobi introduced 125 cc and 175 cc Catria four-stroke singles, making the horizontal-cylinder configuration the focus of its range.

• 1953

  B200 Spring Lasting introduced

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  Motobi introduced the 200 cc B200 Spring Lasting, a horizontal two-stroke twin whose enclosed engine shape became known as the “egg.”

• 1949

  Motobi is established in Pesaro

  [1]Motobien.wikipedia.org

  Giuseppe Benelli founded a separate motorcycle venture in Pesaro, initially operating as Moto 'B' Pesaro.

Historically, Motobi positioned itself as an innovative Italian motorcycle marque focused on compact, technically distinctive machines, especially motorcycles using horizontal-cylinder engines. Its sporting identity was reinforced by participation in Italian road and hill-climbing competition. In its 2010 revival, the name was applied to small scooters and supported through motorcycle-racing sponsorship.

• Motorcycle · 1953

  B200 Spring Lasting

  Introduced in 1953, the B200 Spring Lasting was a 200 cc motorcycle powered by a horizontal two-stroke twin. Its pressed-steel frame and streamlined engine presentation were central to Motobi's early identity. The engine's distinctive shape earned the nickname “egg,” a visual and technical motif that continued to influence later Motobi designs.

• Motorcycle · 1955

  Catria 125

  The 125 cc Catria was one of two four-stroke, four-speed singles introduced in late 1955. Designed by Piero Prampolini, it developed Motobi's horizontal-cylinder concept beyond the earlier B200 twin. The model formed part of the product family used as the basis for Motobi's sporting and competition development.

• Motorcycle · 1955

  Catria 175

  The 175 cc Catria was the larger of the two Catria singles introduced in 1955. It used a four-stroke horizontal single-cylinder engine and a four-speed transmission. With development input from tuner and former racer Primo Zanzani, Catria-based motorcycles gained recognition in Italian semi-professional road racing and hill climbing.

• Scooter · 2010

  Motobi 50 cc scooters

  The revived Motobi operation marketed a range of 50 cc scooters from 2010. These products represented a later use of the Motobi name by Michael Leeb Trading GmbH and Demharter GmbH, distinct from the classic Pesaro motorcycles produced before the original brand's manufacturing period ended.

• 2010JiR Moto2 sponsorship

  International motorcycle racing

  As part of the 2010 revival, Motobi sponsored the JiR motorcycle-racing team competing in the Moto2 class. The activity connected the revived consumer brand with the racing heritage associated with historic Motobi motorcycles.

  Outcome. The sponsorship provided Motobi with a visible return to motorcycle competition, although the available reference does not document a specific championship result or the duration beyond the cited 2010 activity.

  Source

• 2010

  Commercial revival of the Motobi nameStrategy

  Background

  After the original motorcycle production period ended in 1977, the historic marque was reintroduced under new commercial stewardship.

  Action taken

  Michael Leeb Trading GmbH partnered with Demharter GmbH to market 50 cc scooters under the Motobi name and support a Moto2 racing team.

  Aftermath

  Motobi returned to the market as a revived brand, but the available reference does not establish a restoration of the original manufacturer or the later brand's current status.

  Source

• 1962

  Benelli acquisition and group integrationM&A

  Background

  The related Benelli and Motobi businesses operated in the same Italian motorcycle region and had an opportunity to combine resources and distribution.

  Action taken

  Benelli acquired Motobi and brought the companies together under the Gruppo Benelli-Motobi name.

  Aftermath

  The combined operation expanded its workforce and production, while Motobi-related motorcycles were also exported to the United States under Benelli branding.

  Source

• 1955

  Shift from the B200 twin to Catria singlesGeneration change

  Background

  Motobi's early B200 horizontal two-stroke twin was discontinued as the company pursued a new four-stroke product direction.

  Action taken

  The company introduced 125 cc and 175 cc Catria models, both using horizontal four-stroke single-cylinder engines and four-speed transmissions.

  Aftermath

  The Catria family became the basis for Motobi's later sporting development and reinforced the horizontal-cylinder layout as the brand's signature engineering feature.

  Source

1. 1Motobien.wikipedia.org