SWM Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

SWM Motorcycles

A Brief History of the Italian Marque

Speedy Working Motors, known as SWM, was formed as an association between Piero Sironi and Fausto Vergani on 11 July 1971.

At that year's Milan Show is presented as a regular model equipped with a six-speed Sachs engine. The production of motorcycles enduro began one year after the plant in Rivolta d'Adda and are proposed models with engines of 50, 100 and 125 cc. The new company is immediately in the limelight winning the Italian 125cc championship cross with Rustignoli rider while Rottigni took third place in the European Championship of enduro ever 125 class and won three medals oroalla Six Day Czechoslovakia.

1973 consolidated the presence on the track and Perego won the Italian championship enduro class 50. Both sport commitment has a positive effect on production that offers the Regularity versions, ie ER Revolt Processing and ES which stands for Development Sachs in classic displacements of 50, 100 and 125 cc. The old year and 1975 with the victory of the Silver Vase in the Six Days Isle of Man and three Italian championships. The production expands the range of models also offering a 175.

That year's production totaled about 10,000 units. In 1976 the now famous dirt motorcycles and regularly joins the production of mopeds and scooters Children employing Minarelli engine. In 1977 he started working with Rotax after the disaster recorded by the new seven-speed Sachs engines. The rotary disc Austrian engines are mounted on all models, both from commercial and competition that are indicated with the RS-GS abbreviations by the enduro and MC models those from a cross.

At the Milan salon SWM presented their first trial motorcycles. Another year of good sporting and commercial results and 1979 when the full range of motorcycles is renewed and offered with new identification codes: TF1 for motorcycles enduro and TF2 to the cross.

Production commenced of 350cc Trial GTS 315. The trial becomes important and in 1981 SWM 320 TLNW won the world title with rider Gilles Bourgat.

In the same year SWM three riders ensure the Italian team wins the Six Days, while the cross is presented new technical solutions such as rear suspension called PLB System. Negative there 'to register the commercial failure of the SWM 124 RZ a street bike that perhaps not been understood by the public. In 1982 begins the slow descent of the Lombard brand. In the trial SWM comes second in the world with the American Bernie Schreiber while Galeazzi won the Italian championship.

Nothing good in the hand enduro. In mass production comes the XN 350 and 500, single-cylinder four-stroke enduro. For the supply of two-stroke engines is entered into an agreement with Tau. To seek redemption in the enduro are completed in 1983, the motorcycles of the RS-GS S1 series but now the motorcycle market and off-road in decline and in 1984 economic difficulties force SWM to close before the racing department and then definitely also the manufacturing plant.

Scuza Itanglish

Source: Moto di Lombardia


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