Notes on Argentinian marques of which currently little information is available
See also the main index page, Made in Argentina
Albor
Manufactured by Distributor del Litoral SRL, Maipu 794, Rosario, Santa Fe
Built 1960 using 125cc Jungla 4 speed engines.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com (Argentine Resources)
Aller Meteor
Built by Talleres Electro Mecánicos Argentinos.
One very handsome model has an engine cowling which looks like a jet engine intake, trailing link forks, and a nacelle headlight.
Jorge Pennacchioni of Cordoba writes:
Se me cae un lagrimón, porque por allá antes de los años 70, mi padre Alfredo, tuvo mucho que ver en el novedoso diseño de la 'Meteor' con motor PUMA 98cc. Llegué a manejar alguna. Antes que las grandes marcas le aplicó la amortiguación trasera en el centro del cuadro. Fué un creador adelantado, quien en 1971, falleció con solo 47 años de vida.
I drop a tear, because over there before the 70s, my father Alfredo had a lot to do with the new design of the 'Meteor' with PUMA 98cc engine. I got to drive some. Before the big brands he applied the rear cushioning in the center of the frame. He was an early creator, who in 1971, died with only 47 years of life.
Source: Zanella on Facebook
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Alpino
Guido Goldi, who had worked with Alfa Romeo in Italy and was a friend of Pietro Tripoldi who owned Alpino, moved to Argentina. In 1955 his Edelweiss company began importing and assembling Alpino motorcycles. To promote the marque he began entering machines in competition, with oustanding results.
Vaifro Meo achieved world records on an Alpino streamliner in Buenos Aires.
Early in 1956 the company presented motorcycles of 48, 75 and 125 cc, and were well received. The name Edelweiss Alpino was used in advertising.
The range extended over the following years, but competition was fierce with numerous established Italian brands entering the market along with several locally produced machines.
By the early 60s Alpino AR was strugglng, and management was taken over by one of their distributors, Braulio Mortera of Rosario.
The Italian company was also having problems, and these were reflected in their somewhat haphazard deliveries to Argentina. In the last 11 shipments which Braulio Mortera received, instead of finding crates of motorcycles to be assembled there were boxes of wheels, and boxes of fuel tanks. Havoc ensued, and only a few machines were created during his tenure.
As a result, the Argentinian company was unable to pay for the material it had been sent. Argentina sales amounted to one third of the Italian firm's total output, and the lack of finance sent the firm under in 1962.
The Italian version of events is somewhat different. See Alpino of Italy
Sources: motosalpino.com.ar, OTTW
N.B. Several sites quote an article from Revista Informoto, N° 301 - Mayo 1998. (Informoto Magazine)
Bersagliera
Furgonetta manufactured by J.L. Cabrera in Cordoba, powered by a 125cc MAE engine. It had a scooter chassis with leading link front suspension.
Source: period advertising
Betamotor Argentina
Established in Argentina by Beta of Italy 1995
Products include ebikes, scooters and motorcycles.
Sources: betamotor.com.ar, motoargenta.blogspot.com
Brava
DACORD SA was established in 1989 and were distributors of DAELIM motorcycles from Korea until 2012.
Their Córdoba factory assembled some 12,000 50cc Daelim Liberty mopeds annually. After 2001 they imported Chinese machines, and by 2016 total production exceeded 200,000 motorcycles.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
Cerro
Cerro Motos is a firm based in La Rioja, Cordoba with offices in Shanghai, China. Formed with government assistance, it occupies the former premises of metalurgical firm Argelite and employed many of their former workers.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
Corven
Based in Venado Tuerto, Santa Fe, the company was formed in 2007. In 2013 Corven Motos Argentina SA and Bajaj Auto Ltd. of India formed an agreement to be the representative of Bajaj products in Argentina.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
Da Dalt
The Da Dalt brothers arrived from Vittorio Veneto in wartorn Italy in 1949 and began manufacturing motorcycle parts. Their first complete machines were foldable mopeds named Clementina, built in 1978. By 1984 the range included utility mopeds. From the 1980s their engines were based on the Franco Morini.
The firm still exists as Dutori-Da Dalt, in Villa Luzuriaga, Buenos Aires, and exports light motorcycles and three-wheelers to several South American countries.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com, OTTW, et al.
Danuvia
C. Barros of Cordoba was representative for Argentina for the Hungarian marque and advertised the Moto Danuvia with Csepel 125cc engines.
Source: period advertising.
De Carlo
Manufactured by Salvador De Carlo of Metalmecánica S.A.I.C. in José C. Paz, Buenos Aries
These were BMW 600 and 700 microcars, both fully imported and locally assembled from imported chassis and engines. Few if any locally produced parts were employed.
The firm later built Paperino, Super Paperino and DEC-100 scooters using components sourced from Industria Meccanica Napoletana.
Source: bmw700.net/decarlo, which gives a fascinating account of the Italian fascist.
DKW Bessone
Manufactured in San Justo by Ernesto C. Bessone S.A. under licence from 1960 into the 1970s. Models RT125 and RT150 were produced in considerable numbers and exported to a number of South American countries, along with DKW engines which were also fitted to motofurgones, watercraft and industrial machinery. They produced scooters named Bessone, and they also built Veloneta 150cc scooters.
Sources: motoargenta.blogspot.com et al
FAMA
Based in Rosario, Fábrica Argentina de Motores Automotrices SA produced the Jungla marque in the 1960s.
The 128cc engine had a bore & stroke of 53 x 58mm and was fed by a Dell'Orto MB 20 carburettor. Suspension was by telescopic forks and swinging arm with hydraulic dampers.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
N.B. The Fama name was used by several other firms; one in the Netherlands, one in Germany, and another built by Blomme & Lecompte in Belgium - see Disambiguation
Gaudino
Gaudino Motor S.R.L., Av. Santa Fe 5400 Buenos Aires T. E. 72-7126
Built lightweight motorcycles using 98cc Sachs Televel engines. Telescopic forks and swinging arm rear suspension. Production dates unknown but likely early 1960s.
Source: period advertising
Ghiggeri
Based in Puerto Tirol, Chaco, north eastern Argentina. Advertising claimed that the factory of 15,000m2 was capable of producing 1000 motorcycles per month.
ghiggeri.com, which gave scant information in August 2019, was offline a year later.
Gilera Argentina
Established in 1957, the firm built motorcycles under licence from Gilera Italy. A new factory was built in 1962, and in 1963 employed 600 staff. They had a test track, and a foundry in Spegazzini where much of the casting was done.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
Juki
Founded in 1972 as Juki Sacifia in Ramos Mejía, Buenos Aires, as a manufacturer of sewing machines. Later named Mondial, the firm had a long association with Kawasaki. Then, from around 1999 they produced motorcycles, scooters and utility vehicles which were mostly sources from China and locally assembled.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
KTM Argentina
The Duke 200, built by Bajaj in India, was assembled by the company Simpa S.A. of Campana in Buenos Aires beginning in 2013. Subsequently a 390 Duke was announced - 373cc 89 mm x 60 mm, 6 speed, 139kg.
Projected production for 2014 was 1500 units per annum.
Sources: Wikipedia, simpa.com.ar, motoargenta.blogspot.com
Landia
Marketed by Bv Guzman of Cordoba, models included Landia 115cc and Landia 125cc Super Sport. Both were two-strokes with telescopic forks and swing-arm rear suspension.
Source: period advertising.
Lorena
Manufactured in the early 1960s using 125cc Televel Sachs engines. The chassis and bodywork was similar to that used by numerous other makes, with swingarm rear suspension and telescopic forks. The company logo included the Cross of Lorraine, ☨.
They offered finance via MOTOFAMA S. C. (la tiene y la vende con amplios planes do financiacion MOTOFAMA S. C.)
Source: period advertising.
Maverick
Manufactured by an established motorcycle dealer in San Juan which began motorcycle production in the late 1990s. In 2008 they built a new factory employing 60 people.
Their website displays numerous motorcycles similar in style to those emanating from China.
Models include: City 125, Street 150, Maxim 250
Source: maverick.com.ar
Motomel S.A.
Established in La Emilia, Buenos Aires, the company began assembly of Suzuki motorcycles in 1992. In 2011 they formed an agreement with Piaggio and began assembly of Aprilia STX 150 motorcycles, and by 2020 offered some 60 different models, including quads. One of their more popular machines is the Blitz scooter, available with a 110cc or 125cc engine.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com (Argentine Resources)
NSU Argentina
Manufactured under licence by Dory y Cia, the factory was in Beccar. In the 1950s and 60s they produced Quickly, Max and Super Max NSU motorcycles, and Prima scooters. They also built automobiles including the Prinz.
Source: motoargenta.blogspot.com
Tibo
Established in 2008 by AKAN SA with a factory in Don Torcuato, Buenos Aires.
Model range for 2021 includes Jet 110 scooter, RS 150 road, Aero 150 Enduro, R200 STi Road, Zunda 200 road and Coaster 250 V-twin custom.
Sources: motoargenta.blogspot.com, tibo.com.ar
Vagiro
Manufactured in Buenos Aires by Vagiro SRL in the late 1950s or early 60s. These were motocargo tricycles powered by 100cc Sachs-Televel engines and were distributed by Argensa S.A. It seems likely that most of the components were sourced from Puma, and that very few were built.
Source: period literature.
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