This page lists brands for which limited information is available. For a more complete listing visit the Italian Index.
See also Obscure Italian Marques.
Maer
Manufactured in Italy c1977~1983
In 1980 they produced a 125mx in two versions, air-cooled and liquid-cooled. Other models included a 250 Hiro and a 380cc MX500.
Claudio Bissaro was a dealer for Maer 1978-80.
The marque is somehow related to Verona, perhaps from the same area.
FB group: https://www.facebook.com/Italcross-Registro-Storico-Moto-Maer-Verona-640680879338192/
Magnoni Del Vecchio
The Leonardo da Vinci Museum provides the following:
"Transcription
KENI MOTOREN-WERKE / KEMPFF & NIMBS / CHARLOTTENBURG 1 EOSANDERSTR. 31 / MOTOR NO. 1691 PS
06/1,6 / FAHRGES ELL NO. / GEW KG."
This, and the general appearance, indicate that the machine started life as a Keni.
Mauro Colombo dates it as 1920, from Milano.
Marinella 1948
Mazzilli 1970-1975
MB
Meccanica Benassi, founded in 1953, built mopeds, light motorcycles and road racers from the 1950s to the 1970s. Models include a 1958 125cc two-stroke with rear suspension. Examples of their road racing machine are featured in the Poggi Collection
The company remains actively involved in light agricultural equipment, cultivators and motor mowers. See www.benassi.it
N.B. Unrelated to Binassi
Mead Flyer 1908-1911
Meldi
Manufactured by Officine Meccaniche Giuseppe Meldi, Torino, 1921-1953
Limited production of racing motorcycles using 248, 348 and 498cc engines from JAP and Rudge Python.
The firm produced sidecars, and also built twelve cyclecars using Della Ferrara and other engines. Production of these ended in 1933.
In conjunction with Antonio Baudo the firm produced BM motorcycles between 1928 and 1931. These are not to be confused with Moto BM of Bologna.
Sources: wikipedia.nl, wikipedia.de, et al.
Mercury Engines
Tomaselli motorcycles of 1934 used Mercury. Vaschetto motorcycles were powered by 250 and 500cc Mercury engines. FB, Mello and Moto Columbo fitted Mercury.
Merli
Manufactured by Medardo Merli Motocicli, Parma, 1929-1931
Built lightweights with 173cc Train two-stoke engines.
Source: wikipedia.nl, Tragatsch p209.
Metrakit
Located at Castel di Sette, Mozzagrogna, the firm built a variety of junior competition off-road and road racing machines, and a large range of performance products. They sponsored many races at national and international level, and developed a Mini GP School for which they built 50cc road-racers. The firm had a strong Spanish influence.
Their website's last updates were for 2014.
Sources: civ.tv, metrakititalia.com (archive).
Michelini Engines
Manufactured by Mario Michelini of Bologna, much of the factory's output was absorbed by Mondial who suffered considerably when Michelini production ceased following Mario's death in an accident in 1961. Michelini, who had established a good working relationship with Giuseppe Boselli of Mondial, supplied all of their of four-stroke 125 and 175cc engines.
Source: Nunzia Manicardi, Moto di Lombardia.
Moretti 1925-1932 (Primo Moretti)
Monterosa
1954-1958
Manufactured 49cc lightweight motorcycles using Itom engines.
Source: wikipedia.nl, Tragatsch
Moto Arnaldi 1930s
Motoplast
Manufactured by Virginio Stanga in the 1970s and perhaps early 80s, these were frame and bodywork kits which transformed a variety of machines into high-performance roadsters.
Stanga was a competition rider who competed in the 1979/80 Tourist Trophy, 1975/76 Le Mans, and the 1978 Bol D'or, among others.
Motorette
Manufactured by Fubini of Torino, 1923.
Fitted Paqué 4T and Hella 2T engines.
Source: Contemporary advertising.
Murnigotti
Giuseppe Murnigotti (Martinengo, 1834 – 1903)
"Over the course of his life, Murnigotti filed patent applications for five inventions. Of these, the third, filed in 1879, described the design of a motorcycle running on gaseous combustion (suggesting the use of hydrogen) and a tricycle with the same engine and the ability to carry two passengers. Murnigotti never built a prototype, but a model can be found in the Museum of Science and Technology in Milan."
Source: it.wikipedia.org,
MVB
Manufactured by Moto Valla Bologna in the 1950s
Address: Vicolo Alemagna 1 Bologna
Founders: Filippo and Gaetano Valla
Production was limited and only one survives, a Sport model.
Source: Museo del Patrimonio Industriale, Bologna
Another marque with the same name in Milano: MVB 1954-58
MZV
Manufactured in Bologna c.1965-c1990
Via Edoardo Ferravilla 10, Bologna (via brochure)
Built 50cc mopeds named Cobra (a tubone), Cambridge, Safari and Montreal. 4, 5 and 6 speed engines were from Minarelli and Franco Morini, frames from Verlicchi. Many of these were imported to the United States by MBI of Pennsauken, New Jersey.
Source: icenicam.org.uk - a very informative and well-written article, with a chuckle or two for good measure.
Rarer Italian Marques
