Motorcycles Built in Italy

Notes on some quite obscure Italian marques

This page lists brands for which we currently little or no information. For a more complete listing visit the Italian Index.

A

Ace 1927-31
Ace 1947-52

Aerdiesel snc three-wheeled diesel vans. ^WOI

Aester - listed by the defunct MC Storico Conti as being manufactured in Torino 1932-1935 using 150cc to 500cc four-stroke engines, there is no reliable reference to this marque elsewhere.
Alba-Gaia (1922-1932 Torino) ²
Amia = Auto Motocicli Ricambi e Accessori (1924-1927 Torino) ²
Avoni - Dino Avoni of Via Massimiliano Angelelli 1, Bologna. Placed 14th in the 1951 Milano-Taranto ¹

B

Barossi - sounds Italian, but is made in China. Sometimes written as Borossi.
Bacchiega 1919-1920
Bazzoni 1951. A 135cc scooter built in 1951 was listed at MC Storico Conti. No other record of this marque has been discovered.
Beyer (1925 - ? Bologna) ²
Biavati, 1928. Founder: Nerio Biavati ¹
Bonfiglioli, 1932 ca.-1935. Giulio Bonfiglioli, Piazza VIII Agosto 27, Bologna ¹
Bonora, 1929-?. Canzio Bonora, Bologna ¹
Bossi, Varese 1905-1908 ^UIT, ^ARU
Bowden I.D., Milano 1922-1923 ^UIT
B.P. - Brusasco e Porta (1926-? Torino) ²
B.P.R., Cocquio Trevisago 1923-1929 ^UIT, ^ARU.
Bulon VA Busto Arsizio 1927 - 1930 ^UIT.

C

Cadore et Lario 1900
Cadore, Salò 1900 - 1910 ^UIT
Cambieri, Pavia 1910 ^UIT
Camola, Cremona 1925 ^UIT
Cavallotti, Pavia 1918 ^UIT
Carrà (1925-1926 Torino) ²
Casali Velocipedi (1925 ? Pavia) ²
C.A.S.A. = Cicli Accessori Sabazia & Affini (Savona) ²
Casati (1923-? Torino) ²
C.B.R. = Cigala - Barberis - Ruva (1911-1913 Torino) ²
Ceneri, post-WWII, Mario Ceneri, Via Don Minzoni 7, Bologna¹
Cervinia 1950, Milano
Cesarani, Caravaggio 1914 ^ARU, ^UIT
Chiappa, Legnano 1920 ^ARU, ^UIT
Cicli Carlo Caccia 1948
Ciclopiave mopeds built by Ferdinando Michelin who founded the FAC Michelin company, aka "Miche." ~ cyclist.co.uk, et al.
Clipper, Milano 1948 ^MC. Possibly related to Motoclipper of Milano, 1948-49. There is also a British machine named Clipper.
Custombike, Castelleone 1996 ^UIT

D

Doglioli & Terzano (Torino 1926). A restored example was displayed at Automotoretro Torino, Feb 2019. Possibly related to Doglioli & Civardi. ²

F

Fami, Lecco (allora provincia di Como), 1925 ^ARU,^UIT
Fassi 1946 1950 ³
F.I.A.B. = Fabbrica Italiana Augusta Bologna (Fondata a Torino nel 1924 e dal 1926 a Bologna, chiude nei primi anni del 1930) ²
Fit Quadrio, Milano>,^UIT. This is possibly the same machine listed as "Fit, 1950-1954".
Foroni, Rozzano Milano, 1993. ^UIT. There is also a Foroni in Modena, 1975-80.

G

G. Pirrotta (Gorgonzola Milano) ²
Gallini, Crema 1925 ^UIT

Garuffa, Milano 1923-1924 ^ARU, ^UIT

Nothing specifically related to motorcycles has come to light about Garuffa, to whom is credited: La teoria dell'autogiro La Cierva, in L'ala d'Italia, E. Garuffa 1927

And there is this:

"In Italy, an oil-burning engine for aircraft has been built to the designs of Garuffa. It is a two-stroke-cycle engine, built in both V-type and radial-type models, and is said to have given satisfactory results in block tests."

Development of the High-Speed Diesel Engine, by P. M. Heldt

and:

"Fast internal combustion engines and their industrial and sports applications AUTHOR Eng. Egidio Garuffa Turin, UTET 1909...Rich in drawings, 440 pages."

---

Gazzoli, Mantova 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
G.B. Built after World War II, probably in Bologna. ¹
GF, Crema 1952 ^UIT
GG, Milano 1940 ^UIT. There was also a GG in Padua, 1928-34.
Ghelfi & Agosta, Mantova 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
Ghilardi e Canziani 1920s, Milano ^MC
Gibellini, Luino (Como) 1904-1908 ^ARU, ^UIT
Giraudo Como 1925 ^ARU, ^UIT
Giuristi, Milano 1926-1927 ^UIT
Ghirardi (1923-1938 Bologna) ²
Grazia e Fiorini, 1902-1915. Lodovico Grazia, Ettore Fiorini - Mura D'Azeglio (Gran Garage D'Azeglio), Bologna¹
Guerra Bergamo 1930-1932 ^UIT

Guidetti - this may refer to GS Motori, as their velomoteur is said, by one source, to have been termed the "Guidetti Gioielli".
Fratelli Guidetti built stationary engines during WWII. ID plate reads Construzioni Meccaniche Fratelli Guidetti Milano Motori Universali Condor.

H

Helium (1924-1926 Torino) ²
Hirundo 150cc scooter by M. Porrera of Torino, c. mid-1950s.

I

Imperia (Rivalta Torinese-Torino) 1926 ²
Industria Motori Ossana 1954-1956
Ipex bicycle engine, mounted on left side of rear wheel. cyclememory.org
Ital Car, Usmate 1990 ^UIT

J

K

K2 Lecco (allora provincia di Como) 1954 - 1956. (This is probably KZ, see Vassena) ^UIT
Komet, Travac Siccomario 1960 ^UIT

L

Lanzi, Cremona 1937 ^UIT

Lazzaroni, Sedriano Milano 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT

This is possibly Emilio Lazzaroni from Milano who founded the company "La Société Jurassiene d'Aviation" with motorcycle racer Henri Cobioni. They built an aeroplane in 1910, but no record has been found of motorcycle production.

A postcard from 1956 gives the following: Lazzaroni Antonio & Figlio - Via Libertà, 18, Passirano (Brescia) - Agenzia Moto. This company, which is still in business (2023), may be related.

---

Limonta, Oggiono, Lake Como, 1924 ^ARU, ^UIT
Luino (allora provincia di Como) 1904 - 1908^UIT

M

MA-BO, c.1950. Via A. Costa 217 Bologna ¹
Mako Shark, Dolzago (Como) 1993 ^UIT
M.B. (Motori Brevetti), 1953-1954, Orfeo Baruffaldi of Via Barberia 13 Bologna ¹ (Note: There is another MB, Meccanica Benassi)
MAB ²
Maglietta, c.1930. Gino Maglietta, Bologna ¹
Maggiolino, Como 1928-1930 ^ARU, ^UIT
Magrin VA ^UIT
Mancini ³
Marabelli Diego, Pavia 1950 ^UIT
Massi (1924-1957 Bologna) ²
M.C.R. (Milano)
Mattei 1925, Milano [4] - An Angelo Mattei was associated with MM in 1924.
Mattia, Pavia 1910-1914 ^UIT
Mead Flyer (Motobici costruite dal 1907-1911 dalla Casa Automobilistica Temperino di Torino) - M.C.R. ( ? - ? Milano) -
Medalini VA ^UIT
Mediolanum, Milano 1947 ^UIT - Mentioned in the index of Motor-Scooters, Motoleggerissime e Micromotori, 1950, by Armando Guglielmi
Meiller 1923, Milano ^MC
Meotti, 1948-c.1950. Camillo Meotti of Via Santo Stefano 46, Bologna ¹
MGM di Pesaro, 48cc mopeds.
Mingotti, 1937-1982 (post-war motorcycles), Augusto Mingotti of Imola (Bo), Porta Bologna, later Viale G. Amendola 3, Via Emilia 114-118 (from 1956), Bologna ¹
Minerva (1929-1934 Torino)
Motobi Invicta (1904? Torino) Olivia
Mona 1914 VA Somma Lombardo ^UIT (There is also a Quirk's Mona, Australia)
Montanari, Dorno, Pavia 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
Monteverdi 1925-1929, Milano^MC - Possible relationship: Luigi Monteverdi was associated with Moto Aquila of Bologna.
Monticelli, Crema 1904 ^UIT
Morandi VA Gorla c.1930 ^UIT
Moroni, Rho Milano 1937 ^UIT
Moroni, Brescia 1937 ^UIT (two listings, different locales)
Moto Merlini 1950 (There is a Moto Merlini in the 1980s)
Moto Schia, Sondrio, 1968 ^UIT
Motoliva Vestone 1930-1935 ^UIT
Motor Union ³

N

NEC 1925, Milano ^MC
Negroni 1904, Milano. Monowheel. ^MC
Negroni 1950s - Mentioned under Comet 1952, "Bologna at the Negroni workshop in via Andrea Costa." and under Berneg "Negroni built the engines". Bruno Negroni was one of the founders of SIMAM.
Neptunus, Malgrate (Como), 1923-1926 ^ARU, ^UIT
Noris-Chiorda, Albino 1905-1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
Noseda, Como 1903 ^UIT

O

Olmi 1930-1935, Milano ^MC
OMDV, Casatenovo (Como), 1950
OMR, Melzo 1935 ^UIT
Omnia. Henshaw lists this as a rebadged MT 249cc OHC vertical twin built 1949-1953. Research has not revealed any evidence of this machine.
Opessi 1935-1936, Milano, three wheeler with motorcycle engine by Piero Opressi ^MC
Orim 1947
Olivia ²
O.M.C. Officine Meccaniche Cremonesi (Cremona). See also OMC (Budrio)

P

Panni, Casalbuttano 1924-1927 ^UIT
Panarotto M. (1923-? Vicenza) ²
Pappagallo 1926-1927, Milano ^MC
Paselli, Aurelio Paselli of Casalecchio di Reno (Bo), Via Carducci (offcina i Amleto Del Monte) Bologna, 1933 ¹
Pavia, Pavia 1924-1938 ^UIT
Pelagatti
Peroglio ³
Piccardi VA Luino 1928 ^ARU, ^UIT
Pingo Vei, Milano 1995 ^UIT
PM 1941-1942, Milano ^MC
Pomelli VA Saronno 1968-1971 ^UIT
Ponzio & Macchi ca.1910, Milano ^MC
Primus (1904-1909 Torino) ²
Priori 1930
Pupilla (1926-1939 Torino) ²

R

R.A. 1927~1929 Alfredo Rizzoli of Vicolo Broglio 2, Bologna ¹
R.A.M. 1910, Milano ^MC
Restelli 1905-1907, Milano ^MC
Rex Socitex - Italian representative for Rex Motoren Werk of Germany, 1955.
Roem, Albate 1982 ^UIT
Rossinelli VA Luino 1910 - Possibly related to Carrozzeria Muzzio e Rossinelli, coachbuilders in Milan in the early 1910s. ^UIT
Rosso 1925-1927, Milano ^MC
The Rover, Pavia 1924 - 1938 ^UIT
Royal Santagostino (1923-1928 Milano) ²
Royal Super 1923-1928, Milano ^MC
Ruvioli, Milano 1951 ^UIT

S

Sanciome ²
Saracco (1926-1917 Torino) ²
Saule, Como 1903-1909 ^ARU, ^UIT
Scalari, Rivarolo Fuori 1905-1908 ^ARU, ^UIT
Semeria (1909? Torino) ²
Serri 1958, Milano ^MC
Silens 1939, Milano ^MC
Sita, 1931. Built by Walter Sita of Bologna. Source: Museo del Patrimonio Industriale, Bologna
Snaip 1924, Milano ^MC
Sorati 1926-1927, Milano ^MC
Soriani 1922-1927, Milano ^MC
Spengler 1923, Milano ^MC
Steffanoni, Trezzo d'Adda, Milano 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
Stock, Milano 1925 ^UIT
Stucchi 1953, Milano ^MC
Strumia (1910 Torino) ²

T

Taveggia 1923, Milano ^MC
TGB ³
Temperino e Mead Flyer (1908 -1924 Torino e Condove (Torino)  è stato un  Costruttore  all'inizio di Biciclette, Motobici e poi a seguire di Auto) ²
Testa, Bergamo 1903-1910 ^MC, ^UIT
Tortelli, Asola 1910 ^UIT
Tris, Pavia 1925 ^UIT
Turinga, Milano 1942 ^MC

V

Vaga Sesto Calende VA anni '50 ^UIT (Unrelated to Vaga of Milan, apparently.)
Visigalli, Lodi 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT
Vitali of Romagna, MX, 1980s probably, used Tau engines.
VRP 1993 GP, adopted the Librenti project.
Volpi Scalini, Como, 1925 ^UIT

W

Wilson 1915, Milano ^MC
WTO, 1930s

Z

Zappoli, 1930s, Amedeo Zappoli, Bologna ¹
Zars, Lonato 1924 ^ARU, ^UIT
Zecchini, Brescia 1920s ^UIT
Zironi, c.1946 Athos Zironi ¹
Zucchi, Chiari 1910 ^ARU, ^UIT

---

Sources
1. Museo del Patrimonio Industriale
2. Amici delle Moto-Bici Sottocanna
3. it.linkfang.org
MC. Mauro Colombo
WOI. Wheels of Italy
ARU. autogallery.orc.ru - lists many Italian marques of which there is no mention elsewhere.
UIT. Unknown Italian source, lists quite a number mentioned only in the ARU page, but with more detail of dates and locations. Possibly Mauro Colombo, as several entries correspond with his.

---