At the age of 12 Bruno Rossati began working eleven hour days.
"Now, approaching 91, I find myself reminiscing about my youth, still riding my motorcycle every day.
Letter re Ladetto
A Brief History of the Italian Marque
Manufactured by Otello Albanese at his workshops in Via Caponic, San Cesario di Lecce 1930-1932
Born in San Cesario di Lecce in 1903, Otello, with his brothers Eugenio, Alfredo, and Cosimo, built the first motorcycle featuring a three-valve engine in 1930. It was well ahead of its time, and the idea was adopted by AJS for their 7R3 of 1951.
The Lecce was one of the few motorcycles produced in Southern Italy prior to World War II - possibly the only one. Otello's workshop manufactured many of the engine and chassis components. The engines were much-modified units supplied by Moser of Switzerland. Moser changed hands in 1932, and it seems that Lecco ceased producing their 175cc motorcyles shortly thereafter.
Although uneducated and, it is said, illiterate, Otello had a very active mind and spent much of his time in the workshop; in 1940, he invented an electric-powered motor-bicycle capable of reaching speeds of 30 km/h with a range of 100 km on a single charge.
To promote and advertise his product, he participated in exhibitions and events both local and further afield under the Gruppo Moto Lecce marque, and created a motorcycle racing team that he personally sponsored.
Pictured is a motoleggera built by Otello Albanese using a 175cc engine which appears to have been a slightly modified Moser, with two exhaust valves in the head and a side valve inlet.
Sources: MC Storico Conti, Tragatsch p192, monasterosancesario.blogspot.com, et al.
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