giancarlo Morbidelli Giancarlo Morbidelli was born into a farming family on October 18, 1934 in Pesaro, Italy. He grew up in an environment where his neighbors Benelli and Motobi made history, not only in terms of development but also in competition with their Reparto Corse. His first bike was an Alpino, which he modified with limited resources to achieve better performance. At his father's suggestion, Giancarlo trained at a cabinet-making technical school, as there were many furniture companies in and around Pesaro, which enabled him to find work as a skilled carpenter.
in 1959, aged just 25, he founded his own company, Morbidelli woodworking Machines, which developed, manufactured and sold woodworking machines. Thanks to his mechanical expertise and business acumen, he built a thriving business in Pesaro within 15 years, with over 350 employees and sales in more than 60 countries. However, Giancarlo's energy was boundless and, in addition to running his company, he pursued his greatest passion: motorcycling.
the first Morbidelli motorcycle was a 60 cm3 model based on a Benelli engine with a modified cylinder and cylinder head, placed in a Bianchi Falco Supersport frame. This bike was ridden by Enzo Lazzarini in local cadet races. The first Morbidelli in-house racing team, from left to right, included new technician Sergio Grassini, young rider Franco Ringhini, Giancarlo Morbidelli and rider Eugenio Lazzarini. In 1968, they officially began racing for Reparto Corse.
1969 - Ringhini and Lazzarini competed successfully in several races with the Morbidelli 50cc, finishing first and second in the Slovenian Grand Prix and also winning the Italian championship. This first international victory motivated Morbidelli to create the Morbidelli 125cc, leading them to start developing a twin-cylinder engine to compete in the 1970 World Championship.
at the end of 1975, Giancarlo Morbidelli, Paolo Benelli and Innocenzo Nardi Dei (Benelli Armi) joined forces to set up a company to mass-produce a replica of the 1975 World Champion Morbidelli 125 and sell it to private teams. This partnership between Giancarlo Morbidelli and the former Benelli Reparto Corse was christened MBA, an acronym for Morbidelli Benelli Armi. The MBA VR 125 was initially manufactured at Benelli Armi's Urbino facility, but was later transferred to Sant Angelo in Vado, in the province of Pesaro-Urbino.
1979-1982 - The entry of Pesaro driver Graziano Rossi marked the beginning of a new era. Having just become the father of a future legend named Valentino, he achieved three Grand Prix victories and two further podium finishes with the 250cc Morbidelli. Despite many challenges, Graziano Rossi scored 67 points to Ballington's 141 and finished a well-deserved third in 1979. Giancarlo Morbidelli, concentrating on the 500cc, formed a team with Graziano Rossi and Giovanni Pelletier from Rome.
1994 - Morbidelli returned to his passion and delighted two-wheel enthusiasts with a new masterpiece: an incredible Morbidelli 850cc equipped with a V8 engine and designed by Pininfarina. This sport-touring model boasted an incredible engine that reached 120 hp at 11,000 rpm. Only four units were built due to its exorbitant cost.
2020 - After creating a museum featuring over 400 historic motorcycles and the world's largest collection of racing machines, Giancarlo Morbidelli turned his attention to developing a V12 motorcycle. In early 2020, at the age of 85, Giancarlo Morbidelli passed away, leaving behind legends, stories and records worthy of a Hollywood movie.
mBP Moto S.r.l. was founded in 2021 with capital from the Keeway Group, with the aim and vision of perpetuating the legendary and iconic motorcycle legacy left by its founder, Giancarlo Morbidelli. Strategically choosing Bologna as its headquarters, MBP began to establish its operations and launch its acquisition process for the brand.
2024 - The Keeway Group buys Morbidelli and merges it with its own MBP brand. The new Morbidelli will be spun off from the Qianjiang conglomerate.
Image credits: Morbidelli / Keeway