FOLLOWING its debut at EICMA in November last year, one of the legendary names of post-war off-road motorcycle sport is now firmly on the come-back trail.
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| SWM RS 650 R |
Under the guidance of renowned ex Cagiva, Aprilia and Husqvarna motorcycle engineer Ampelio Macchi as CEO, and with the financial backing and volume production expertise of China's Shineray Group, July saw the first new Italian SWM model roll off a production line in the 23,000 sqm former BMW/Husqvarna production facility on a 45,000 sqm site near Varese, north of Milan.
Originally founded in Milan in 1971 by Piero Sironi and Fausto Vergani, SWM (Speedy Working Motors) was a leading Trials, Enduro, Motocross and off-road brand in the 1970s and 1980s, achieving considerable race success and building a devoted following in Italy and internationally.
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| Ampelio Macchi, CEO (left), has brought the SWM brand back in the former BMW/Husqvarna factory space near Varese thanks to backing from China's Shineray Group |
They started with small capacity Sachs engined enduro bikes and began making Rotax engined trials bikes in 1977. This was the era of other historically strong brands such as Ossa, Bultaco, Montesa and others, many of which hit trouble one way or another.
In the case of SWM the end came in 1984; fast forward thirty years to the 'Milan Show' last year and a new company bearing the historic name introduced six street and off-road bikes with engine sizes between 300 and 650cc.
Following a formal unveiling at the "Valli Bergamesche" event, the Italian round of the WEC (World Enduro Championship) at Rovetta (Bergamo, Italy) in June, the first to roll off the production line in July was the RS 650 R, a DOHC 4-valve liquid-cooled fuel injected 600 cc single cylinder 4-stroke enduro in a steel single beam double cradle frame with upside-down front forks, Sachs rear shock absorber, fixed disc/floating caliper brakes, 21" front and 18" rear wheels, electric start and 6-speed wet-sump gearbox.
Based on an evolution of the Husqvarna TE 610 enduro, with the same brakes and suspension set-ups, the compression of the Husqvarna engine has been increased and the single cylinder bored out to 600cc. SWM will use the Husqvarna engine for all the off-roaders it makes.
The production plan anticipates some 2,500 to 3,000 units for 2015 initially, with an SM 650 R due later in the summer, an RS 300 R, RS 500 R and SM 500 R at the end of September, with the return of the SWM "Classics" - the Silver Vase and Gran Milano 440s - by the end of October. The present workforce of around 60 is expected to grow to some 110 people, and 125cc models are planned in the near future.
www.swm-motorcycles.it
