Keeway to revive the historic Morbidelli brand
Through MBP Moto (Moto Bologna Passioni), its Bologna based subsidiary, the Chinese Keeway Group has acquired the Morbidelli brand. "The initiative marks a new chapter in the history of MBP Moto, as well as in that of motorcycle innovation, combining the cutting-edge design and technology of MBP Moto with the extraordinary sporting and image heritage of the Pesaro Morbidelli brand," said Dante Bustos, CMO of Keeway Group, when the news was announced in April 2024.
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| Morbidelli began building wood working tools and then raced motorcycles as a hobby before starting to manufacture bikes for the public in the 1970s. |
"This acquisition is a testament to MBP Moto's aspiration for excellence in the motorcycle industry. We are thrilled to welcome a historic premium brand like Morbidelli into our family. It will allow us to blend the legacy of racing and 'Made in Italy' craftsmanship with our vision of the future of motorcycling. Our passion for innovation, combined with Morbidelli's rich heritage, will lead to the creation of motorcycles with an unrivalled blend of performance, design and history."
The Morbidelli range will consist of road and crossover motorcycles from 125 to 1000 cc and scooters between 125 and 500 cc. The first launches will initially concern Europe, the United States and China, and will continue in all the countries where the Keeway Group is present. The product portfolio will also include an initial range of electric motorcycles and scooters starting from the first half of 2025.
The investments and strategy are being described as "long-term" with "Centro Stile Morbidelli" and a new Research and Development Centre being created in Bologna.
Morbidelli started making motorcycles in Pesaro in 1968. The first bike was a 50 cc GP. The first race win was in 1971, with Gilberto Parlotti in the Czechoslovakian Grand Prix, on a 125. In 1975, he won the 125 class World Manufacturers' and Riders' Championship, with Paolo Pileri in the saddle. Between 1975 and 1977 he won a total of seven world titles, between Riders and Constructors, including that of the 250 class in 1977 with Mario Lega.
Morbidelli made his debut in the premier class in 1970, with a four-cylinder 500, but without particular success, and in 1982 the racing department ceased operations. In 1999 Giancarlo Morbidelli created a museum dedicated to motorcycles in Pesaro, which became one of the most important in the world, but it closed its doors the same year Morbidelli passed away, in 2020 at the age of 85.
In their time, the Morbidellis represented the state-of-the-art of the competitions in which they took part, winning races and titles. The success came from a meeting between Giancarlo Morbidelli and German designer Jörg Möller in Pesaro in 1974. Regarded as a "Wizard" of two-stroke engines, the Morbidelli engines were designed by Möller.
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| Giancarlo Morbidelli |
Morbidelli unveiled a prototype of the first road Morbidelli, the first eight-cylinder road motorcycle ever presented. Called simply 'V8', it was a super-tourer with an 850 cc engine, which, in design terms, derived from the Cosworth Formula 1 engine. To be produced in a limited series of 12 pieces a year and signed by Pininfarina, the definitive version appeared in 1994, and was the most expensive motorcycle in the world.
MBP Moto was founded in 2021 by Keeway Group. At EICMA 2022 and 2023, MBP Moto unveiled a line-up of prototypes that generated widespread interest.
Keeway is owned in China by the Qianjiang Group - the owner of Benelli and QJMotor. It has a portfolio of companies and vehicle brands in more than 100 countries, including Keeway Motorcycles, founded in Hungary in 1999, and MBP Moto. As a shareholder and global distributor of Benelli, the Keeway Group is a multinational company with operations in Italy, Spain, Hungary, Germany, the United States and China. It currently sells over 500,000 PTWs worldwide.
