General Category > Bike Builds, Rebuilds And Restorations Only
1965 Benelli / Motobi 200 Sprite
Canuck750:
--- Quote from: Michael Moore on October 05, 2021, 09:50:57 PM ---
Here's a photo of Primo Zanzani building up an engine
and a crank case being machined in their shop
classic langston hughes poem 4 letters
cheers,
Michael
--- End quote ---
Very cool!
Canuck750:
I stripped down the headlight bucket that came with the project, its a typical CEV all in one unit, 6 volts; headlight, ignition cut out key, headlight switch, headlight running light, speedometer, and inside the shell the electrical junction panel, regulator and rectifier. I had a NOS headlight trim ring and headlight in my parts stash to fit this shell.
Vapour blasted the shell, wiped it down with metal etch, then a wipe of acetone and powder coated it satin black.
I stripped down all of the components, the cut out switch was seized, its a very simple design, inserting the key and twisting it depresses a plunger that meets a contact that completes the circuit. By soaking the bucket with the switch intact in muriatic acid the rust bubbled out of the components and I was able to unscrew the switch from the shell then get the plunger freed up.
I had new plated screws in my stash that secures the regulator and rectifier, the light switch bakelight handle polished up a bit, same for the running light plastic lens
I bought a trio of small size speedometers a couple years back thinking one day they would come in handy, one of them is a perfect match
all done, I had to trim down the inner flange of the headlight trim ring to fit properly over the shell lip
back on the forks for now
I also stripped down the seat and vapour balsted the sprung seat frame
painted it with POR-15 satin black, this stuff is sprayed direct to metal and once cured is almost as tough as powder coat (my oven is too small to fit the seat frame in)
I found a supplier in Italy for reproduction seat covers, they have none in stock for this particular seat but told me to ship him my seat frame and original cover and they will make a reproduction for me. I have bought seat covers for other small displacement Italian bikes in the past and the quality is excellent
berniebee:
Very cool little Benelli. Amazingly long hanger for the muffler. Looking forward to see it come together!
Will you do the blue/silver-grey colour combo?
Canuck750:
--- Quote from: berniebee on October 12, 2021, 09:44:23 PM ---Very cool little Benelli. Amazingly long hanger for the muffler. Looking forward to see it come together!
Will you do the blue/silver-grey colour combo?
--- End quote ---
I am leaning to the blue / silver scheme, going to put the Motobi decals on it, all the Sprite frames are stamped Motobi, I think Cosmopolitan had all the Sprites they imported badged Benelli as that was the line they were marketing, by this time Motobi had been reabsorbed into the Benelli fold and the Motobi branded bikes were limited to Europe. I like the red and silver as well but I already have a few red bikes. I like the Motobi decal design better😉
riguzzi:
I had a 250 when I was a young fellow in New Zealand. With a few minor tweaks it was a great bike that could lean over unbelievably far. I eventually put a different seat, clipons, megaphone, carb and raced it with some success, but the crankpin was very weak. I ended up rebuilding the crank every few races.
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