Benelli 750 Sei, Opinions, good, bad and ...

[canuck750]

These 750 Sei Benelli's appeal to me and I think they are pretty rare, anyone have experience with one?  The buy it now seems high to me, the bike looks like it needs a lot of work.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/252221723895?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true

[SED]

4 or 5 more things to go wrong looking at the list of bikes on your signature.   

[JoeW]

Jim, I maintain a 750 Sei for a local collector. It is a super nice bike to ride. It rides like a Guzzi, I could be wrong but, I think Leno Tonti designed it. The only problem areas I have encountered is the fuse box and the master cylinder. Easy to find kit for the master but, NLA fuse box. The issue with the electrical system was it was not charging. For whatever reason, the field wires use the fuse block as a junction. I bypassed it with a Jaguar bullet connector and fixed it without bastardizing the wiring. The buy it now seems a bit high but, these don't come up very often so it's hard to say. I'm watching it.

[dan_s]

They don't go faster than period Japanese four cylinders. Where I live, de tomaso Benellis have a bad reputation of being unreliable, enginewise.

[nick949]

never even seen one, but............

Jim - it's an ugly Jap bike clone (IMHO)- don't do it. Save your money and skill to bring something classy back into the world.

Nick

[Zoom Zoom]

A friend of mine has one. He was with his buddy when it was purchased new and several years ago his buddy offered it up to him. I know he had trouble sourcing parts to fix the transmission. I don't know if it had something to do with the recall that was associated with these or something else was wrong. I know it took him a while to source and obtain the parts needed from Europe. His bike came with the original 6 into 6 but the chrome was in needed replating. He also got a 6 into 1 system. Eventually he bought the aftermarket 6 into 6 for it. It really sounds sweet and he rides it every so often.

If you want, PM me and I will get you his number. He might have some insight on things to be aware of. As mentioned, the buy it now seems ambitious to say the least, but you rarely see these, so????????

John Henry

[Aaron D.]

I rode a few of the 750 and 900 models when they were new. Nice bikes both, though not my cup of tea then or now.

The 750 has more of the "flavor" of the whole deTomaso era. The 900 seemed a little less odd. Handling was OK, they were smooth and all and they handled pretty well. But in hindsight not an icon in any area except cylinder count.

[chuck peterson]

Hah...same crappy switches...

[huub]

a friend had a tuned 900 sei
(big bore , 6 separate carbs noisy 6 into one pipe)
that was fun to ride, instant throttle response ,no flywheel effect at all.
fun in the same way a kawa 750 triple is fun ,not exactly safe
would be fun to add to the stable, i wouldnt spend more than half of the buy-it now price...

[motogman]

They were rare in their day and even more so now.  Some of the comments regarding reliability and reputation are probably true and they would have suffered from some of the Italian engineering of the period that we all know and love.

The buy it now price is way high IMO and the current bid ($4k) is closer to a realistic price.

I say go for it if you can but it right (what ever that is?)!  It is it's rarity and unusual configuration (6 cyl) that appeals.   

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

A friend's 900 in a little better condition sold for $9k. 750s are rarer, so I would think they'd be worth more. <shrug>. Maybe not the Buy-It-Now, but a whole lot more than $4k IMO. $4k might get you a nice 650 Tornado S, but not a Sei.

[Groover]

They sound great and I'd love to have one. I looked up parts to potentially restore one of these about a year ago in case I ever came across one, and I backed off after that fiasco. Parts seemed impossible to find from my research at the time, even in the used department.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

They sound great and I'd love to have one. I looked up parts to potentially restore one of these about a year ago in case I ever came across one, and I backed off after that fiasco. Parts seemed impossible to find from my research at the time, even in the used department.

I did the same thing when I was considering buying a 900 a few years ago. Found this source after a short search, seems to have a pretty good supply.

http://benelliparts.de/start.php?lang=de

[canuguzzi]

You aren't going to find a running Sei for $4000 in the US, anyone bidding that is hoping the seller doesn't know what he has.

The ownership for a Benelli Sei is for personal satisfaction not because how it compares to some mainstream bike. They are very rare and in their time were like owning the 308 Ferrari which wasn't any faster than good Pontiac Fiero but just as.much if not more of a hassle to maintain. It is Italian, looks like it and sounds like it.

While the asking buy it now is high, if its in good mechanical order its worth a lot more than the high bid of $4000.

Go look at what Honda 500s of that era and in good condition and unmolested are selling for. While they probably don't sell for much in certain parts, where people have money they sell for much.more than their original price and they made a lot more of them than a lot of other models.

They have huge numbers of Honda 750s, they sell for crazy prices in good condition and they weren't rare when made.

If you like the Sei have a go at it. Besides, who buys a bike of that era because it is to have something everyone else has? It can be a great weekend rider and it will turn heads everywhere you park it. Start it up and wick the throttle and it won't matter what other bikes are sitting close buy, the Sei is what everyone will look at just to see what is making that wonderful sound.

If you like it, try for it.

[neverquit]

I don't know, I think it needs more exhaust pipes. 

[Two Checks]

A friend has one, bought it new. Rode it to Alaska.
Has the 6:1 pipe. Datsa notta noise, itsa sound!

[canuck750]

Great comments all around, thanks!

It's the oddity of the thing that appeals to me, not that I find it particularly attractive but it scores big with being quirky.

[Aaron D.]

You aren't going to find a running Sei for $4000 in the US, anyone bidding that is hoping the seller doesn't know what he has.

The ownership for a Benelli Sei is for personal satisfaction not because how it compares to some mainstream bike. They are very rare and in their time were like owning the 308 Ferrari which wasn't any faster than good Pontiac Fiero but just as.much if not more of a hassle to maintain. It is Italian, looks like it and sounds like it.

While the asking buy it now is high, if its in good mechanical order its worth a lot more than the high bid of $4000.

Go look at what Honda 500s of that era and in good condition and unmolested are selling for. While they probably don't sell for much in certain parts, where people have money they sell for much.more than their original price and they made a lot more of them than a lot of other models.

They have huge numbers of Honda 750s, they sell for crazy prices in good condition and they weren't rare when made.

If you like the Sei have a go at it. Besides, who buys a bike of that era because it is to have something everyone else has? It can be a great weekend rider and it will turn heads everywhere you park it. Start it up and wick the throttle and it won't matter what other bikes are sitting close buy, the Sei is what everyone will look at just to see what is making that wonderful sound.

If you like it, try for it.

Drugs remain a problem for the younger generations.

[guzzista]

The Benelli Sei was designed/ built under standing orders by De Tomaso , who, in his grandiose way wanted to " beat the Japanese at their own game"  One of the other great engineers in Italy, Piero Prampolini, (also the creator of the Benelli GP 4 cylinder bikes, the Tornado 650 and the Benelli/ Motobi Egg motor) was told to buy a Honda four 500 from a dealership and ....copy...oops reverse engineer it  to build a 6 cylinder (across the frame) bike . Of course Benelli already had drawings and actual 4 cylinder engines,DOHC and all , but De Tomaso wanted something  cheaper to manufacture and quicker to market. Supposedly some engine internals from the CB500 fit the Benelli because of the " reverse engineering", but  I have no proof of that. My limited experience riding a 750 Sei is that it felt less top heavy than the Honda CB750, Laverda 1000 or Kawi 900 Z1. For such a wide bike it cornered well. The Guzzi Tonti  35mm forks felt sub par to me, but the motor was super smooth

[oldbike54]

Great comments all around, thanks!

It's the oddity of the thing that appeals to me, not that I find it particularly attractive but it scores big with being quirky.

 Oh Jim , you would like me then 

  Dusty

[Triple Jim]

...was told to buy a Honda four 500 from a dealership and ....copy...oops reverse engineer it  to build a 6 cylinder (across the frame) bike ..

Well, according to the description, it has a Honda oil pan on it.  I put a few miles on a Honda 500 four, and I found it to be a very nice, smooth engine, with not quite enough power.  A 6 cylinder version of it might be just the ticket, but I wouldn't go near the BIN price.

[Oldrat]

If you can't get spares for it, you could always do what Joop Berghorst did with his.

The result is one of the most visually stunning machines I have ever seen.

http://www.bikeexif.com/benelli-sei


Good luck, what ever you choose to do

[cruzziguzzi]

If the reserve is up near the BIN price, it's too high.

Anyhow, the 900 is prettier and has some upgrades to boot.

Both sound like wicked beasts when wound out.

Todd.

[JoeW]

Auction ended, 23 bids up to $7820.00 reserve not met.

[canuck750]

Auction ended, 23 bids up to $7820.00 reserve not met.

That was probably a realistic value for the bike given the shape it was in.

The V7 Sport on German Ebay described as an original Telaio Rosso did not meet reserve topping just over $24,000.00 US

There is a V7 Sport being auctioned in Vegas this year, will be interesting to see where it gets to. Listed by Bonhams on page 146 of their online catalogue

Mecum has some nice bikes, well lots and lots of nice bikes, this interests me

This Morini looks fantastic

https://www.mecum.com/lot-detail/LV0116-227924/0/1979-Moto-Morini-3-1/2/

[huub]

i love morini's, they are absolutely great to ride.
if you want a morini as a investment , look for a drum braked 74 sport.
there are just too many cast wheel 350 morini's around.
this one is a decent example with a non standard seat, i'm curious what it will bring

[ogsurf]

Had a 650Tornado and 750  Sei. There was a place in New Jersey that always
had low, low prices on them in 70's. Biggest problem was electrics. Sold Sei for $700 and bought a leftover CB500T. It wasn't much fun but no problems for over 35,000 miles. For some cheap fun get a V-Max.