Recent years have brought about the resurrection of quite a few motorcycle brands from which we haven’t heard in many, many years. The reason why we could soon be having bikes from the likes of Norton, is largely due to the more affordable production costs from outsourcing to countries like China and India. The latest of the two-wheeler revivals comes in the form of an old Italian manufacturer called Motobi.
Motobi, established in 1950, was founded by Giuseppe Benelli, one of the brothers who founded Benelli, another Italian manufacturer that has made a comeback in recent years. It focused mostly on 125cc and 200cc machines equipped with two and four-stroke motors. Around ten years later, the company faced some financial struggles, and was eventually absorbed by the larger Benelli company in 1962. By the time it closed its doors in 1977, the brand’s portfolio was reduced to little more than 50cc scooters.
