25 Years Ago August, 1977

25 YEARS AGO AUGUST, 1977

ROUNDUP

Caffé Italiano! Moto Morini’s Sports 3½ stood alone on this month’s cover, its air-cooled, pushrod, 344cc V-Twin on full display. Originally developed by Franco Lambertini and Gino Marchesini, the engine splayed its cylinders 72 degrees apart, and produced a claimed 39 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 25 foot-pounds of torque

at 6300 rpm. These days, the unfaired, clip-on-handlebar-equipped, solo-only Sport would likely be billed as a “streetfighter” or a “sport-standard.” Appropriately, the author of the road test wrote, “The Morini definitely caters to the performanceminded rider who puts handling at the top of the priority list.”

• Drag-racing legend Russ Collins was at it again, this time testing a fuel-injected, supercharged, double-Honda 750 Funnybike. “I couldn’t believe how straight it went,” Collins marveled postshakedown. “It’s almost scary. It handles like a baby carriage.”

# “Bultacos draw the eye of an onlooker through a smooth blend of attractive purposefulness, a touch of polished metal here, a dab of bright color there.” So began the road test of the Pursang 370, which was viewed as “a shining example of what a small company can do when faced with stiff competition.” Indeed, boasting some 284 changes, the latest two-stroke from Barcelona, Spain, turned out to be “one of the most amazing motocrossers” staffers had ever sampled.

Matthew Miles