The firm began in 1959 as Morbidelli Woodworking Machines, initially building furniture and wooden coach bodies for automobiles. Following World War II, the business shifted to designing and manufacturing precision woodworking machine tools, eventually employing over 300 people. Giancarlo Morbidelli financed his motorcycle racing interests using the income generated from the machine tool business. He entered a team in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing Italian championships in 1969 with a 50 cc machine.
In 1971, Morbidelli commissioned a water-cooled disc valve 125 cc two-stroke engine of Ringhini design, inspired by a Suzuki 125cc. The team achieved two 125 cc Grand Prix race wins with Gilberto Parlotti in 1972, but the rider was tragically killed during the Isle of Man TT race. Despite this loss, Morbidelli continued his racing program.
Starting in 1974, Jörg Möller, formerly the designer for Van Veen Kreidler, took over development. This led to the first World Championship in 1975, with Paolo Pileri winning the 125 cc title, and teammate Pier Paolo Bianchi finishing second. Bianchi then won the 125 cc championship in 1976. The 1977 season marked the peak of Morbidelli’s success, with Mario Lega winning the 250 cc championship and Pier Paolo Bianchi taking the 125 cc crown.
Until 1976, Morbidelli motorcycles were exclusively available to the team’s riders. A new factory, the MBA factory (Morbidelli-Benelli-Armi), was built with assistance from Benelli Armi in Pesaro to produce 123 cc and 248 cc Morbidelli motorcycles for wider distribution. The MBA team continued to win championships, securing the 125 cc World Championship in 1978 with Eugenio Lazzarini and again in 1980 with Pier Paolo Bianchi. Morbidelli remained in Grand Prix competition until 1982.
In 1994, Morbidelli constructed an innovative 847 cc, 90° V8 motorcycle with shaft drive and five speeds, but its high price made mass production unfeasible. It was listed in the 2001 Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s most expensive motorcycle and was displayed at The Art of the Motorcycle exhibits at Guggenheim Museums in New York, Bilbao, and Las Vegas, as well as at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. Another example resides at the Morbidelli Museum in Pesaro, Italy.
The story of the Morbidelli racing team is documented in the 2014 film Morbidelli - a story of men and fast motorcycles, directed by Jeffrey Zani and Matthew Gonzales. The documentary includes footage from the 1972 Tourist Trophy, the 1976 and 1977 racing seasons, and interviews with riders including Eugenio Lazzarini, Alberto Ieva, Pier Paolo Bianchi, Mario Lega, and Graziano Rossi.
Today, the former Morbidelli factory in Pesaro houses a classic motorcycle museum showcasing the company’s history. In April 2024, Keeway Group’s subsidiary MBP Moto S.r.l. acquired the Morbidelli brand, merging it with MBP to create Morbidelli MBP, with a commitment to Italian craftsmanship and racing heritage. The revived brand plans to produce road, crossover, and scooter models, targeting markets in Europe, Asia, and America.
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