Lambretta Returns to racing and production

[Desmostro]

http://www.motogp.com/en/photos/2010/Lambretta+Reparto+Corse+125cc

Scooter trash takes to the MOTOGP 

I kind of love this amidst dying brands and failing teams one legond is resurrected.
...with a rotory engine?


The legendary brand will participate in the 125cc World Championship in 2010.
Almost 60 years after it last competed on the World Championship stage, Lambretta will this year make a return to racing in the 125cc category as Lambretta Reparto Corse.

The racing department will be run from the workshops of Engines Engineering in Bologna, Italy, with Nicola Casadei as Sporting Director, whilst Giancarlo Cecchini will develop the rotary valve engine. Marco Ravaioli has been confirmed as the first of two riders, with the second name due to be announced shortly.

“It’s is a wonderful day for Lambretta and one we’ve been working towards for nearly two years. We’re delighted to be back on the racetrack and to compete in such an exciting and expanding sport. It’ll be fun to compete with the big boys and see what happens,” said the brand’s Marketing Director John Scully.

“We’ve been talking to Engines Engineering for quite a long time about this and it’s pretty much a joint project at the moment, which we own. We see it as potentially a way for our technical director and all our technical people to develop innovations for our on-road products.”

“Lambretta has an Italian heritage and we’re very keen to maintain that at the centre of everything that we do. We want authenticity and that’s the reason we started talking to Engines Engineering in terms of MotoGP. They have a great reputation and are a great engineering company, and very importantly for us they are Italian.”

This move comes in the year when the first all new range of Lambretta Scooters since 1970 are set to go into production.

Lambretta has a proud racing heritage and performance has always been at the heart of the brand. The original Lambretta B 125cc Sport scooter was a common sight at early Italian national motorcycle competitions, and between 1950 and 1953 the innovative v-twin Lambretta 250 GP Racer competed in the early Moto GP World Championship.
 

[derby]

don't hate on the wankles...

[Speeddog]

It's rotary valve.
So it's a regular 2-stroke engine, just with a rotary valve instead of a reed valve or a piston port.

[derby]

It's rotary valve.
So it's a regular 2-stroke engine, just with a rotary valve instead of a reed valve or a piston port.

i didn't read the article, just the commentary.

iirc, the aprilia rsw (works) bikes used a similar configuration.

buddy of mine (with too much money) bought a few of 'em from the factory team back in the 90s.

[junior varsity]

Where's the animation of the engine so I can visualize such a motor

[Spidey]

It's rotary valve.
So it's a regular 2-stroke engine, just with a rotary valve instead of a reed valve or a piston port.

Huh?  I need pictures.  I no understanding. 

[ducpainter]

It's like the 70s Kwak singles.

The rotary or disc valve is on the end of the crank and allows fuel to enter independent of the piston position.