Motori Minarelli is an Italian

motorcycle engine A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankel engine, Wankels and electric motors, have been used. Altho ...

manufacturer. It is part of the

Fantic Motor Fantic Motor is an Italian manufacturer of motorcycles. History Fantic Motor began in 1968 by manufacturing and exporting enduro motorcycles, mini-bikes and go-karts. Today they continue in the same genre, with the descriptions changed ...

group.

History

Motori Minarelli was founded in

Bologna Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...

in 1951 as a motorcycle manufacturer. In 1954 it also began to build mopeds. Two years later Minarelli switched exclusively to

2-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston, one up and one down, in one revolution of the crankshaft in contrast to a four-stroke engine which ...

engine manufacture and a new 2000 square metre factory was constructed for these purposes. It employed 20 technical staff and produced 70 engines a day. These were sold to companies in Italy, other parts of Europe and South America. In 1967 the company changed its name to Motori Minarelli and opened a new plant in

Calderara di Reno Calderara di Reno ( Bolognese: ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Bologna in the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about northwest of Bologna. The ''frazione'' of Sacerno is usually considered the place where, in 43 ...

. By the 1970s engine production had reached 250,000 units a year. The company also entered motorcycle racing and won a number of titles. In 1990 the company began a business relationship with Yamaha. Five years later it employed 350 people and engine production had reached 450,000 units a year. In 2002, following changes in the world motorcycle market, Motori Minarelli became a member of the Yamaha Group. In 2020 Fantic Motor acquired 100% of the shares from Yamaha. With Fantic ownership, motor production is also accompanied by the production of mopeds and scooters with the Issimo and Issimo City models. In June 2023, Yamaha Motor Europe commissioned Minarelli to produce 10,000 Yamaha Booster e-bikes, derived from the Fantic Issimo models.

Gallery

File:Motori Minarelli 50cc Engine,Testi Racing Motorcycle - Flickr - mick - Lumix.jpg, Minarelli P6 50cc, 1975.

References

{{125cc/Moto3 World Constructors' Champions Moped manufacturers Motorcycle manufacturers of Italy Manufacturing companies based in Bologna Transport in Italy Yamaha Corporation Motorcycle engine manufacturers