Benelli Sei

The Benelli Sei is a series of motorcycles that were produced by Italian manufacturer Benelli, and masterminded by automotive designer Alejandro de Tomaso, from 1973 to 1989.Benelli 750/900 Performance Portfolio 1973-1989. R. M. Clarke. Brooklands Books, 20 Jan 2005 Two models were made, with 750 and 900 cc displacement. The 750 was the first production motorcycle with a six-cylinder engine.

Benelli 750 Sei

The Benelli 750 Sei was the first production motorcycle with a 6-cylinder engine and had two model releases. De Tomaso intended it to become Italy's premier sporting motorcycle and wanted it badged as a Moto Guzzi. On its launch, it received tremendous publicity overshadowing all other Italian bikes of that year. It started the trend of angular designed motorcycles moving away from traditional round forms.

The engine was based on the four-cylinder Honda CB500, but with two extra cylinders. The cylinder head fins of the Sei were squared off to provide a cosmetic individuality, but otherwise the engine is in most respects obviously derived from the Honda. The "angular, bold design" was by Carrozzeria Ghia. It produced at 9,000 rpm, had a top speed of around and was one of the smoothest European tourers.

Despite the extra cylinders, the Sei's width was kept to a minimum by siting the alternator (which, on the Honda, is at the left-hand end of the crankshaft) behind the cylinders. Cooling was improved by having air passages between the cylinders; the Sei had three Dell'Orto VHB 24 mm carburetors (the Honda CB 500 had four, for four cylinders). The vehicle appeared to reviewers as heavy and cumbersome but handled surprisingly well, and had a unique signature exhaust note from its six mufflers.

Production Frame numbers started at 5000.
Production figures were as follows ;
Series 1 . 1974 293 #5001-5293
1975 1,479 from # 5294
Series 1 ,2 1976 87 from # 6774
Series 2 1977 283 from # 6861
1978 1,058 from # 7145

Sei 900
Series 1 1978 23 # 100001- 100023
Series 1 1979 515 # 100024- and up
Series 1/2 1980 322 # 100539- and up
Series 2 1981 312 # 100861- and up
Series 2/3 1982 176 # 101174- and up
Series 3 1983 26 # 101351- and up
Series 3 1984 106 # 101377- and up
Series 3 1985 25 # 101484- and up
Series 4 1986 200 # 101510- and up
Series 4 1987 88 # 101710- and up
Series 4 1988 0 # 101798- and up
Series 4 1989 85 # 101799- and up
Total production 1878

The Benelli 750 Six / 900 Six remained the only six-cylinder motorcycle in production until the entrance of the Honda CBX in 1978.

Benelli 900 Sei

In 1979, by which time Benellli had sold 3,200 vehicles, Benelli developed the 750 Sei into a 900 cc motorcycle by increasing bore and stroke, with six-into-two exhausts and a small bikini fairing used on the Moto Guzzi Le Mans. Less than 2,000 were made over four model releases. Described at the time as "outrageous" or a "flashbike". Flashbikes tended to be "rare, expensive, European, quirky, handsome and high performance".Walneck's Classic Cycle Trader, March 2008, Dominion Enterprises,. Originally published in Cycle World, It had an original MSRP of $3,995.
It was later released as a "Sei Sport" model with a larger bikini fairing.

See also

*List of Benelli motorcycles

References

External links

''Motorcycle Classics'' article on Benelli 750 Sei

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750 Sei
Six-cylinder motorcycles
Motorcycles introduced in 1972
Standard motorcycles
Sport touring motorcycles