MBA

250 Grand Prix - 1982

From woodworking machines to armaments

The MBA 250 Grand Prix began, in 1976, as a Morbidelli and was created by renowned machine preparer Jorg Moller. He had already successfully developed the marque's 125, with which Paolo Bianchi became 1975 and 1976 World Champion, and the time had come to move up into the next category.

Double Size

Moller built what was basically a 250cc replica of the smaller engine. It retained the same layout – an inclined parallel-twin with water-cooling and rotary disc intake valves – while bore and stroke were increased from 43x41mm to 56x51mm to give a capacity of 243cc.

World Champion

Ridden by Paolo Pileri, this 250 finished second on its first outing, at the 1976 Belgian GP, beaten only by World Champion Walter Villa's Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson. The next year, the Morbidelli ridden by Mario Lega won the world title. Shortly after, the Morbidelli emblem on the fuel tank gave way to that of MBA (Morbidelli Benelli Armi). The Morbidelli woodworking machinery factory could no longer sustain the project and had obtained the backing of Benelli Armi, the firearms manufacturing division of the Benelli group. MBA produced a limited number of close replicas (apart from the internal dimensions) of the original version, which were destined for private riders. The most talented of these was Swiss Roland Freymond, who came in third in the 1982 World Championship while the MBA of the Italian Paolo Ferreti finished seventh.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 247cc (55x52 mm) water-cooled parallel-twin; Krober electronic ignition

Power Rating: 72 hp@ 12,000 rpm

Valves: two-stroke; rotary intake valves

Fuel System: two 34 mm Mikuni carburetors

Transmission: 6-speed, gear primary and chain final drive

Suspension: Marzocchi telescopic forks(front); swing arm with monodamper (rear)

Brakes: twin Zanzani discs (front); Zanzani disc (rear)

Wheels: Campagnolo magnesium; 16 inch (front); 18 inch (rear)

Weight: 203 lb

Maximum Speed: 165 mph

This sneak picture of the new MBA was taken in. the works in 1982 – the design was a logical development of the 1976 Morbidelli.