MOTO MORINI 1200 Scrambler - The Allrounder

When you are a teen and of course probably at any age, you have the love-at-first-sight syndrome when you see a beautiful girl and even though you don’t know her name, you just want to take her for a date, know her and probably later take her to your parents and say that she is going to be their daughter in law. All this happens in an instant even before the girl knows that you exist. Well, with the Moto Morini 1200 Scrambler, it’s something similar. Once look at the big V-Twin lump in a scrambler frame and you know you are being hit by nostalgia. This lesser known (shouldn’t say known, more like lesser publicized) firm from Italy probably is the only other company beside Triumph who has a scrambler in their production line up. This beautiful machine evokes memories of the 60s and 70s when you would find Triumph and other English scramblers everywhere. Scramblers in a way are the definition of freedom. Think about it, all the fun of a motocross bike (with its qualities agility and ease of handling) in a street bike (with its qualities like style with a big engine to perform).

The Morini Scrambler is based on the 9 ½ and that’s about it as far as the similarity goes. Look at those 19” front wheel and the tread blocked tyres and you know whether its asphalt, cobblestone or just your bylanes, you will be never out of sync. The styling designed by Marabese Design is a direct throwback to the 60s and beneath it lays a very modern machine. Big 21 litres engine with indents for pressing your legs, that big round headlamp with the small fairing, the single piece seat and those oh-so-sexy exhausts! That Ducati style trellis frame, exposed big lump of an engine, the cantilever suspension with the aluminum swingarm just completes the total package. The instrument panel is a mix of Electronic/ analogical rev counter and speedometer with multifunctional LCD display. This is a new-age retro scrambler.
So, what about the engine? Morini has just once engine doing duty on all their bikes. It’s just better tuned accordingly to suit the bike profile, Even the Granpasso, Corsaro and 9 ½ shares the same 1187 cc V-Twin engine as does this naked liquid cooled beauty. It is the Corsacorta Bailbero twin cylinder engine designed by Franco Lambertini. The big V-Twin can develop a very healthy 140 hp @ 8500 rpm with even more impressive torque figure of 123Nm @ 6500 rpm. The compact motor has a 87o and has a one piece crankcase. This helps in dismantling the pistons and cylinders without opening the crankcase. The engine of the Scrambler has been tuned to belt out still a very capable 117 hp and 102 Nm. So you see with all that horsepower, it’s not just show, it’s all go.

The Scrambler was first shown at the EICMA 2008 along with the debut of the 1200 Sport. A just like a Scrambler should, it has all the details of a very good handling over whatever hills and sand dunes you can throw at it. 50mm USD Marzocchi fork, adjustable monoshock, Brembo brakes, 19-inch (front) and 17-inch (rear) wheels with tubeless Michelin rubber and you know you have a very good all rounder. This is really a perfect very well blended match between naked street bike and an enduro in the asthethic 60s styling with a very modern heart. Of course it also has the signature of the Marabese design to add to it.So if you are looking for a big all rounder for daily use, you know another option now. Problem is whether it’s available anywhere except Europe. All I could find is that it has distributors over Europe, but whether it is available in U.S and other parts of the world, I am not too sure. I believe the Granpasso is for the U.S market, so probably with dealers of Morini, you can expect the Scrambler too. The dealers’ link shows Japan, Australia and new Zealand as the only other countries. Anyway, once you get it, there will be a host of features to accessorize the bike. Just look at the link and you will see there are a dozen of different bags for your outing, there are two sets of seats including a lowered one. Heated grips, tank cover, etc and all these to satisfy your travelling hunger. You can also accessorize the body, the chassis, the exhaust and even the engine. It’s a exhaustive list so rest assured, you can customize it anyway you want it, so how about black steel grills to protect the front headlight and an alloy skid plate that covers the exhaust down pipe? Colour options are the one visible here white with red and black.

Specifications

Engine: DOHC, 1187 cc, Liquid cooled 2 cylinder, 87° V Twin, 4 stroke, 4 valves per cyl

Bore x stroke & Compression ratio: 107 x 66 mm / 4,21 x 2,59 inch & 12.5:1:

Power & Torque:117 HP @ 8500 rpm & 102 Nm @ 6700 rpm

Fuel system: Marelli indirect electronic injection

Ignition & Starting: I.A.W. electronic & Electric

Gearbox & Final drive: 6 speed With constant mesh spur gears & Chain

Exhaust: Silencer, 3-way catalytic converter with oxygen sensor

Frame: Verlicchi high-strength steel tube trellis frame

Front & Rear suspension: Marzocchi upside-down fork with 50 mm / 1,96 inch & Single lateral shock absorber with fully adjustable piggy back tank

Front & Rear wheel travel: 155 mm / 6,10 inch & 190 mm / 7,48 inch

Front & Rear brake: Brembo 298 mm / 11,73 inch double disc with 2 - piston callipers & Brembo 250 mm / 9,84 inch single disc with 2-piston calliper

Front & Rear tyres: 110/80 R19 Tubeless & 150/70 R17 Tubeless

Rims: Excel spoke rims with aluminium channel

Front & Rear rim size: MT 2.50 x 19” & MT 4.25 x 17”

Total length & Wheelbase: 2180 mm / 85,82 inch & 1500 mm

Seat height: 840 mm / 33,07 inch

Ground clearance: 162 mm / 6,37 inch

Dry weight: 198 Kg / 440 lbs

Tank & Reserve capacity: 21 litres & 4.5 litres

Visit the Moto Morini Official website and the Moto Morini UK website. And if you really want to look at the bikes from all possible angles, visit Motoblog Italy as it has over 40 pictures.