Bellissima - The Biltwell + Moto Morini STR Sport Collab

Photos: Sheldon Ivester

No one at Mochas and Motos will believe us when we tell them the donor bike under this refresh retails for around seven grand.

Moto Morini is an Italian motorcycle marque with rich engineering and competition stories to tell, starting way back in 1937. The brand’s halcyon days took root on home soil after WW II, and reached new heights during America’s disco days when the scrappy manufacturer introduced a sophisticated new 4-stroke V-twin with six-speed gearbox.

The 1975 Moto Morini Corsaro’s electronic ignition was a technical masterstroke, but its 80mph top speed was even more impressive given the machine’s diminutive 350cc displacement. Of course, Moto Morini suffered many of the same slings and arrows that hobbled other European bike brands in the waning years of last century, but fresh talent, more money, and a massive injection of manufacturing might from a Chinese automotive partner in 2018 righted the ship. Today Moto Morini does what manufacturers like Harley and Honda can’t or won’t—they build incredibly fun, impressively stylish, shockingly affordable motorcycles.

When I saw the company’s new models at the AIM Expo in 2023, it was amore at first sight. After exchanging pleasantries and business cards with Chris McGee, Moto Morini USA’s maggiordomo, Davin and I promised the eager leader we’d stay in touch. After supplying some demo bikes for test rides and photo sessions, Chris agreed to provide a Moto Morini donor bike for a Biltwell collab. Last summer, a shiny new STR Sport showed up in our workshop with very few strings attached. “Go nuts and have fun” was Chris’s only request.Rob convinced a pair of Biltwell Mushman pegs to fit perfectly onto the STR Sport’s stock frame castings after changing their appearance with subtle cutting and filing.

HOW TO SAY “FUN” IN ITALIAN

Moto Morini’s middleweight street carver, the Seiemmezzo STR Sport (see-im-mez-oh, literally “six-and-a-half” in Italian) lives up to its melodious name by cramming a fluid-cooled 650cc parallel twin into a nimble, naked bike platform. Clean lines, comfortable ergonomics, and a stacked spec sheet help the 6-1/2 punch way above its weight both functionally and stylistically, even more so when you consider its MSRP: about 7,300 dollars out the door, far less if you can find a 2023 edition in dealer overstock.

Because it’s a sophisticated motorcycle engineered to navigate strict Euro standards for safety, sound, emissions and other technological speedbumps, Davin, Bill, and part-time wrench Rouser Rob elected to keep radical chopping and bobbing on our STR Sport to a minimum. That said, the three surgeons responsible for our sexy Italian’s facelift still made deep cuts well below the skin. A truncated list of the most important cut-offs and bolt-ons are shown in the accompanying sidebar.Duane Ballard added curves and comfort to the donor bike’s stock seat foam before crafting this leather upholstery with red stitching and brass vent accents.

MOLTO BENNO

After fine-tuning and a brief shakedown, Davin tossed me the keys to our Seiemmezzo and I worked with Sheldon Ivester to create the photos seen here. After 45 years of building sets and schlepping lightboxes, I still love working in the studio, never more so than when the assignment is shooting a cool motorcycle. This sexy Italian looks beautiful. Hot Dog’s understated paint takes the 6-1/2’s already attractive factory livery to 11. Gold Cerakoted wheels, engine covers, and other bits pop against the metallic red, and the matte black bits on the tank and mini fairing complement Moto Morini’s stock swingarm and engine finishes perfectly. And what about the custom upholstery by Duane Ballard? Only the finest pelle lavorata a mano, of course.

Last winter the Biltwell + Moto Morini STR Sport collab went on the trade show circuit, appearing in public for the first time at the Parts and Labor Motorcycle Show in San Diego early January before heading to Moto Morini’s booth at AIM Expo in Las Vegas. At the latter event nearly 10,000 people ogled Biltwell’s collective handiwork. When the bike returns to our stable, I intend to take it on a proper adventure. If this Moto Morini is as fun to ride as it is to drool over, I’ll probably buy one.

Rouser Rob scavenged some DIY bits from the Biltwell parts bin to custom fab the tail tidy and turn signal mounts on the BW + MM 6-1/2 collab.