MOTOBI 175

Mr C Steemson in East Bridgford, Nottingham has the c.1957-’60 Motobi 175 you see here, acquired as a near scrap box of bits which may have been a sprint bike running on dope. All the crankcase fins at the rear of the cylinder to the oil filter had been cut off, as had all the fins on the rocker cover, and he thinks the cylinder may have been shortened to increase compression. He has little or no information or literature to guide a rebuild, and neither has the Benelli-Motobi Club. The bike is a Catria 175cc model built as a racer or sports model with high compression piston, close ratio gearbox, half speed camshaft and points drive, larger valves with heavy springs. The camshaft in the box was incorrect and D & M Engineering put Mr Steemson in touch with Phil Joy, who (amazingly) made a new camshaft (“beautiful work”) and inspired the commencement of the rebuild.

D & M also made new pushrods and tappet adjuster screws, re-aligned the oilways to the rockers after fitting of three compression plates and making many other parts. It seems this engine was at one time in 1968 owned by

Brian Crichton of Europa Imports of Pangbourne, Berkshire, who sold Motobi bikes c.1963-‘64. Mr Steemson remembers seeing a similar machine at the Earls Court Motorcycle Show at that time. His bike is now rebuilt, taxed and MoT’d. Any literature on Motobi would be welcomed.