Moto Morini is on a comeback, and has now introduced two new 649cc parallel-twin powered models, the Seiemmezzo STR and SCR. “Seiemmezzo” in Italian means 6 1/2.
Details are in the press release below, but the new 6 1/2 models share the same engine tune and a claimed 61 horsepower. Featuring adjustable forks and shock, other nice kit includes Brembo brakes along with Bosch fuel injection and ABS. Both models have an 18″ front wheel and 17″ rear, with the SCR (the Scrambler model) getting more dirt-capable rubber than the STR (Street).
Here is the press release:
Moto Morini launches on the market the SEIEMMEZZO family, the eagerly awaited line of versatile and reliable medium road bikes “Trivolzio” branded. Accessible for purchase from September, it will be available in two versions, the STR (Street), for lovers of the purest naked motorcycles, and the SCR (Scrambler), intended for those who want the original and elegant design during their outings as well.
Two similar models but very different in character, united by the same name, SEIEMMEZZO – a unique and welcoming family, meant for the purest motorcyclists, who want a fun and road-worthy vehicle, which can accompany them on daily transfers and on two-wheeled tours.
Characterized by an exclusive and classic design, the SEIEMMEZZO stand out from the typical shapes of this segment with personality, thanks to a simple and harmonious look that embraces the tastes of a decidedly transversal audience. Angular lines, therefore, leave room for a clean and ageless design, maintaining a precise, genuine and dynamic driving style.
The STR, a real naked, is characterized by the driving position typical of the segment, while keeping a harmonious appearance and easy-to-manage chassis measurement – such as the 16-liter tank and a comfortable position for both the driver and the passenger.
The SCR, with a more adventurous character, is a fashionable street bike, designed for lovers of vintage lines. Marked by a high fender, fairing, saddle in leather colour and golden fork, it decisively stands out.
The tank, also of 16-liters, shows it as an outspoken and authentic scrambler, guaranteeing high autonomy.
From a technical point of view, some now distinctive elements of Moto Morini, return in both motorcycle, such as the Brembo braking system – a guarantee of safety – and the Pirelli tires, essential for enjoying any type of route.
The frame is, as always, a sturdy steel structure, supporting the aluminium swingarm.
The rims – 18 inches in the front and 17 in the rear – are tubeless in both cases, with different aesthetics and technology for the two versions: the SCR is equipped with a resistant spoke structure, the STR offers a lightened version in aluminium alloy. The 18 ” front wheel and the adjustable fork, 43 mm in diameter, were chosen to ensure maximum road holding, making the bikes suitable for both city roughness and mountain passes. Uneven paths can be faced with complete peace of mind. The suspension compartment, entirely Kayaba branded, is widely adjustable.
The well-proportioned and comfortable saddle, just 810 mm from the ground, along with the design of the tank, offers perfect ergonomics for riders of all sizes and for the passenger as well. Particularly appreciable is the position of the handlebar, wide and not too close to the rider’s torso for the SCR, while for the STR it guarantees a sportier set-up.
The 5” TFT colour screen, managed by backlit handlebar controls, gives access to a complete and clear information overview even in poor visibility conditions. The integrated Bluetooth communication system allows you to simultaneously manage a phone and two headset devices – all without taking your eyes off the road.
The standard equipment is completed by full LED headlights that identify the SEIEMMEZZO as a high-quality product in its features and attention to detail, both functional and aesthetic.
The bike is marketed in the standard version or limited to 35 kW (for A2 license holders), supplied by a highly reliable, easy and fun engine, but also low in consumption, perfect for all those who are looking for a partner, faithful and tireless.
Offering attractive and comfortable bikes, both for city outings and for weekends out of town, the SEIEMMEZZO range is destined to become the protagonist in the medium road segment.
Why did they bother??
See foolish enough to be hopeful. Take my 650, add my wife and two cases of beer and…
The real world is getting older faster than a bunny can hop, and the functional health of every one is not keeping up. After a lifetime of motorcycling many folks are forced to choose between quitting or finding a suitable substitute when body parts don’t work so well anymore. A large part of that decision is servicing a ICE bike, which does require some gymnastics. The answer could be an electric motorcycle with fewer controls and services needed. That is a lot better than kissing off motorcycling all together. An all day ride, probably is too difficult but a 100 mile morning loop could be swell, for a severely experienced rider.
As for the march of technology in batteries, perhaps a combo energy source of capacitor and battery would work.
Well that’s it for now, gotta go charge up my 15 mile mobility scooter. Yee har !
This is a reply to Micks citiot observation.
Less service? The electric doesn’t have valves to adjust but it still has oil and coolant that needs to be changed, tires, fork oils, chains or belts that need servicing, brake pads…
Less is not all.
Some e-bikes do not have coolant or oil, and a belt drive has no service requirements like cleaning and lubricating a chain every other time the bike is ridden, or more often. The other items you mention have service time intervals so long that the work is an adventure instead of a chore.
I agree there is less service overall, even if it isn’t as significant of a difference as many people would like to think. The main thing I do wonder about is the reliability of electric vehicle vs ICE over time. Anecdotally speaking, it seems the vast majority of failures/issues in ICE motorcycles and autos are electrical in nature. Lots of electrical things on electric vehicles, too, obviously. And the powertrain on an e-vehicle seems just as finite as an ICE vehicle. Traction motors wear out, batteries wear out, controllers die from heat… I just wonder what the comparison will look like in the future. We’ll probably still see people driving 30yo Honda Civics as daily drivers assuming they aren’t illegal to operate. Will we see 30yo Teslas or Nissan Leafs still on the road 20 years from now? I guess if the batteries get down to 1/3 of their current prices and last as long as a typical engine or transmission we probably will. But I suppose that still remains to be seen.
I don’t know of any electric vehicles that don’t have oil in their gear box. Sure, some batteries and motors are air cooled but that is (rightfully so) becoming less common. Half the bikes in my garage are air cooled. A belt requires less maintenance than a chain, for sure, but they are also supposed to be changed at the same increments at a much higher cost. I know at least the BMW belt should be replaced (before) 24,000 miles at over $600. Like Jeremy says, most failures or problems I’ve ever had were electrical, especially electronics when they fail and are no longer supported. I haven’t had any problems with crankshafts or connecting rods or pistons or any other of the mechanical bits inside an engine except for some cam related issues on three different Hondas.
The less you have, the fewer failures to endure. E-motorcycles have much less potential for break downs than ICE bikes.
Electrical vs mechanical is arguably changing with newer bikes going nutsoide for gadgets and unnecessary goodies all electronic, or electrical.
I believe only a few high end e-bikes have a gear box, therefore no box no oil.
Yes a belt change can be more involving because of the swing arm, however a high cost is always to be expected with a BMW.
Since 1964 I have had 2 mechanical failures, one electrical and one flat tire with 13 motorcycles, 3 used, the rest new. Just lucky helps.
There are currently no direct-drive ebikes on the market. They all have a primary (gearbox) and secondary (pulleys or sprockets) reduction. All of them have oil in their gearboxes. These are almost exclusively single ratio reduction transmissions unlike ice bikes that have multi-ratio transmissions. Regardless; gears = bearings, oil and, hopefully, serviceable filters. Historically, electronics are many orders of magnitude less reliable than mechanical components. Many mechanical components do wear where as electronics don’t wear., they just fail outright.
The subject is FEWER controls and services, that is, no clutch lever or shift lever, and frequent servicing, such as unit construction oil changes due to combustion by products, final drive chain lube and cleaning on chain drives, valve adjustments etc.
E-bikes have fewer components to fail than an ICE, even if on a one to one comparison electrical or electronics were a higher failure risk. Think mechanical clutches, carbs, valve train keepers, fuel pumps, transmission bearings all the things that wear or can be abused doing silly tricks.
You are probably correct regarding primary gear sets and I should have been specific about transmissions.
looks just like a grom
My guess is that the Chinese manufacturers don’t care if you buy an ICE motorcycle from them. These machines are here to establish a dealer network and establish brand recognition. In a year or two they will begin flooding the US market with electric motorcycles…years before the brands that you’ve come to know and love. They will beat these brands to the market and the established brands will be scrambling to catch up.
My guess is that electric street bike will be like fusion power and always be twenty years into the future for at least a decade or so.
The problem is that society seems to think that everyone is a citiot and only needs a short hop bike. The real world does not support that notion.
Everyone does live in or near a city (83%). The vast majority of drivers only need a short hop vehicle (34 miles/day is US average). We moto-hobbyists are a teeny-tiny minority of society. That is the real world.
34 miles! That is exactly how far a direct commute to work was back in the day, been retired now for 20 years. I would seldom ride straight there and back. I worked a rotating shift. I would do an extra credit loop either on my way to or from work if I rode my motorcycle. But they were typically within 100 miles or so. The power plant was real accommodating where power was concerned. Every parking spot had an outlet for the guys who had block heaters in their cars for the Minnesota winters. I wonder if they have installed a bunch of L2 or even a DC fast charger there yet. If they haven’t, they certainly will once an EV or two start showing up. I just can’t believe that the majority of other businesses will be quite that cool about it. Not everybody works at a power plant.
“These machines are HERE to establish a dealer network and establish brand recognition”
No, there are no Moto Morini Dealers outside of the UK & Europe. This Press release was not for the USA.
I don’t send money to China when I can help it. It’s like funding Germany in the mid-30’s. Thanks anyway.
Many seem to overlook, these are great bikes. The look right, have a lot of new stuff. The market today is a tuff sell, anything and everything is for sale these days. Its a tuff crowd here, nit picking so many little things, I dont see. I worked at the dealer level for 30 years, and saw a lot of “New Stuff” come along, I dont get all hung up on little things anymore. What really matters is how the bike works when you ride it, and if it looks good to you, when you get of it at the end of a ride. I think these would do both for me.
Why should anyone care about another Chinese motorcycle with a misleading Italian name?
It is weird to see the street bike market sort of slowly resembling the mini market where you get a lot of altered chassis with clone engines in them.
Funny that you don’t see reproduction knuckle head super retro bikes or some such thing coming around. Or just about anything with an all time favorite engine.
Yes. Ukrainian Geon motorcycles use chinese engines that are japan clones. Very cheap though.
The gap under the rear fender is a perfect place to strap a tank bag upside-down for storage.
Does the license holder act as an spatula to skim mud or snow off of the rear tire, or does it scoop it up and pack it tighter into the tread?
That upside down tank bag just might interfere with the rear wheel during suspension travel, don’t ya think?
Not during storage.
lol “mud spatula”; that’s a good one
FIRST read the good parts:
“Featuring adjustable forks and shock, other nice kit includes Brembo brakes along with Bosch fuel injection and ABS.”
“Brembo braking system – a guarantee of safety – and the Pirelli tires, essential for enjoying any type of route. The frame is, as always, a sturdy steel structure, supporting the aluminium swingarm.”
“The suspension compartment, entirely Kayaba branded, is widely adjustable.”
“The standard equipment is completed by full LED headlights”
Add to that the seat does not require you to be a ballerina to throw your leg over it.
Now the bad parts:
“The 5” TFT colour screen, managed by backlit handlebar controls, gives access to a complete and clear information overview even in poor visibility conditions. The integrated Bluetooth communication system allows you to simultaneously manage a phone and two headset devices”
Computer stuff breaks down in the middle of the wilderness. I have had my throttle sensor go out in the mountains. Getting a tow out there was an expensive miracle. So, please cut back on the computer features.
Overall it is a sweet bike.
To be fair. Throttle position sensors have been around for a long time on just about everything, even on carbureted dirt bikes. Happening on a system that requires them for the bike to work at all it the fault of the manufacturer. You can unplug the TPS in my 2007 YZ250 and not know the difference unless you are quite familiar with the bike.
I think where you run into trouble is the widespread adoption of ride by wire systems. Many people tout them as a benefit. They allow for things like riding modes, traction control and cruise control. Now days most bikes over 100hp will have a ride by wire system. My wife wanted to buy me a new bike for my birthday last year. I bought a thousand mile used version of the last year the model in question was made without ride by wire. If my TPS fails I’ll get an icon on the dash and the bike will run a little funny. But I will make it to my destination no problem. What’s odd on that bike is that the electronic display was programmed to display the bike’s speed directly behind where the throttle cable is routed. Don’t these guys do any product testing? Really? The one thing I look at the darn dash for requires me to move my head to see around the throttle cable. Nice work guys.
Electronic ignition systems are actually more reliable than the mechanical points systems they replaced. I’m fine with that. But I draw the line on ride by wire on a motorcycle, unless it’s an electric motorcycle. If I can’t be trusted with the throttle, keep your darn bike.
Clear, concise and informative post. Thanks Mick’s-alter-ego😁🤔
I might be extra crusty. But we all have similar chunks of crust hanging off of us somewhere.
No doubt about that on this end.
I disagree with your opinions often but I understand where you’re coming from. Just think you’re missing out on some riding and racing fun by excluding diesels.
After owning a bunch of bikes, I now only buy bikes that say “Made In Japan”.
Is there anything unique, different, or better about this motorcycle than all the choices available from established brands ? No.
So who cares ?
another boring verticle twin, underpowered ,overweight for sure. We need a clone of the 690 ktm with a fat seat and pillion accomodation and maybe a bit less suspension travel and and and LIGHT weight.
To be fair to the engine format, that comment could be applied to any engine format. There are plenty of exciting P-twins out there. There are many who like the idea of the 690 but won’t buy because it’s a single. I’m really interested in the forthcoming KTM “490’s”. Hopefully they follow through and do them.
Sounds like these will be a little heavy and slow relative to the legacy bikes we’re used to. They’ll need to be much lower priced to gain traction.
“ but won’t buy because it’s a single”
I never understood this. When I grew up in the 70s and 80s, singles were respected. Old English singles were known for beating inline-fours in Grands Prix, Yamaha was selling all sorts of TTs and XTs, even created the SRX-6. Honda singles were dominating Baja and they released the revered GB500. Now, KTM has created some of the best enduros that have ever been and they are street legal. The 690 is smoother and faster than most twins that I’ve certainly ever ridden. It’s definitely a step up in performance and smoothness over my Ducati 900, 90-degree “L-twin”. I can only think of two parallel twins that I’ve ridden that are smoother, everything else having more or more unpleasant vibes and buzziness. Every opposed twin I’ve ridden isn’t as smooth or as quick as this 690 single. I think people should get out more often!
Interested in your comments about the 690 motor. I like singles, but look for something a lot prettier than the average KTM! What iteration/year of 690 are you describing?
Thanks,
Nick
I’m speaking of the fully counterbalanced 690. The Duke and the Husqvarna 701 had it from 2016 on, the Enduro got it in 2019. The Husky Svartpilen and Vitpilen might be better looking to some and I think the 690 Duke was the only good looking KTM.
I think the disdain is an aftertaste from Honda’s super-sweet multi-cylinder kool-aid from the 70’s/80’s. Lots of people’s only experience with singles is from dirt bikes (myself included among them). I hear great things about KTM’s 2016+ 690. I’d love to try one. Maybe when the recession starts killing the pricing enthusiasm we’re seeing in the used market I can pick one up.
just snap your fingers, open your phone, and make one. that simple. thats all you gotta do.
I think the rear fender bolts fell out and it’s hanging off the rear end. Or am I just old?
I think this trend is as lame as hell.
This still looks WAY better. https://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/images/moto_gallery/SUZUKI-GSF-400-BANDIT-875_1.jpg
The trend is very truncated rear ends (seats/subframes). The license holder in the unfortunate result of the various DOT’s dictating where the plate must be mounted and there no longer being any “motorcycle” in the spaces where it must be.
So, that odd place of plate is safer for others involved in road traffic.
I think it has to do with visibility standards. Placing the plate on the rear most plane of the bike.
Having ridden a bike or two with fender deletes in the rain, I can also appreciate whole fender coverage.
Every regulation I’ve come across just says your plate needs to be visible from the rear. It is legal to put it in front of your tire on your sport bike and H-D has no problems with mounting it next to the foot pegs from the factory.
It’s actually an EU regulation that the license plate be positioned in the “longitudinal planes passing through the outer extremities of the vehicle.” I guess we get to live with that, too, in many cases since most manufacturers probably don’t bother producing a different license plate mount just for our market.
“Morini” only in name. Clone of the Kawasaki ER6N engine, built in China. No thanks, even if it was going to be sold in the US.
The blurb barely mentioned the engine.
Ooo, I’m feeling really ‘transversal’ today, so this must be the bike for me! Not…
The Seiemmezzo STR is already available in India and reviewers say that it weighs about 474 pounds. This makes the bike about 75 pounds heavier than the similar Yamaha MT-07, while making about 13 less horsepower than the Yamaha. The Seiiemmezzo STR is going for the rough equivalent of u.s. $6,900 in India. The MT-07 is currently going for $1,000 more here in the U.S. Not exactly a head to head competition.
So, if this bike comes to the U.S. I’m guessing that it will be competing with bikes in the 500cc class, which is a class that doesn’t exactly exist anymore. I guess the Seiemmezzo STR will be competing with the Royal Enfield INT 650, which comes in at about $900 less, but the Morini should smoke that bike. If the price can be kept down, the Seiemmezzo might be able to steal a good chunk of sales from the INT 650.
I’d say it competes most directly with the Kawasaki 650 twins and maybe the Honda 500 twins.
I’m foolish enough to be hopeful in the development of parallel twins. I see this one and read that it is a 61hp 650. That’s ballpark for my 650 single, so I wonder how much it weighs. The blurp does a really outstanding job of laying it on thick and heavy without giving a whole lot of particulars.
Bang! Visorsplat chimes in with clues. Thanks Visorsplat. So I look up the CFMoto rig.
See foolish enough to be hopeful. Take my 650, add my wife and two cases of beer and…
AKA CFMoto 650NK with retro body kit