Not really Sportster or Buell related, but H-D via Italia.

Came across an interesting site the other day: http://www.motomacchi.com
They are building vintage racers using H-D Aermacchi 250 AND 350 Sprint engines. Not all that expensive either, at least as far as racing goes anyway...

After watching the Vintage AHRMA racing at Barber I've become interested in building a vintage racer, not to seriously race, but have fun on, or maybe even watch someone else race it.

Just curious if anyone here has any experience with the Aermacchi motorcycles...

I always thought those bike were cool. They had one with the H.D. traveling museum. I like the way the engine is slanted forward with all the cooling fins. I think that would be a fun way to race without having to go 180 mph. Good luck and send us some pics.

Not really Sportster or Buell related, but H-D via Italia.

Came across an interesting site the other day: http://www.motomacchi.com
They are building vintage racers using H-D Aermacchi 250 AND 350 Sprint engines. Not all that expensive either at least, as far as racing goes anyway...

After watching the Vintage AHRMA racing at Barber I've become interested in building a vintage racer, not to seriously race, but have fun on; maybe even watch someone else race it.

Just curious if anyone here has any experience with the Aermacchi motorcycles...

I have always wanted one....despite the fact that parts are hard to come by....

If a good deal comes my way, tho, I'll grab it in a heartbeat.....

I had a 74 Legarro back in the 80's, but it was a 4 speed moped

Rode a 250 Sprint a few times back in the day, I liked it ok and remember lots of high frequency vibes. Since then I've read to watch for internal frame rust, they were stamped steel instead of tube. That doesn't sound like an issue for L.B. tho.
Matt

I bought a new "74" SS-350 Sprint. Gotta say that is was absolutly the worse motorcycle I have ever owned....You had to change or clean the spark plugs as often as you put gas in it...BUT, I wish I could find a cheap one to buy to restore...Go figure..LOL

my first Harley was a '73 Sprint 350. Loved it, and rode it to death. :) Back in the 60's the 350 Aermacci 350's pretty much ruled the novice class road racing circuit in Europe. I've seen a couple around. My indy has one he used to tow his drag bikes onto strip :) here's a picture of me on it fresh out of the showroom :)

my first Harley was a '73 Sprint 350. Loved it, and rode it to death. :) Back in the 60's the 350 Aermacci 350's pretty much ruled the novice class road racing circuit in Europe. I've seen a couple around. My indy has one he used to tow his drag bikes onto strip :) here's a picture of me on it fresh out of the showroom :)

Hey Foxy! Where ya been?!?!?

Looks like you are trying to figure out why you just peed yourself... :laugh:laugh

I bought a new "74" SS-350 Sprint. Gotta say that is was absolutly the worse motorcycle I have ever owned....You had to change or clean the spark plugs as often as you put gas in it...BUT, I wish I could find a cheap one to buy to restore...Go figure..LOL

There were a couple of guys that had em around here. but they were always in a stage of needing something to be fixed. That they couldn't immediately do.. Were they really that bad?
The Leggero, I had found in the back of a garage were the owner parked after 4 years of putting around on it. I was putting in a garage door in for him. I Cleaned out the carb and gas tank , put a small 12v battery in it. And it ran.. you could ride it .
It was a POS you could tell..And I don't believe I have ever seen a sprint "running".

around ten years ago the North Gloucester Road Race club had a very healthy entry of bikes for the classic race. Usually 2 races a day of 4-6 laps.
Had Aermacchi, Scott squirrel, Honda's, Triumphs, Nortons etc then one of the local classic dealers came in to sponsor the races and made it British Only.
All of a sudden the Honda's and Aermacchi all dissapeared. There was a big argument from all the owners but werent allowed to race. Last seen was at a classic bike parade lap duuring the dinner break at a National round. I suppose one of the classic clubs still run races here for them but not locally.

Also around 20 years ago one of the Brit parts dealers locally imported a container of bikes from the US amongst them was a few Aermacchi and Bridgestones with Harley motors....neither bikes sold well.

had a 350 back in the early 70s all i remember is i ran the piss out of it

Hey Foxy! Where ya been?!?!?

Looks like you are trying to figure out why you just peed yourself... :laugh:laugh

LOL, I've been around, just started posting regularly in the past month or so though . :tour :p

Me!! Rode many back in the sixties. One of my faves was a '62 Sprint with the OEM short glass pack. Sounded fine...handled fine-despite some rough rear shocks. The Rapidos were a gas, too. Had a lot more snot than a piston port 125 should've.

Kim

Love the Aermacchis, though I'm kinda fond of the 2-strokes.

Can't post a photo yet, but my avatar is my '76 SX250. It looks different now with the paint done.

I have a 1965-66 M50s in a box, 80% (?) there. I bought it from the original owner who is a friend of mine. It was sitting in a dirt floor garage in pieces gathering dust. If anyone was intrested in a project I would part with it.

My dad had a Sprint 350 when I was a lil guy.... don't know what year it was, but it may have had the short pipes on it..... as I do remember it bein fricken loud!

Love the Aermacchis, though I'm kinda fond of the 2-strokes.

Can't post a photo yet, but my avatar is my '76 SX250. It looks different now with the paint done.

Looks cool, be sure and post a larger picture when you are able.

Looks cool, be sure and post a larger picture when you are able.

Will do!

number 9 and counting...

Oh... There's a couple of "unfinished" pics of it on my myspace page. I think the link's at the top of this message.

I think I might be able to post pictures now. This one's almost done. Needs some finish/repair on the pipe, and I need to move the tail light.

What do you think, Aermacchi fans?

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0862.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0867.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0861.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0869.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0865.jpg

Garrett

I have two of them.

A 1973 SS-350, my first bike and I still have it.
A 1974 SS-350, a parts bike but mostly complete.

I never had problems with the '73, change the oil, plugs and points
and it just ran.

You got to love em,
dual exhaust off of one cylinder
Kick and electric start...

dec

I think I might be able to post pictures now. This one's almost done. Needs some finish/repair on the pipe, and I need to move the tail light.

What do you think, Aermacchi fans?



http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0862.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0867.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0861.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0869.jpg
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z72/garrett302/DSCF0865.jpg

Garrett

Garrett, you did a great job! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Great looking bike- Pete

My father restored a bunch of 64-67 sprints a few years back. Collected enough basket cases to get 3 ride-ables out of it. Those were fast machines in their day. A bit weird as the shift pattern is down each time 1-4. Could wind those endlessly. Short stroke big bore 4 stroke. I can see how people busted up those transmissions pounding them literally through the gears. 80+

Later 350's were actually slower than the early 250's as electric start and more weight built up over they years (see above). Local guy I know has a roadrace version they sold in the 60's. Runs on Magneto - has clip-ons, etc.

Harley set a land-speed record with a streamliner with that motor in it believe it or not.

Any other odd old Harley history you need?
JD's
VL's

Came across an interesting site the other day: http://www.motomacchi.com
They are building vintage racers using H-D Aermacchi 250 AND 350 Sprint engines. Not all that expensive either, at least as far as racing goes anyway...

After watching the Vintage AHRMA racing at Barber I've become interested in building a vintage racer, not to seriously race, but have fun on, or maybe even watch someone else race it.

Just curious if anyone here has any experience with the Aermacchi motorcycles...

If you want to go racing, check out Diamond Engineering at http://www.depss.com/H-D_Aermacchi%20Bikes%20and%20parts.pdf. They do loads of parts for the four-stroke racing singles. Looks like good fun, but not THAT cheap!

I had a (can't remember the model year) 175cc 2 stroke 'enduro' Aermacchi Harley Davidson when I was in high school. Wasn't too awful impressed with it-very little power, hard to work on, and parts were impossible to find.

It was kinda cool being the only kid in high school with a 'Harley Davidson' though...

I have a 1973 SS350 Sprint that is my daily rider.YES, it does require a good bit of maintenance. I rarely change plugs though. Mostly I try and keep things from falling off...lol. I will need to be rebuilt soon as it seems to be vibrating more and more.
I am currently building and Aermacchi/H-D road racer for AHRMA's Novice Historic Production light weight class.