BETAMOTOR www.betamotor.

com
AUTOMATION

Betamotor specializes
in oil, engines and leather,
building a range of
motorcycles for its
adrenaline hungry
customers. An Italian
company, the brand name
was established when its
two founders, Mr. Enzo
Bianchi and Mr. Arrigo
Tossi, amalgamated their
initials to form BETA.
Sophie Roche gets in the
driving seat to discuss
motorbikes with Mr.
Lorenzo Bali, Betamotors
Marketing Manager.

Riding

Caption in here please

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xx

into continued success

he company began life as a

bicycle business in 1904 and as
Betamotor continued, it raced
ahead of the times, attaching an
engine with a roller transmission on to
one of its bikes at the end of the 1940s
and establishing its first motorbike. The
brand name has stuck, along with the
companys product content and bicycles
were replaced by a continuing series of

00 Insight Industry FEBRUARY 2012

innovative motorcycles. This change in

production line has served Betamotor
well and it boasts an impressive annual
turnover of around 44.5 million. Thanks
to its monetary success, the brand was
able to expand significantly and it now
lays claim to 116 000 m of factory space,
including a test ground near Florence,
with a team of over 100 people. Annually,
the production volume is around 17 000
www.industriouspublication.com

vehicles and 15 000 engines.

The large turnover and acquisition of
work space can be attributed somewhat
to both the companys research and
development team and its sales group.
With a direct sales operation in Italy,
France, Germany and Benelux, a
great deal is sold internationally. After
additional global importers are also
factored into the exportation chain,
www.industriouspublication.com

Betamotor boasts a high turnover

and extensive customer portfolio. To
keep up with the brands popularity,
its research and development team
are constantly striving to improve the
machines; increasing velocity and
sophistication with every new model. The
companys motorbikes cannot be beaten
and it adheres to a strict standard of
excellence; if a vehicle leaks oil, even an

amount of minute proportions, Betamotor

will recall the product and carry out a
complete overhaul before its return.

Sticking with
motorcycles

Betamotor do not make the scooters

that Italy was once renowned for;
continued on page 00

FEBRUARY 2012 Insight Industry 00

BETAMOTOR www.betamotor.com
girder forks and telescopic rear shocks.
Then a competition style motorcycle was
developed in the 1950s named the M.T.
175, including a range of sleek features
such as a two-stroke single-cylinder
engine, capable of reaching 81 mph; a
model that later developed into a touring
bike.
Another innovative range of
motorbikes that went to market at this
time was a variety of four-stroke road
bikes embodying a sporty look. The
four machines, Astro 98, Mercurio 150,
Folgore 175 and Orione 200, became
a great success and people were keen
for the motorcycles single-cylinder,
four-stroke pushrod engines. Following
this range, Betamotor expanded
into in-house engine production and
new models, mainly designed for
competitions, were manufactured. This
development came during the 1960s
and the 175cc engines became success
stories in a variety of races, including
Hillclimbing, Motogiro and Milan-Taranto.

Manufacturing
similar vehicles

The 1970s saw Betamotor begin

production in off-road motorcycles and
continue in its dedication to competitive
vehicle manufacturing. Regarded as
the pinnacle of any bike manufacturers,
races signified company success and
Betamotor was able to transcend easily
into motor-cross victories, demonstrating
its superiority. Victories included four
World Trials Championships won by Jordi
Tarres, three consecutive world titles

awarded to Dougie Lampkin (1997-1999)

and six Indoor World Championships,
including Albert Cabestanys 2002 win.
Betamotor also boasted victory in five
European titles.
The final transition thus far for the
developers at Betamotor was the return
to four-stroke Enduro in 2004. A major
investment in production and competition
racing was made; the vehicle becoming
the sleekest and speediest yet. As a
result, the company is now regarded
as a specialist brand for Enduro bikes
and has expanded its customer portfolio
as a result. It is increasingly present in
competitions and trials, with Mr. Massa
explaining the companys pride when
racing, [We are] dedicated to winning.
When I compare Betas bikes with
those from competitors, I must say that
their attempts to produce four-stroke
trials motors look like adaptations of
lumps designed for other applications,
principally motocross.
Throughout the years, Beta motor
has retained its passion for bike
manufacturing and has continually
expanded the range to meet customers
needs. It has become hugely successful
and is now synonymous with goodquality, high-speed and sleek designing.
The brand remains dedicated to the
principles it expressed when established;
inspire in bikers a natural and instinctive
riding style, whilst delivering a machine
that is highly-technical, sports orientated
and powerful. The companys bikes
deliver maximum feel and satisfaction,
whilst retaining the principles of their
creators; adrenaline and fun. l

Caption in here please

xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxx xx

Caption in here please xxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxx xx

00 Insight Industry FEBRUARY 2012

www.industriouspublication.com

www.industriouspublication.com

FEBRUARY 2012 Insight Industry 00

AUTOMATION

continued from page 00

preferring to stick with motorcycles.
When asked why this is the case, Mr.
Bianchi replied, It is now much cheaper
to make scooters in Asia, and that has
become their home. Your average Italian
biker these days regards them as sissy.
He wants sterner stuff. And he finds
something a lot more full of character
in Beta bikes. Meeting his expectation
is something we are qualified to satisfy
by more than 100 years of tradition,
(a Beta museum is opening soon), an
understanding of how to put the vroom
into a motorbike engine and a willingness
to invest in new developments whatever
this may take. The company has been
a great success story when it comes
to designing, manufacturing and
assembling motorbikes; importing shock
absorbers from Spain, small components
from Asia and assembling the parts
in its Italian.premises. The companys
methods have scarcely changed and, as
they say, if it aint broke, dont fix it!
The company has created such a large
range of impressive vehicles, that there
will soon be a BETA museum opening.
The first model to be put to market
was named Cervo 48, a vehicle with a
rubberized roller transmission acting
directly on the rear tyre, in addition to
a chain for starting the engine and final
drive. In 1948, Cigno was established;
powered by a single-cylinder 48cc motor
and comprised of a double-cradle frame,
telescopic forks and shock-absorbers,
the machine looks sleek and streamlined.
Two years later and the Ital-jap 125 was
born; a bike fitted with pressed-steel