Rumi Motorcycles

In the late 1940s, Donnino Rumi, who had converted his father's foundry into a diversified production factory during the 1920s, recognized the changing patterns of consumption during Italy's postwar recovery and decided to focus on the manufacture of lightweight motorcycles.

Rumi based their motorcycle powerplant on designer Pietro Vassena's two-stroke, horizontal twin cylinder engine with 125 cc capacity, a radically novel layout that contrasted with the four-stroke, vertical single cylinder design employed since the pioneering days of motorcycle history.

A prototype was developed in 1949, and a definitive version generated tremendous interest when it debuted in March of 1950.

Rumi's success with street motorcycles in 1950 encouraged the company to produce a model specifically for racing. Their objective was to make a reliable machine that maximized the liveliness of the 125cc two-stroke twin on a lightweight frame.

When introduced at the Milan Motorcycle Exhibition in 1951, Rumi's Competition SS 52 was dubbed the Gobbetto (Hunchback) A name inspired by the unusual hump in its elongated fuel tank, which ended abruptly above the steering head.

Although the Gobbetto had difficulty competing with four-stroke racing bikes at highspeed events, it performed quite well on urban circuits, endurance races, and hill events where acceleration and the skill of the rider played a greater role. A Gobbetto won the Italian National Championship in 1954.

A new version with various modifications and a slightly more rounded form was introduced in 1953, but the Gobbetto nickname remained in use. A total of no more than fifty units left the line before Rumi ended production of this model in 1955.

In 1952 Rumi was producing the sports and super sport models, in single and twin carburetor versions. During 1955, the Junior Corsa and Gentleman superseded the Competizione. 1954 brought the production of the Formichino or Little ant scooter, which was reputedly designed by Ing Salvatti.

The body, except the front forks, crash rails and leg shields, were produced in cast aluminium with the front and rear castings bolted to the engine to form a monocoque which resulted in a light and rigid construction. The rear swinging arm, chain case and silencer box were also constructed in cast aluminium.

These models had originally 8-inch wheels but by 1958 they reverted to 10 inch, which gave a better stability and ground clearance. In 1958 Rumi also produced a sports version called the Tipo Sport which had a 22 mm carburetor, larger exhaust pipes and a higher compression ratio.

In 1957, 1958 and 1960 Rumi won the famous Bol d'Or 24-hour races at Montlhéry in France and subsequently Rumi produced a scooter named after the race.

Most versions sported dropped handlebars, chrome plated aluminium cylinders and twin carburetors but the French version favoured the Bol d'Or with a single 22 mm carburetor.

Unfortunately, during the 1960s Rumi went into liquidation and Donnino Rumi the archangel of the Rumi motorcycles and scooters went back to his prime love of being a sculptor and artist.

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