Motori Minarelli

Minarelli was founded in 1951 in Bologna as a motorcycle manufacturer. In 1954 they also started building mopeds. Two years later, Minarelli switched exclusively to the production of two-stroke engines and a new factory of 2000 square meters was built for these purposes. It employed 20 technical staff and produced 70 engines per day. These were sold to companies in Italy, other parts of Europe and South America. ^[1]

In 1967 the company changed its name to Motori Minarelli and opened a new factory in Calderara di Reno. In the 1970s, engine production reached 250,000 units per year. The company also entered motorcycle racing and won a number of titles. ^[1]

In 1990, the company began a business relationship with Yamaha. Five years later, 350 people were employed and engine production had reached 450,000 units per year. In 2002, following changes in the world motorcycle market, Motori Minarelli became a member of the Yamaha Group.

We know the 50 cc Minarelli engines in a number of versions. Minerelli horizontal, both air and water cooled. Minarelli vertical, air-cooled and the water-cooled manual transmission engine block AM-6. Many manufacturers have used the Minarelli engine blocks: Aprilia, Yamaha/MBK, Italjet, Benelli and Beta.