Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

• fj'j]@G[/@MJ/l, [J{jD@'i]@{fJfjfJ [fJflJ~(1 [fJ@[f{]@@l1g {ft[ij](1G!J[J@ [fJ@~ffl1!Jl!l@ One of the dozens of small motorcycle manufacturers which flourished in post-World War II Italy, Bolognabased Mondial set itself apart from its rivals by winning 10 road racing World Championships in the 125 and 250cc Grand Prix classes between 1949 and 1957 - five rider's crowns, and five manufacturer's titles in just eight years, during which the forwardlooking bike company was the first to develop a disc brake, as well as the prototype of today's streamlined fairings. Designed by Alfonso Drusiani, the little dohc Mondial singles turned convention on its head by defeating the lightweight two-strokes which already then predominated in the smaller road racing classes, featuring the same bevel-gear-drive system to the overhead camshafts which would later form the basis of the better-known Ducati singles: by no coincidence, legendary Ducati designer Fabio Taglioni worked for two years at Mondial, under Drusiani, before moving across Bologna to the rival Ducati factory in 1954. Indeed, inspired by that year's Formula One world-title-winning desmo Mercedes-Benz engines, it was actually Mondial which was the first to design its own prototype desmodromic motorcycle engine, before any Ducati ever featured positive valve operation. So advanced was the design of its little GP racers that Mondial went three full seasons without being beaten in the 125cc class, and though their MV Agusta and NSU rivals enjoyed a short spell of supremacy, in 1957 the company bounced back to scoop both 125 and 250cc GP world titles in the same year, thanks to flamboyant Italian Tarquinio Provini (125) and more downbeat British ace Cecil Sandford (250). But at the end of that season, Count Giuseppe Boselli - who founded the Mondial company back in 1929 in collaboration with his three brothers, hence the marque's fully correct title of 'F.B. Mondial', standing for 'FrateJli Bosen;' - pulled Mondial out of GP racing in conjunction with Moto Guzzi and Gilera, in a secret deal which saw the three companies, which between them had won all four GP solo world titles that year, withdraw from competition in the face of falling streetbike sales. Though it continued to remain a bit player in the Italian bike market, Mondial was only ever a hobby for the aristocratic Boselli family, whose main Income came from huge estates in the countryside south of Milan. The company never built any motorcycle larger than 250cc, and its sporadic existence wound down in the late '60s with a range of 50cc mopeds which Boselli promoted by sponsoring the Villa brothers in Italian road racing aboard their self-built two-stroke specials. christened Mondials for that purpose even though the company's own race shop had been shut down back in 1958. A decade ago, the marque resurfaced, thanks to the enthusiasm of Count Boselli's eldest son Pierluigi, who developed a very competitive KTM-engined Mondial Supermono racer that enjoyed considerable racetrack success, as well as a prototype range of stillborn 125cc two-stroke streetbikes, which never made it into volume production. The Argentinian company of the same name producing scooters today in some quantity has no connection. Three years ago, the Mondial name was acquired from the BoselH family by 41-yearold Roberto Ziletti, a Brescia-based newspress magnate whose privately owned Lastra Group is Europe's largest printing-plate manufacturer, and the fourth largest in the world, with seven factories in Europe, India and the USA, and an annual turnover in excess of Euro 350 mimon (about $320 million), generated by a workforce of more than 1100 employees. As a potent illustration of Mondial's financial resources, Lastra recently acquired the worldwide graphics arts division of Mitsubishi Corp.. further cementing its position as a world leader in the sector. An unreconstructed motorcycle fan, who raced motocross in his youth before devoting himself to a business career, Ziletti relaxes by attending half a dozen track days each year, riding his Aprilia RS250 streetbike or the exBoscoscuro 250cc TSR-Honda GP racer he bought for the purpose a couple of years ago. His own personal Mondial Piega, no. 00001, is the first four-stroke motorcycle he's ever owned! Ziletti has long harbored a dream to own his own motorcycle company, and preferably one with a glorious heritage. "Moto Mondial sounds much better than Moto Ziletti!" he joked. "And anyway, I always admired the Mondial marque's short but glorious racing history, and how the Boselli family pulled out of Grand Prix racing while still right at the very top, undefeated. Now it's our challenge to live up to that tradition - but in the World Superbike class, rather than smaller-capacity GP racing. Although I'll admit to being a GP fan at heart, I strongly believe in the attractions of the Superbike category for smaller manufacturers such as ourselves, especially since it offers the chance to develop a range of products for street use, and is a cost-effective way of competing against the big manufacturers on an equal basis." Hence, the projected race version of the Mondial Piega currently under development, which we may expect to see contesting the World Superbike Championship from 2002 onward with a two-rider factory team. Corsa working beneath me as it hooked up with the hyper-grippy couple of minutes for those who prefer a race-styled pattern. There's a complete way than has yet been done elsewhere. Adria tarmac, but the progressive three-way choice of footrest positions After riding the Piega in finished man with deep pockets and the drive rear link controlled it so well that I and gear-lever locations. The clip-on form, ready for the wealthy but dis- to do things right. That's what the didn't get a single slide in spite of handlebars are also fully adjustable, cerning customers who will help Mondial R&D team has done here, in lapping in a satisfying time. In fact, and it takes just five minutes to Roberto Ziletti bring another of the creating that dream-team package it's better to use a higher gear and download a new fuel-injection map lost legends of Italian motorcycling of Japanese engineering dressed up rely on the Mondial's outstanding via the on-board terminal, as I saw for back to the street, as well as the handling to keep up turn speed rather myself as we experimented with racetrack, it's hard not to conclude in Italian styling, which the Piega promised to be when I rode it in pro- than ride it in a more point-and-squirt engine settings till we found an ideal that this is a born-again Bimota, with totype form at Valencia back in style, like you would a Ducati. one for the nature of the circuit. The European chassis expertise comple- March of 2001. The gearchange pattern can be Mondial brings Superbike-ciass race quickly swapped around in just a adjustability to the street in a more menting Oriental engine technology but one that's done right com mer- ered. eye I e cially, backed up by the business brain as well as the enthusiasm of a One year later, Mondial has deliv- n e CN _ S • JULv31,2002 39

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