Vehicle Description
Founded in Bergamo, Italy, in 1906 by Achille Rumi, Fonderie
Officine Rumi began as a specialist manufacturer of cast components
for machinery used in the Textile industry. Achille's son, Donnino,
an artist at heart,took the reins of the company in the interwar
years, and under his leadership became known for their high-quality
bronze casting. This reputation helped earned them the patronage of
the Italian Navy, and by WWII, were producingarmaments, miniature
submarines and torpedoes, propellers, and periscopes for the war.
In the face of postwar posterity, Donnino saw the success of
scooter brands like Vespa and, with technical direction from Luigi
Salmaggi,began designing scooters and motorcycles under the
company's newname:Moto RUMI. Their new motorcycles were based on a
lightweight aluminum chassis with a traditional tube backbone, but
the downtubes were replaced by a 125cc two-stroke parallel-twin
engine and four-speed transmission as a stressed member, with
telescopic or Earles front forks, chain drive, and swing axle rear
suspension. After just one year of development, the first
production motorcycle was shown at the 1950 Bergamo Cycle and
Motorcycle Exhibition and Milan Motorcycle Exhibition to much
public acclaim. By 1953, Luigi Salmaggiwas appointed as RUMI's
technical manager and given the task of replacing the company's
first racing motorcycle, the Competition SS52 "Gobbetto", and
designed the Donnino-styled Junior Corsa which was produced from
1955 to 1959.
This Junior Corsa is a"Bicarbuatore" (Twin Carburetor) from the
beginning of the estimated 300 units produced and finished in Rosso
Corsa with the horizontally mounted two-stroke engine and
four-speed transmission are polished aluminum and sit under the
fuel tank and seat. With the tops of the cylinders facing the front
wheel, fuel is supplied by twin Dell'Orto carburetors, while the
exhaust exits through short, black painted undermount trumpets. The
plexiglass wind deflector presents well with minor, superficial
scratching, while the front fairing, front telescoping forks, front
and rear splash guards, rear trailing arm, twin Standard shocks and
springs, and thekickstand, all show very minimal wear.The highlight
of any Moto RUMI is the fuel tank, 18 liters in the case of the
Junior, also finished in Rossa Corsa, features prominent gloss
black accenting, outlined in gold with the "Land, Sea, and Air"
logo finished in silverwith "RUMI" in red lettering. The seating
surfaces are trimmed in black leather while the top and
standard-for-the-Corsa chest pad are black suede to provide better
grip while racing. Controls are minimal, as expected with a racing
motorcycle, with front and rear brake handles operating the drums,
the throttle on the right-side grip, anda CEV Model 8018lighting
and engine-off combination switch on the left-side grip.
The Junior Corsa became a highlight of niche Italian motorcycle
history in part due to the two-stroke engine's unique and raspy
exhaust note and construction, but what created the mystique of
Moto RUMI was the agility the motorcycles possessed. They were road
course motorcycles that succeeded in technical maneuverability
instead of raw power output. This is a prime example of a correct
Junior Corsa and will be at home among its contemporaries in any
discerning collection.
Offers welcome and Trades Considered
