Moto Morini Corsaro Sport V-twin is one of the big surprises for 2024

Moto Morini had one of the most popular stands at this year’s Eicma trade show in Milan, throwing their hat into the growing middleweight sportsbike sector with a new 749cc Corsaro Sport V-twin.

Hailed as one of the stars of the show, it joined a Corsaro 750 roadster sharing the same engine, as well as a new X-Cape 1200 adventure bike and similarly powered new Milano retro roadster.

All four signify a huge step up in Moto Morini’s offerings and ambitions, with the striking Corsaro Sport featuring Euro5+ homologation, a MotoGP-style counter rotating crankshaft for greater stability by reducing inertia, plus a top speed said to be north of 130mph.

Bought by Chinese scooter giant Zhongneng in 2018, the firm’s current production range includes the 650 ‘Seiemmezzo’ threesome of the STR, SCR, and X-Cape – with a Calibro cruiser recently joining the gang. All are powered by slightly raw Kawasaki ER-6n-derived twin-cylinder motor.

Back in early 2022, the company announced that 11 new Italian-designed but Chinese built models would be released over the next two years.

The Corsaro Sport could well be one of them, with a Ducati-esque fairing and clip-ons below the top yoke allowing it to nestle in at the sportier end of the middleweight segment. Despite the looks, a claimed 94.5bhp output keeps it in the realms of real world useable performance.

Providing this oomph to both Corsaros is an all-new, Italian designed, 90-degree V-twin, which should go up against the likes of Honda’s 94bhp CBR650R, Suzuki’s 82bhp GSX-8R, and Aprilia’s 99bhp RS660. Peak torque and rpm are yet to be revealed but with an oversquare 90mm x 58.9mm bore and stroke we expect a fairly high redline.

The A2 licence version will produce the class-capping 47bhp, with a soundtrack provided by twin exit exhaust cans etched with the Morini logo.

The frame is also intriguing, being a ‘hybrid’ design with both steel and aluminium elements that appear to use the twin-cylinder engine as a stressed member. You get a familiar tubular trellis at the rear, which meets towards the headstock with a distinctive aluminium casting.

As with Morini’s earlier 650 twins, the new Corsaros use Brembo brakes, this time up-specced to four-piston monoblock radial calipers biting onto twin 320mm discs.

The inverted forks are also fully adjustable, although it’s not yet clear who makes them. The rear shock offers full adjustment as well, with the Sport also getting a wider 190-section rear tyre over the naked version’s 180. There are also narrower, lower clip-on bars and 10mm taller 840mm seat.

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Morini hits the big time! New V-twin 1200s and new 750s unveiled in Milan

First reported 9 November 2023 by Dan Sutherland

Revived Italian brand Moto Morini has unveiled not one but FOUR all-new big bike models – the X-Cape 1200, Milano 1200, Corsaro 750 and Corsaro sport.

The two new 1200cc V-twins sees the return of the historic brand to the litre class category it hasn’t occupied since the demise of the last, limited-edition Milano 1200 in 2020, which failed to meet 2021’s Euro5 regulations.

Chinese-owned since 2018, the brand has been making a big resurgence in the last two years. Most famous for its 1970s 350 and 500cc V-twins, Morini floundered in the 1980s before being revived in 2003, building a series of 1200cc V-twins such as the Corsaro naked and Granpasso adventure bike.

That firm went into liquidation in 2010 but continued to produce bikes sporadically up to 2018 when it was bought by Chinese scooter manufacturer Zhongneng. Then, after a period of reorganisation, General Manager Alberto Monni announced in early 2022 that 11 new models would be released over the next two years. A family of 650cc twins arrived at the end of last year and now, as promised, there’s a revival of its V-twin 1200s as well as two new 750s.

Both 1200s are based around a new engine called the ‘V2 Corsa Corta EVO’. Effectively an evolution of the old unit (it shares the previous V-twin’s 1187cc and 87-degree layout), it now meets the latest Euro5+ regulation and produces a claimed 125bhp, down from the previous 140.

The Milano roadster is described as a ‘timeless naked’ and is a complete overhaul of the previous, 2019 version. There’s a new, part-aluminium frame, 4kg lighter swingarm, updated suspension, Brembo brakes, new bodywork and 5in TFT instruments. There are also four riding modes, cornering ABS and LED lights.

The new X-Cape 1200 sees Morini’s return to the litre adventure class, is based on the same V-twin and is effectively a bigger brother to the X-Cape 650 launched last year.

Although the X-Cape’s engine is virtually identical to that of the new Milano, its tubular steel trellis frame is significantly different with longer travel suspension, wire wheels and larger 19-inch front hoop wearing Pirelli Scorpion tyres.  

Braking is again by Brembo monoblocs, there’s a larger 7-inch TFT dash including an integrated navigation system and touring goodies such as panniers will be available as extras.

The two new 750s also feature new V-twin engines. The Corsaro is a sporty roadster (above) in the mould of Ducati’s Monster while the Corsaro Sport is a fully faired sportster based on the same platform. 

Both are powered by an all-new 749cc, liquid-cooled, 90-degree V-twin producing 96bhp with a 47bhp A2 version also available. The frames, again, are a mixture of tubular steel and aluminium. Brakes are again by Brembo with fully adjustable suspension, while the styling is an evolution of that of Morinis’ impressive 650s last year.

The Sport, meanwhile, shares most of the Corsaro’s spec but with a sportster full fairing and revised riding position to suit.

Prices and availability have yet to be announced.