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Piatti Scooters and Design

Today in Motorcycle History

Piatti

Piatti were scooters designed by Vincenzo Piatti and produced in Belgium 1954-56 and in Britain 1956-1958.

It was a curious-looking machine with the mechanics hidden under the body, so that service was carried out with it laid on its side. It had a 124cc two-stroke engine and three-speed gearbox in-unit with the rear wheel. The assembly pivoted to provide the rear suspension and went under the pressed-steel frame of inverted-bath form.

This short-lived make was built and sold in the UK by Cyclemaster.

The Piatti scooter has the dubious distinction of being, in the words of Bob Currie (author of Great British Motorcycles of the Sixties), "the worst scooter ever perpetrated."

According to the Cyclemaster blog,
"The Piatti Scooter was designed by the brilliant Italian Vincent Piatti (who also designed the Mini-Motor). After two years as a prototype, it was manufactured in Belgium, in 1954, by D’Ieteren . The bodywork was pressed in Italy and the engine was a Sachs. It was well-made."


From a post on eBay:

"1950's Piatti Scooter designed by Mr Vincent Piatti originally manufactured in Belgium in 1954 and in 1956 production commenced in England. Only a small number were sold, making these extremely rare..." The machine pictured was fitted with a Smiths speedometer and it appears examples were exported to both Australia and New Zealand.

Sources: Graces Guide, Ebay.

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