Aeromere/Capriolo

Aeromere
	File:Capriolo logo.gif
Founded	1948 (motorcycle manufacturing)
Headquarters	Trento, Italy
Products	motorcycles
Parent	Aeromere (previously Aero-Caproni)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Aeromere/Capriolo, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 29 November 20256 sources

Capriolo, which was later renamed Aeromere, represented the motorcycle manufacturing division of the Italian aviation firm Aeromere or Aero-Caproni. Following the conclusion of World War II, the Allied victors imposed restrictions preventing companies involved in wartime aircraft and military hardware production from continuing in those sectors. As a result, Aero-Caproni rebranded as Capriolo and joined several other manufacturers such as Aermacchi, MV Agusta, Vespa, and Ducati that transitioned to producing motorcycles or scooters.^[1] These firms prospered until the mid-1960s when affordable automobiles like the Fiat 500 eliminated the economic necessity for many Italians to rely on motorcycles as their main mode of transport.^[2] Capriolo typified those companies unable to adapt to an industry increasingly focused on exports, particularly to the United States market.^[3] Production of motorcycles by Capriolo spanned from approximately 1947 or 1948 until 1964.^[4]

Certain Capriolo engines incorporated the Küchen desmodromic valve mechanism, while others employed face-cam technology [1] instead of conventional camshaft valve actuation. Additionally, one model featured a longitudinal flat-twin engine configuration, a design typically associated only with BMW or its derivatives.^[5]^[6]

Notes

↑ Walker, Mick (2006), Motorcycle: evolution, design, passion, JHU Press, p. 96, ISBN 978-0-8018-8530-3, Immediately after World War II the established Italian marques, such as Bianchi, Moto Guzzi, and Gilera, had been joined by a host of newcomers. Some of these were large organizations that had built aircraft previously, but had been prohibited from doing so by the Allies following the conflict -- Aermacci (Macchi), Capriolo (Caproni), MV Agusta (Agusta), and Vespa (Piaggio). While the last of these concentrated on scooters, the other companies produced motorcycles, as did another major military supplier, Ducati which had built radios and electrical equipment.
↑ Giulio, Decio; Carugati, Decio G. R.; Sadleir, Richard (2001), Ducati: Design and Emotion, MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, p. 64, ISBN 978-0-7603-1199-8, Remember that in those years in Europe and above all in Italy, the utilitarie like the new Fiat 500 penalised sales of motorbikes with medium-large engines. Berliner knew that in the States cars would never affect motorcycles sales, the two market segments were nurtured by completely different dreams...
↑ Walker, Mick (1998), Mick Walker's Italian Racing Motorcycles, Redline Books, p. 132, ISBN 978-0-9531311-1-2, Thanks to its diversion of industrial interests (which also included combine harvesters, caravans and foundry work), Laverda was able to save of the mid-1960s Italian motorcycle industry crisis (brought on by the arrival of small cars such as the Fiat 500). This was to claim several less fortunate victims including Capriolo, Parilla and Rumi to name but three.
↑ Tragatsch, Erwin (1964), "Capriolo", The world's motorcycles, 1894-1963: a record of 70 years of motorcycle production, Temple Press, p. 31, I 1948 to date. 1. Aer Caperoni S.p.a., Trento. 2. Aeromere S.p.a., 99 Via Aeroporto, Trento. Similar to Aer-Macci, Capriolo was also, at one time, a famous producer of aircraft. After the Second World War it began manufacturing motorcycles. The range of models -- first with pressed steel later with tubular frames -- included lightweight face-cam o.h.c. machines from 75 to 125 c.c. At the time of writing the firm is reorganizing and further manufacture is doubtful.
↑ Capriolo
↑ Walker, Mick (2006), "Sporting Lightweights: Innovative Design", Motorcycle: evolution, design, passion, JHU Press, p. 97, ISBN 978-0-8018-8530-3, Technically, however, Capriolo was probably the most interesting marque, with its three main designs. The first of these was a 150cc flat-twin (BMW style); the second a 75 cc, face-cam design, in which the crankshaft ran inline with the pressed-steel frame; the third retained the face-cam layout, but with a more conventional bottom end.

External links

Classic Vintage Motorcycles & Antique Motor Scooters 1957 Caproni-Trento Capriolo Sport 75 Motorcycle
Sheldon's European Motorcycle Universe Caproni Motorcycles
Staccato Art 75cc racing model

Template:Major Italian motorcycle manufacturers

Template:Italy-company-stub Template:Motorcycle-manufacturer-stub

[1] Walker, Mick (2006), Motorcycle: evolution, design, passion, JHU Press, p. 96, ISBN 978-0-8018-8530-3, Immediately after World War II the established Italian marques, such as Bianchi, Moto Guzzi, and Gilera, had been joined by a host of newcomers. Some of these were large organizations that had built aircraft previously, but had been prohibited from doing so by the Allies following the conflict -- Aermacci (Macchi), Capriolo (Caproni), MV Agusta (Agusta), and Vespa (Piaggio). While the last of these concentrated on scooters, the other companies produced motorcycles, as did another major military supplier, Ducati which had built radios and electrical equipment.

[2] Giulio, Decio; Carugati, Decio G. R.; Sadleir, Richard (2001), Ducati: Design and Emotion, MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, p. 64, ISBN 978-0-7603-1199-8, Remember that in those years in Europe and above all in Italy, the utilitarie like the new Fiat 500 penalised sales of motorbikes with medium-large engines. Berliner knew that in the States cars would never affect motorcycles sales, the two market segments were nurtured by completely different dreams...

[3] Walker, Mick (1998), Mick Walker's Italian Racing Motorcycles, Redline Books, p. 132, ISBN 978-0-9531311-1-2, Thanks to its diversion of industrial interests (which also included combine harvesters, caravans and foundry work), Laverda was able to save of the mid-1960s Italian motorcycle industry crisis (brought on by the arrival of small cars such as the Fiat 500). This was to claim several less fortunate victims including Capriolo, Parilla and Rumi to name but three.

[4] Tragatsch, Erwin (1964), "Capriolo", The world's motorcycles, 1894-1963: a record of 70 years of motorcycle production, Temple Press, p. 31, I 1948 to date. 1. Aer Caperoni S.p.a., Trento. 2. Aeromere S.p.a., 99 Via Aeroporto, Trento. Similar to Aer-Macci, Capriolo was also, at one time, a famous producer of aircraft. After the Second World War it began manufacturing motorcycles. The range of models -- first with pressed steel later with tubular frames -- included lightweight face-cam o.h.c. machines from 75 to 125 c.c. At the time of writing the firm is reorganizing and further manufacture is doubtful.

[5] Capriolo

[6] Walker, Mick (2006), "Sporting Lightweights: Innovative Design", Motorcycle: evolution, design, passion, JHU Press, p. 97, ISBN 978-0-8018-8530-3, Technically, however, Capriolo was probably the most interesting marque, with its three main designs. The first of these was a 150cc flat-twin (BMW style); the second a 75 cc, face-cam design, in which the crankshaft ran inline with the pressed-steel frame; the third retained the face-cam layout, but with a more conventional bottom end.

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See also

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External links

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