Adamchildchad Forties, 5'7, has been professionally bike testing for 20-years and has attended more than 350 bike launches and covered over a million road test miles. International road racer, with race wins at Oliver's Mount, podiums in NZ and two top ten TT finishes. Chad is just as happy off-road or on a classic bike.
For most of us the words Moto Morini will either mean 'Famous Italian brand that produced the iconic 350cc or '3 1/2' V-twin before experiencing a catalogue of financial woes', or next to nothing.
If the latter is you, let's bring you up to speed. Moto Morini was founded by Alfonso Morini back in 1937 but it wasn't until the 1970s that the company hit its peak with sublime 72-degree 3 1/2 V-twin. After that high, the company then changed hands and northern Italian locations several times over the following years, producing big V-twins in the 90s before going into voluntary liquidation in 2010. In October 2018 the Moto Morini name was bought by the Chinese Zhongneng Vehicle Group, which is what we have today.
The 6 ½ Seiemmezzo is one of the first bikes to come from Moto Morini since its new Chinese owners took the reins and enters a very competitive entry-level market. At its heart is the proven CF Moto 650 parallel twin, which was heavily based on Kawasaki’s ER-6N motor.
The spec is impressive, with Brembo brakes, fully adjustable suspension, a clear 5-inch TFT dash, Pirelli rubber and neat Italian styling the highlights. We spent a day riding both the STR and the scrambler-styled SCR. Can the Moto Morini cut it in this highly competitive price-conscious market?
Pros & Cons
Price competitive
Neat styling and specs for the price
Ride quality and handling for this segment
Engine is a little vibey
Power is down compared to the competition
SCR favours style over practicality, front mudguard too short
REVIEW: Moto Morini 6 ½
Chad steps into middle England to try the STR and SCR variants of the Moto Morini 6 ½ - a bike made by the Chinese-owned Italian firm using a Japanese engine.
At just under £7000 for the off-road styled SCR and £6699 for the road-biased STR, both machines look keenly priced. However, the problem for Moto Morini is that this segment is among the most competitive in motorcycling, with manufacturers keen to get new riders on board with their brand. Honda has just released the new 90.5bhp CB750 Hornet at £6999. Suzuki has the 81.8bhp 2023 GSX-8S for £7999. Then there's Yamaha’s MT-07 (£7500 and 72.4bhp) and the 67bhp Kawasaki Z650 (£7499), which essentially uses a modern version of the Morini engine. And that is just the twin-cylinder market; we could also add Triumph's three-cylinder Trident (£7695) and Honda’s inline-four CBR650R (£7699).
If you want to focus on price alone, don’t forget CF Moto’s 650NK at just £5799. It has the same engine, a similar spec and more road-oriented 17" wheels, but the price is significantly lower. Yes, this is a highly price-competitive market for Morini to take on.
The water-cooled parallel twin is taken directly from CF Moto and is essentially a copy of Kawasaki’s ER-6N motor, which first emerged in 2006. It has the same 180-degree crank, 649cc capacity and even the same bore and stroke. Peak power is 44.5kw / 60bhp @ 8250rpm with peak torque 54Nm / 40 lb-ft @ 7000rpm. These figures are identical to Morini’s X-Cape and just a fraction down on CF Moto’s NK. Kawasaki’s latest Z 650 uses a very similar motor but makes 50.2kw / 67bhp @ 8000rpm and 65Nm /48 lb-ft of torque at 6,700rpm.
But there is no hiding the fact it now feels dated and is lagging behind the competition. Yamaha’s MT-07 parallel twin, with its 270-degree crank (as opposed to the 180-degree crank), is smoother, punchier, and produces more power (72.4bhp). Furthermore, new bikes in the class like Honda’s CB750 Hornet make 90.5bhp for £6999, so the Morini is really up against it.
However, ridden in isolation the 649cc twin is easy going and fun, and newer riders will enjoy its soft power delivery. Linear and uneventful, it simply and happily revs towards its redline, unfazed and utterly dependable.
It's not dull either. You can bounce it off the rev limiter and make it scream, or short shift through the conventional (no quick-shifter) gearbox and enjoy enough midrange torque to deliver a spirited ride. With a whiff of clutch the front will even lift in the lower gears. Morini claims a top speed of 109mph.
At slow speed, the throttle is a little sharp – not overly snatchy but something you notice towards the end of day riding. And despite being able to maintain a relatively high motorway speed, the twin does get a little vibey. 80mph is bearable but at 90mph you can feel the motor is working hard, which results in a few tingles which, to be fair, were present on the old Kawasaki ER-6N too.
As you would expect, because Morini has used a proven engine, they have adopted a similar frame as well. This means the 6 ½ runs a compact, if heavy, steel twin tube frame (there's a 10kg lighter trellis on the current Kawasaki Z650), with a direct, side-mounted rear shock and aluminium swing-arm. Morini is claiming a dry weight of 200kg which, predictably, makes the Seiemmezzo the heaviest in the class, but the frame is genuinely robust and works.
The Morini handles far better than its dated setup and price suggest, especially for this type of bike. Kayaba suspension controls both ends, which are fully adjustable, but I didn’t feel the need to change the setup, which works perfectly well out of the box. The ride is perhaps a little on the soft side, but matches the style and market the bike is aimed at.
Both the STR and SCR models have 120mm of suspension travel front and rear, as well as the same 200kg dry weight and the same wheel sizes, accommodating 120/70 18 front and 160/60 17 tyre sizes. The main difference is the wheels' construction, with light alloys on the STR and spokes on the SCR. Both run quality Pirelli rubber with road-biased Angel GTs on the STR and off-road-looking MT60 RS on the SCR. The SCR also sits 35mm higher and has 70mm wider bars.
I preferred the setup and feel of the off-road-looking SCR. The riding position feels more natural while the wide bars give a lighter feeling and is easier to turn. At speed it feels more fluid, too, and you can throw it around with ease, which I was surprised by as I assume the spoked wheels are heavier. Both bikes' tyres are impressive in both the wet and dry.
Both bikes also have a low seat of just 810mm but again I felt more at home on the upright off-road SCR, especially around town. You can slice through traffic with more ease, as the wider bars give you that extra leverage, plus I prefer the looks... And looks are especially important around town.
Morini hasn’t scrimped on the stoppers either, as the Seiemmezzo has quality Brembo items front and rear. ABS is standard but not lean-sensitive. The quality brakes mirror the quality suspension, meaning the forks dive with control when the Brembos are applied. We've said that 200kg dry is heavy for a bike in this class (Yamaha’s MT-07 weighs 184kg with fuel) but the stoppers are more than up for the job – not bad for a bike priced below £7000.
A naked entry-level 650 like the Seiemmezzo isn't designed primarily for processing big miles, but comfort is more than acceptable. The ride quality is soft and relaxing and, despite the direct mounted rear shock, rarely jarring. The riding position is relatively roomy on both models, but the scrambler styled SCR would be the preferred option for over six-footers. Pillions are looked after while the neat and clear 5-inch TFT dash has Bluetooth connectivity should you want to maintain contact with the office on long journeys.
Parallel twins tend to be frugal with close to 50mpg easy enough to achieve in the real world, sometimes more. A 16-litre fuel tank should be good for a range of around 170-180 miles to completely empty, which means worrying about fuel at 120-140 miles.
However, it’s not all praise. As speed increases so do the vibrations, which are more distracting than outright uncomfortable or annoying. And in the wet, the SCR's front mudguard proves that it is for show only by creating a rooster tail of spray directly in front of the rider (dependant on speed and conditions).
There is no hiding the fact that the Morini is basic, especially when compared to new bikes that have entered the market like Honda’s Hornet. The 6 ½ comes with basic ABS, a 5-inch TFT dash with Bluetooth connectivity – and that’s about it. No rider modes, no traction control, no quick-shifter, no cruise control... You could argue that Morini has spent the money on quality suspension, tyres, and brakes and argue that TC is hardly needed on a 60bhp bike. But some new riders will be looking at the lack of rider aids compared to the similarly priced competition and making their buying decision on that.
I like the new Moto Morini Seiemmezzo, a lot. The styling is fresh and the Morini name carries genuine nostalgia – it’s a little different from the norm – and I can't argue with the finish and styling of the scrambler-styled SCR in particular.
Okay, the motor is essentially an old Kawasaki ER-6N unit and lacks a bit of zip and sophistication compared to newer bikes in the class, but it has proven reliability. Morini hasn’t cut costs where it matters, either, as handling and stopping power are both impressive for a bike in this entry-level class.
But there is no hiding the fact that the 6 ½ Seiemmezzo lags behind a little in terms of specification compared to some equally priced bikes in this category like Honda’s Hornet. Ridden in isolation, it's a great little bike, but when it comes to a group test of similarly priced bikes, it may well fall a little short.
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What is MCIA Secured?
MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.
MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:
A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
An ignition immobiliser system
A vehicle marking system
An alarm system
A vehicle tracking system with subscription
The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.
