Quiz Jan 30, 2007*

[dhansen]

OK. Clue. Name relavant to political climate in Italy at the time!!

Ummmmmm, a Fascistti? a Moto Nazzi? a Mussomorini?

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Ummmmmm, a Fascistti? a Moto Nazzi? a Mussomorini?

 

Actually your answer, although not correct, is pointing in the right direction.

[mike wilson]

Avanti?

 

Il Duce?

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Get the knack!

 

Leave out the 'and Space Administration' and add another bit! Then translate back to italian!!

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Its not the Canadian Motorcyle Association!

[dhansen]

Get the knack!

 

Leave out the 'and Space Administration' and add another bit! Then translate back to italian!!

Ummmmmm, Nazion, nazional, nazionalismo..............

 

Can't seem to tie this in though.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

OK. Mike has been on the right track but hasn't quite got it. The answer is in the links he has provided.

 

She ain't Miss Winfrey but she does swallow!!

[dhansen]

I was just checking out the Rondines but got hung up on this one from the motocikli site...............

Thats why I didn't see "Pod nazivom OPRA 500"

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

Well Ben? What next?

[DeBenGuzzi]

Well Ben? What next?

well your two days past your two weeks, you win jimbo.

[helicopterjim R.I.P.]

The bike is a Rondine but it is officially a CNA Rondine of 1935.

 

Count Bonmartini started out with GRB (Gianini, Remor, Bonmartini) in 1924. This company engineered the first 4 cylinder OHC motors. In 1927 he formed a company called OPRA (Officina Precisione Romana Automobili) which further developed these engines in race bikes with Piero Taruffi riding. In 1929 the race bike projects started to fade out.

 

In 1933 Bonmartini started an aircraft company called CNA (Compagnia Nazionale Aeronautica). Maintaining his interest in racing motorcycles CNA developed a 4 cylinder race bike in 1933. The engine was loosely based on the OPRA projects but was an entirely new engine and bike. It was first tested in 1934 and was named Rondine (Swallow) by Count Bonmartini. The bike debuted on the racetrack in 1935.

 

At the end of a fairly successful season Count Bonmartini decided to retire and sold the company to Caproni (an aircraft manufacturer). Caproni elected to sell the race bike program to a gentleman by the name of Guiseppe Gilera.

 

 

 

OPRA Rondine, a supercharged, watercooled four, designed 1933, later sold to Caproni (the aircraft manufacturer) and from then, in 1936, to Gilera, on the condition that Taruffi, the rider, joined also. The design originated in the early 1920s in a company named GRB, after the initials of the founders.

 

The other thing is a "creatore del gelato" or "macchina del gelato".

 

If only you had typed in CNA. The OPRA racers were not called Rondine and were a different (but similar) engine and a quite different chassis. You had everything else pretty much square on! I knew you had the answer there because it is in one of the provided links!

[mike wilson]

Poop. 8-)

 

On the plus side, my internet travels to find what I did brought me to a page of pictures of unusual and interesting machines. Prepare for a blizzard of quizzes. If I can get my bot in gear.

 

Well done, Jim.