MOTO RUMI 250 FOUR IN LINE

MOTO RUMI 250 ‘FOUR IN LINE’ 

Inline: Four cylinders ‘in Line’ 2-stroke
Starter: Kick-starter
Bore & stroke:
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Engine mounting:
Engine Capacity: 249.36 cc
Maximum power: 18 bhp [HP]
Power-to-weight ratio:
Carburettor: Four Dell O’rto 18 mm Carburettors
Cooling system: Air cooled
Sparks per cylinder: 1
Lubrication: Wet sump forced circulation with mechanical gear pump
Transmission: Gear primary, chain final
Clutch: Cable operated with multiple wet disc
Gearbox: 4-Speed gearbox, foot-change
Throttle: Cable operated
Frame type: Tubular and pressed steel
Front Suspension: Tubular swinging arm rear suspension and teleforks
Rear Suspension: Mono shock, Swingarm
Front Brake: Drum
Rear Brake: Drum
Front tire: 2.25 x 18 Inches
Rear tire: 2.25 x 18 Inches
Seat: Duck tail race seat
Fuel tank capacity: ca. 20 liter (5.28 gallons)
 

This very rare 250 ‘Four In Line’ Racing Rumi is a jewel of Italian craftsmanship and Motorcycle performance. The ‘Four In Line’ Racing Rumi 250 is one of only three in existence and was constructed by Giuseppe Fabbri in 1960. Giuseppe Fabbri was a former Gilera agent in Lugo di Ravenna, Italy.

The ‘Four In Line’ Racing Rumi 250 consists two 125 Moto Rumi two-stroke twin engines with horizontal cylinders. Giuseppe Fabbri constructed only 10 ‘Fabbri’ engines: two 3-cylinder horizontal; three 4-cylinder horizontal (including the here presented Racing Rumi 250 of The Amsterdam Italian Motor Museum); two x 4-cylinder V-shape; one 6-cylinder horizontal; one 8-cylinder V-shape. The sound of these machines was surely breathtaking!

The Moto Rumi company was founded in 1914 by Donnino Rumi. ‘Officine Fonderie Rumi’ as they called the company at that time, supplied cast components to the textile machinery industry. At the outbreak of World War II, Rumi became involved in the manufacture of armaments, miniature submarines and torpedoes. The anchor in the Moto Rumi logo reminds us of this period. After the war, Rumi undertook general engineering work and like many Italian companies, chose motorcycles as its next target.

By 1949, the firm unveiled an exquisitely designed laid-down two-stroke twin-cylinder motor of 125cc with a 180-degree crankshaft and shapely unit-construction crankcase. The original Rumis used cast-iron cylinder barrels, and their chassis featured plunger rear suspension with undamped telescopic forks up front, full-width aluminum brake hubs and the motor slung under the frame tubes and held at two points. In 1950, Rumi decided to get involved in the manufacture of lightweight motorcycles. It was also decided to base the powerplant on the horizontal twin two-stroke unit of 125cc capacity. Rumi started manufacturing the Squirrel or Scoiottolo - a pressed steel monocoque body with tubular swinging arm rear suspension and tele forks with 14-inch wheels and three gears.

From 1952, Rumi built a SuperSport version of its twin for road racing with two carburetors, which was superseded by the Gobbetto racer and the Junior Corsa that had a full swingarm frame and serious tuning for its 175cc engine, which was good for 100 mph.

The company participated in a wide range of competitions immediately, including the ISDT (where it won the Team Prize in 1954 with three golds), long-distance races (winning the Liége-Milano-Liége in 1954) and even Grands Prix (taking the first eight places in the 1954 Swiss Grand Prix).

Rumi displayed some four stroke 250 racing machines around 1960, but they were never fully developed, and never ran in a big race and the two stroke twins remained a staple until the firm went out of business in 1962. Special builders like Giuseppe Fabbri had to do that for themselves and start to build racing machines like the very rare ‘Four In Line’ Racing Rumi 250 here offered.