A History of Garelli

'The Garelli Legend' - 80 years of history

Garelli Motorcycles  was founded in 1919 by Alberto Garelli.
In 1919, Garelli constructed a 350cc motorcycle which set a long distance record from Milan to Naples. Rider Ettore Girardi covered the 840 kilometers with an average of 38.29 km/h.

 Many famous Italian racers such as Ernesto Gnesa, Tazio Nuvolari and Achille Varzi began their racing careers on Garelli bikes. The company also produced motorcycles for the Italian military. After World War II, Garelli was acquired by the Agrati family becoming Agrati-Garelli , still known as Garelli it concentrated on producing smaller bikes and mopeds for the European market.

In the 1960’s Agrati Garelli produced the classic Capri scooter a direct competitor to the machines produced by Vespa and Lambretta, today the remaining Capri’s are highly valued collectors items.

In the early 1980s, Garelli dominated the 125 class in Grand Prix motorcycle racing winning six consecutive world championships between 1982 and 1987. Garelli’s road going machines such as the Tiger Cross we’re prized for their speed in the days before mopeds became restricted.

Today Garelli is now part of the Berlusconi Group, one of the largest companies in Italy, the company is currently undergoing a massive investment programme to bring it back to the position it used to occupy in the market in the 80’s the next few years will see many new models , Garelli’s back on the track and a return to it’s racing heritage.