1953 | Rumi 125

Rumi Super Sport TT 1953

Up until I found this motorcycle I thought of Rumi as an ancient poet. But I have since learned there was a man by the name Donnino Rumi in Bergamo Italy. Donnino Rumi started after the war to build cheap transportation for the public. At the time Rumi was in competition with MV Augusta, Ducati and Innocenti. In 1949 Rumi presented its first 125 cc motorcycle with the revolutionary two stroke flat twin configuration. Already in 1950 a sport version was developed and Rumi was very successful in their racing. In 1953 all Rumi motorcycles now had a four speed gearbox and for the racing class called “Sport” Rumi had developed the Super Sport TT motorcycle now with twin carburettors (bicarburatore) and even the aluminium engine block itself had cooling flanges. The power was now up to 8.5 hp in the TT version. Rumi was now very successful in their racing also here in Sweden. The Rumi brand came to an abrupt ending in 1961 when Donninos brother Luciano bought the motorcycle factory in Bergamo and shut it down immediately. It was a sad ending for such honoured brand. Donnino retired as bitter as only Italians can be spending his last days painting and passed away 1980.

This particular Rumi Super Sport TT seems to have been in Sweden since new. It was bought by a man that does not live far away from me in 2002. And that is when the restoration of this motorcycle started. It had fallen out of the registry since it has not been in traffic for a very long time. So in 2008 a new registration was made and it was again legal to drive on the street. Unfortunately the man that did this outstanding work with this motorcycle is no longer with us today. But I can read from the documentation that every single part of this bike has had restoration work done to it. With the help of a Rumi specialist here in Sweden it has been put back to original and like new condition. The Rumi Super Sport TT has all functions and runs very good. Hearing this 2 cylinder 125 cc with twin carburettors and twin exhaust is like music in my ears. I have had many newer race 2 stroke motorcycles in my life. But to me it is a mazing that a motorcycle like this could be produced all the way back in 1953. The total travel after restoration is just over 20 km! Even though it is a very cool driving experience it is perhaps today more of a museum piece standing in the living room.