1977 Cimatti City Bike

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I’ve had this old Italian moped sitting in my shed or garage for about the past fifteen years, I decided a good Fathers’ day project was to tear it down and poke at it with aims to get it running well again, not exactly a restoration as I have no plans to paint it at this time.  I’ll update this as I do stuff but don’t expect quick progress on this little pet project.

See more below.

Every project has to start somewhere.  With this it is pulling it out of the shed and wheeling it into the garage.


Click to enlarge.


Click to enlarge.

I didn’t exactly take a detailed series of photographs while I was tearing it down.  I know that the centrifugal clutch seems to be borked (if you stop the bike it will stall the engine), the speedometer is seized solid (at 12 miles!) and it doesn’t always start well.  I began by taking it apart.  I pulled the clutch cover off (interesting note, the actuating leaf for the starting clutch fused itself to the start clutch, I had to break it off to remove it.) and looking around.  I realized I wasn’t going to get anywhere without making some tools so I buttoned it all back up and removed the engine from the frame.  While I was on that roll I also removed the gas tank to clean it (which required me to remove the rear fender and wheel) and took the forks off to grease the steering stem.


Click to enlarge.

What we have his a 50cc Motor Minarelli V1 two stroke engine.  I’m going to take the engine apart and see if the inside is in as good shape as the rest of this bike.  If it is I’ll button it up with new gaskets and get her going.


Left side of case.  Click to enlarge.


Right side of case, dirty but complete.  Click to enlarge.


Click to enlarge.

The Dell-Orto carburetor seems to be in good shape other than bad gaskets.  I’ll replace the gaskets and give it a thorough cleaning.  We’ll see how this goes as I progress, for now I’ve put the frame back together as a roller and have the engine on the bench.


How to make a KLR look big.  Click to enlarge.

Sequoia

Category: City Bike, Projects

4 comments on “1977 Cimatti City Bike

  1. hello, i also have a cimatti citybike, 1978 (but in red).. i’m trying to restore its rear light but i have no idea which one to buy from ebay. do you think you can help me out?
    i also want to try and add a left/right indicator but again i don’t know how to do these things 🙁 i’m willing to learn!
    please email me at perplextina@gmail.com
    thank you!

  2. Rebuilding my ciamtti any advice please contact me I am in need if some help with the lighting head light and blinkers won’t work. Any ideas

  3. I cannot figure out for the life of me how to remove the tank from the frame once it’s hanging free. How did you manage!?!

  4. Sorry it’s been awhile, I don’t really babysit this site like I should.

    Lights – Sorry can’t help. I have the original taillamp somewhere but I don’t know where. Hopefully when I pick this project back up I will have found it. No indicators on this bike so can’t help there.

    As for the tank it’s been a long time but as I recall the only thing I had to do first was to remove the rear wheel. Once I did that I was able to work its way out from the opposite side as the fuel petcock.

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