The World's First Inline 6 Powered Production Motorcycle - The Benelli 750 & 900 Sei

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  • Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
  • 👉 Subscribe to my car channel: / @rarecars3336
    In this Rare Motorcycles documentary, we go into the history of one of the coolest and most underappreciated motorcycles ever made, the Benelli Sei 750 and 900.
    This was the first production inline 6 powered motorcycle which would end up taking the world by storm and creating its own class of motorcycles that other manufacturers would soon imitate.
    This is all you need to know about the rare and exciting Benelli 750 and 900 Sei.
    This video aims to provide a short history of these unique and rare motorcycles so you can learn about them in a quick, easy to digest video.
    *Note, we are not historians. If you see an error in our research then please mention it in the comments!
    For business inquiries or other inquiries, reach out to: rarecarsmedia@gmail.com\
    NOTICE: Clips used from other videos are fair use and fall under U.S. copyright law because this work is transformative in nature, and has no negative effect on the market for the original work. It is against the law to fraudulently claim a copyright on a video you do not own under the DMCA or to abuse UA-cam’s copyright claim tool. Copyright concerns and takedown requests can be submitted to: rarecarsmedia@gmail.com

КОМЕНТАРІ • 53

  • @davidmacgregor5193
    @davidmacgregor5193 Рік тому +7

    I've owned my 1980 Benelli 900 Sei since 1986, in 2004, I changed the three 24mm Dell 'Orto carbs for a bank of six 22mm Dell 'Orto's. The stock six into two exhaust had rusted through, so I replaced it with a new old stock six into six system which was destined for a 750 Sei, to avoid the silencers hanging too low, the pipes had to be cut and rewelded at a different angle to compensate for the upright cylinder block on the 900 compared with the slanted forward block on the 750.
    To avoid my knees hitting the outer carb air cleaners, I installed modified Paulo Tarozzi rear set foot controls which were originally meant for a Moto Guzzi Le Mans II. I changed the duplex drive chain to a 630 simplex chain, I had new sprockets specially machined to fit the chain. I also installed Tomaselli clip-on bars and QA throttle, the stock Lego block switchgear was replaced with modern Domino items.
    The 900 Sei is basically a reliable machine apart from the multi-plate dry clutch slipping when accelerating hard, I cured that by adding an extra plain and friction plate, the clutch can also be noisy, but it is a dry clutch after all. The 900 Sei was in production between 1979 and 1989, only 1878 units were produced in that ten year run.

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому +2

      Thank your for sharing that and thanks for your extra insight! Love hearing these stories directly from the mouths of actual owners!

    • @davidmacgregor5193
      @davidmacgregor5193 Рік тому +1

      @@raremotorcycles Thank you for your reply, my Benelli is certainly a keeper. How about doing a video about the Laverda 1000 and 1200 triples? I owned a 1979 Laverda 1200 before I bought my Benelli. When the Laverda "Jota" was released in 1976, it was the fastest production motorcycle in the World. The Jota had a top speed of about 140mph.

    • @alanhynd7886
      @alanhynd7886 Рік тому

      Never understood why Benelli never made the same mods you did to the 900. Getting rid of the outrageous looking 6 exhausts was a weird decision.

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому

      Agreed@@alanhynd7886

  • @justinevans6546
    @justinevans6546 Рік тому +7

    Sound clips of the bikes would be nice

  • @JEFF-ft6qm
    @JEFF-ft6qm Рік тому +7

    So the engine started out as a 500-4. Meanwhile a young Allen Millyard was taking notes.

  • @Speedytrip
    @Speedytrip Рік тому +5

    You just gained another subscriber. The only thing missing is the sound of these bikes ;)

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому +1

      Noted! Thanks for subscribing! Hope to see you around for more videos!

  • @alanhynd7886
    @alanhynd7886 Рік тому +6

    There was a debate at the time about this concept. The Benelli is basically a Honda 500 copy with two extra cylinders; however, the Honda 500 drew a lot of inspiration from the 1968 Benelli GP 500/4; however, the Benelli GP bike was based upon (Continue as necessary...)

  • @robertmenghini.Lambomad
    @robertmenghini.Lambomad Місяць тому

    And 5 minutes 42s in, my bikes, so cool!

  • @soggybawsmoto
    @soggybawsmoto Рік тому +1

    You have great taste in motorcycles! What do you ride yourself?

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому

      Nothing (yet), I have always been more of a car guy but recently started getting more into motorcycles and learning more about them.

  • @robertyeats-un7qb
    @robertyeats-un7qb Рік тому +5

    Had a CBX loved it .

  • @gntdriver2840
    @gntdriver2840 Рік тому +2

    true the engine was based on the Honda 500-4 but according to an in depth article i read in a motorcycle magazine it was not as close a copy as people think

  • @WinterSkyyy
    @WinterSkyyy 9 місяців тому

    Around 4:10, you say the Sei used identical carbs to the CB500, with one extra. My '72 CB500/Four came from the factory with 4 carbs. I like that the Sei cut the number in half, but are they really identical?

  • @rover100bunson
    @rover100bunson Рік тому +1

    wonder if the 900 influenced the style of hans muth katana design

  • @robertmenghini.Lambomad
    @robertmenghini.Lambomad Місяць тому

    That’s my bike you used, 4 minutes 15 in

  • @petertate5741
    @petertate5741 Рік тому +1

    I remember the adverts in MCN at the time you could supposedly balance a 50pence coin on the engine at tickover and it wouldn't fall over.It was a great looking bike but too expensive compared to Japanese bikes.

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому

      Exactly the case, those 6 exhausts really do it for me!

    • @caribman10
      @caribman10 Рік тому +1

      I saw more than once the glass of water test (put it on the tank); hardly any motion at all. Super smooth.

  • @zappa916
    @zappa916 Рік тому

    Back then these things were designed to go straight. They handled like a drunk elephant on three legs. Glad those times are well and trully behind us.

    • @courier955
      @courier955 Рік тому +1

      Even back then Italian bikes handled well. My 1977 Guzzi LeMans handles very well and I'm guessing that the Benelli Sei did too.

    • @kasperkjrsgaard1447
      @kasperkjrsgaard1447 Рік тому +1

      I road tested a 750 Sei back in the 80’s and it handled way better than any japanese at that time. No comparison.

  • @videogamingvideos
    @videogamingvideos Рік тому +1

    👏

  • @briandstephmoore4910
    @briandstephmoore4910 Рік тому +1

    Can you please do the 1985 or 86 Kawasaki ninja 900 the one that kinda started it all for the street missles. My dad had one growing up and I've got the fondest memories of going way to fast 😆

    • @Beauloqs
      @Beauloqs Рік тому

      "started it all for street missiles........" 😂😂😂 Vincent Black Shadow, Laverda Jota, Ducati SS900 to name a few. The Europeans were doing it when the only things that was coming from Nippon were mopeds.

    • @briandstephmoore4910
      @briandstephmoore4910 Рік тому

      How many liquid cooled 4 cylinders were ripping those days? We're those bikes faster? Also no so with all due respect go be salty somewhere else

  • @tonymarsh8436
    @tonymarsh8436 Рік тому

    20 seconds into this video and I'm out of here.
    Harley and Indian? Hmm.
    No Ducati or Yamaha?
    Nup.

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому +1

      Well I can’t name every manufacturer that makes good bikes because the video would be too long…

    • @tonymarsh8436
      @tonymarsh8436 Рік тому

      @@raremotorcycles oh hahaha.
      Harley and Indian deserve a mention as producers of high power motorcycles before Ducati or Yamaha?
      Yeah nah.
      Just how many Motogp or World Superbike Championships have those two manufacturers put together actually won?
      Yep. None.

  • @Gruxxan
    @Gruxxan Рік тому +1

    Bennelli only had 3 carbs, the Honda had 4 carbs, so bennelli took one away, they didn’t add one

  • @italianduded1161
    @italianduded1161 Рік тому +1

    Love those motorcycle ❤️🥵🇮🇹

  • @diybagwisvlog3619
    @diybagwisvlog3619 Рік тому +1

    HONDA CBX look a like

    • @raremotorcycles
      @raremotorcycles  Рік тому

      They did draw a LOT of inspo from them

    • @courier955
      @courier955 Рік тому +1

      The Benelli Sei came out about 4 years before the CBX.

  • @briandstephmoore4910
    @briandstephmoore4910 Рік тому

    Just subscribed! Excited to see what's to come and sorry but Kawasaki ninja 900 1985-1996 top gun bike

  • @caribman10
    @caribman10 Рік тому

    The Sei might've been a very good motorcycle, but Benelli had a pitiful dealer lineup so it had no chance.

  • @veedubklown
    @veedubklown Рік тому

    I'd love to see stuff about harley's homologation specails from the pre-AMF flat-trackers, through the V-Rod Destroyer.

  • @robertscarpati3327
    @robertscarpati3327 Рік тому

    In the early 80s my family went to France via train from italy.My uncle had the 900Sei he took me for a ride at night i was around 14 years old at the time ill never forget i had the fear of god in me .The bike sounded amazing.

  • @davidrochow9382
    @davidrochow9382 Рік тому

    I noticed you didn't mention the Italian electrics🤔😄.

  • @seanys
    @seanys Рік тому

    Eww, gross! That double square instrument cluster. It’s revolting! 🤮

  • @ralphcantrell3214
    @ralphcantrell3214 Рік тому +1

    5:18 - "The Benelli 750 Sei could top out at around 115 MPH, as compared to the Honda's top speed of just about 100 MPH."
    Meanwhile, my lightly used, $500, Kawasaki Mach III 500 with chrome J&R Power Pipes would be blowing past them in a cloud of sweet-smelling smoke on the way to its top speed of 130 MPH. 😎

    • @captainaxle438
      @captainaxle438 Рік тому

      No way no 130mph

    • @ralphcantrell3214
      @ralphcantrell3214 Рік тому

      @@captainaxle438 Everybody from the era knows that an H1 500 goes 115 MPH indicated when bone stock, and 130 MPH indicated with pipes. And I did it on many occasions on several different H1's. And if you want to argue "indicated" vs "actual" speed, nobody had GPS in the 1970's, including Benelli, so it's a moot point.

    • @kasperkjrsgaard1447
      @kasperkjrsgaard1447 Рік тому

      Everybody from that era know that Kawasaki had the most optimistic speedometers on market.

    • @captainaxle438
      @captainaxle438 Рік тому

      @@kasperkjrsgaard1447 correct, it was so bad the government-mandated 85 mph speedometers for the purpose of increased accuracy

    • @captainaxle438
      @captainaxle438 Рік тому

      @@ralphcantrell3214 I doubt that rattletrap could even Hold Steady at 130 mph without a death wobble