Mosquito Super

At age 22, Adalberto Garelli received a degree in engineering and dedicated his work to developing and perfecting the 2-stroke engine for Fiat. He quit in 1911 due to Fiat’s lack of enthusiasm for the 2-stroke engine, and continued his own engine design. In 1913 he constructed an extremely advanced 350cc split-single two-stroke motorcycle (to the left). It featured many technical quirks, such as different piston configurations - one piston was domed while the other was flat - and very early use of internal expanding brakes.

Garelli worked for other motorcycle manufacturers from 1914 to 1918 . In this time his 350cc split-single engine won a competition organized by the Italian Army. After WWI Garelli began to produce motorcycles in his own factory. During the 20s Garelli experimented with a separate oil supply, linked to the throttle action, which gave his machines a considerable performance advantage and hence the first three places in the 350 class of the 1922 French Grand Prix. The Garelli 350cc split-single stayed in production until 1926. By 1928 his motorcycle interest was waning and his factory began producing military equipment, leaving motorcycle production completely. After WWII Garelli went back into motor industry with a clip-on engine called the Mosquito. He opened a branch in France, too. The Mosquito soon became one of most popular clip-on engines in France and Italy. First model, called 38-A, was marketed in 1946. It was capable of delivering the power of 0.8 HP and its weight was about 4 kg.

Model 38-B from 1953 was very similar to its precedessor, just bigger; the capacity was increased from 38,5 cm3 to 48 cm3. In 1955 the Centrimatic model with automatic transmission appeared. Garelli built also a variety of ultralight motorcycles following a merger with the Agrati component-manufacturing concern, and from the late 60s a range of very lightweight mini-sportsters were offered to the public.