This Might Be The Rarest Maserati You’ve Never Heard Of
If you also didn’t think Maserati made motorcycles, then you are not alone. We will readily admit that this little bike was not on our radar, but it is easy to see why Maserati had some level of interest in selling motorcycles. Post-war Europe was still in ruins back in the 50s, and small motorcycles like this provided the masses with basic, affordable transportation in a time when things were tight for most families.
The Maserati Tipo 160 T4 Was A Rebadged Italmoto
War ravaged Italy was a difficult place to drive. Most of the infrastructure had been destroyed during the war, and was either in the process of being rebuilt, or left in ruins until a later date. Motorcycles were therefore not only more affordable, but more practical, too, in the sense that they could simply ride around tricky sections of road.
The bike in question was originally built by Italmoto, a company acquired by Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati S.p.A. in 1953. Not technically Maserati Automobili, but they were still able to legally use the famed trident logo! While the Tipo T4 was simply a rebadged 158cc Italmoto, “Maserati” did actually build their own bikes, with engines of their own design … albeit briefly.
An Unusual Piece Of Italian History
The Tipo T4 was capable of producing around 7 horsepower, which may not seem like much by modern standards, back then it was enough for it to be comparable to its direct four-stroke competition (the popular Honda Super Cub, which came out a few years later, actually made less power). Unfortunately, by the end of the decade, this little sojourn into the world of motorcycle production had already run into the time-honored Italian automotive tradition of “financial difficulty.”
The competition in the motorcycle world had since ratcheted up a few notches towards the end of the decade. The Japanese brands had all entered Europe by this time, which all but decimated any hopes of retaining some form of export market. By 1959, the last bikes left the factory, and by 1960, Maserati Candele, Accumulatori e Moto had gone into liquidation.
The little Tipo T4 up for grabs offers both motorcycle collectors and Maserati enthusiasts an opportunity to own a genuinely unusual piece of automotive history. It has been fully restored and will be quite at home in a museum or some form of display. While it runs (see video), it does not come with a title, and can’t be registered for road use. At the time of writing, the leading bid was sitting at $8,200, which isn’t bad for a fully restored classic Maserati!
Sources: Bring a Trailer and Maserati Motorcycles
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