1972 Mondial 125cc RCE Enduro
Frame no. 1156
Engine no. 74333491

Few marques have achieved so fine a competition record in so short a time as Mondial, the Italian company's period at the very top of Grand Prix racing encompassing the years 1949-51, plus a gloriously successful comeback in 1957. FB Mondial was founded in the aftermath of WW2 by the Boselli family, whose first venture into powered transport had been with the FB (Fratelli Boselli) three-wheeled delivery van in the 1930s. The name 'Mondial' first appeared on a motorcycle in 1948 when the Boselli brothers introduced a revolutionary double-overhead-camshaft 125cc racer. Mondial's miniature masterpiece duly brought the Bologna manufacturer its first World Championship the following year and proved equally dominant in 1950 and '51. After a relatively lean spell, Mondial returned to Grand Prix glory in 1957, taking both the 125cc and 250cc World Championships. The factory closed in 1979, but before then the traditional four-strokes had been superseded by a range of two-strokes such as the Sachs-powered enduro model offered here.

With 18.5bhp on tap, a six-speed gearbox and weighing a mere 90kg (198lb), it should be entertainingly lively. The machine was last taxed in 1980.