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

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.

Sound clips of the bikes would be nice

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

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...)

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

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

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

Had a CBX loved it .

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.

Love those motorcycle ❤️🥵🇮🇹

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

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

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

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

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?

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.

👏

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.

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

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 😆