Borgo Motorcycles

A Brief History of the Marque

Manufactured: 1906-1926
Fabbrica Italiana Velocipedi e Motocicli Borgo
Via Pier Carlo Boggio, 50 e Strada Circonvallzaione, Torino. (ca 1914, 1915)

Founded in Turin by the brothers Alberto, Carlo and Edmondo Borgo the small firm produced quite advanced motorcycles.

Early models were single-cylinder models with IOE valves. In 1911 they adopted aluminium pistons, an idea possibly copied from W.O. Bentley.

Then came V-Twin engines of 827cc and during WWI a 990cc model appeared.

Inlet Over Exhaust

Aka the F-Head, the IOE system was widely used in early four-stroke engines. Italiano: valvole di aspirazione sopra quelle di scarico; contrapposte.

In 1920 they produced a unit-construction 477cc v-twin engine with four-valve heads and, fifty years before Triumph developed the concept, with the oil tank integral with the frame.

The firm ceased motorcycle manufacture to concentrate their efforts on producing pistons in 1926.

Notes

Victorina Sambri raced Motoborgo machines from 1914 until at least 1922 when she won a round of the 500cc Italian Championship. Victorina Sambri.

Borgo name and locations:

Fabbrica Italiana Velocipedi e Motocicli Borgo
Via Pier Carlo Boggio, 50 e Strada Circonvallzaione, Torino. (ca 1914, 1915)
The advert shows on the firm's factory in very large letters, E. M. BORGO, and the text uses Motoborgo and La Motoborgo.

Motoborgo - La Marca Italiana di Gran Lusso
Fabbrica Italiana Motociclette Borgo
Via XX Settembre, 15, Torino
(dated anni '1920 on ebay advert)

Moto Borgo, Torino (1920s, probably)

For more information on the development of alloy pistons see Cappa

Sources: Henshaw, Tragatsch, MC Storico Conti, et al.

Borgo Models include:

Could not identify either machine. The one with the gentleman aboard is quite distinctive as few machines have a front fork of that nature. It appears to be pre-WWI. The second machine, with the little girl, is likely mid-1920s given the style of fuel tank, the front brake, and the primary and final drive arrangement.
Images posted to Comments

Buongiorno, vorrei se possibile individuare su quali moto d'epoca erano montati questi pistoni Borgo - fasce Brico Coventry e valvole acciaio speciale. grazie per tutte le informazioni che potrete darmi. cordiali saluti www.cossu.it
pietro
09128 cagliari sardegna Italy

Good morning, I would like to see on which vintage bikes were mounted these pistons Borgo - Brico Coventry bands and special steel valves. thanks for all the information you can give me. best regards

Borgo-1930c-Pistons-Cagliari.jpg posted to Comments

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