Introduced in April 1987 and sold immediately after
the Cagiva Freccia C9 Varesina marks the entrance to the home market of the 125
sports. Produced by the legendary Massimo Tamburini, the Arrow is clearly
inspired by the Ducati Paso, the first bike that signs collaboration between
Tamburini and the Castiglioni brothers and that will bring 'the rebirth of
Ducati and MV Agusta later. The C9 is therefore a decided improvement over Gold
Fin S1 and S2 and not only in terms of design: the finish mark a significant
step in the production Cagiva, while the new chassis and engine revised and
finally with the exhaust valve and contribute making the C9 a formidable
competitor.
The C9 remains in production until 1988 when replaced by Freccia C10R.
Price in 1987: 4,698,900 Lira
Available colors: Red / White and Blue / White
The bike soon
Like her older sister Paso, Freccia shows carenatissima with the engine and
chassis totally hidden from view. In front view are prominent appendix without
the fairing and front fender so transparent 'wrap to hide from view most of the
front wheel together with the fork and the brake system. Decidedly understated
the side mirrors that would not sit harmonious line of the fairing. Very good
and complete CEV instrumentation and electrical controls on the handlebars.
Using a solution similar to Gilera KZ, the Arrow takes a monolithic body that
integrates the tank and side panels in one piece, although the actual tank made
of synthetic material is in fact simply hidden within the body. To allow access
to the fuel tank filler, the body includes a hinged lid, secured by lock, which
also gives access to the oil tank and the expansion of the radiator. Pity the
irritating absence of a rod to keep the lid raised above. The side body panels
are well made and well equipped with large openings to allow the exit of hot air
from the radiator, are also practical to access the spark plug. Overall the hull
is well afford the tank body-side panels, and seat of generous size, especially
in the portion devoted to the passenger contributes to an imposing appearance to
the tail of C9. Also the seat, protected by lock and 'opens and allows access to
the air box. Finally, note the tail with the characteristic handle made of
aluminum for the passenger compartment and a small briefcase, protected by a
special lock, built in the extreme 'back of the tail itself. Original exhaust
system that splits at the end to exit the terminal with the two sides of the
laggards.
Cycling
The frame of the C9, totally new compared to the Gold Fin, and 'a modern
double-beam rectangular steel tubes. Two semiculle square tube steel support the
engine before, and always square tube steel and 'long rear shelf that holds the
seat. The front there is a 35mm Marzocchi telescopic hydraulic fork with no
adjustments, while the rear suspension adopts the known system with Soft Damp
Marzocchi shock absorber adjustable in spring preload and combined with a steel
swingarm. The braking system manufactured by Brembo and 'with the front of a
single disk drive to be served by 260mm floating caliper with two parallel
pistons and the back of a hard drive and served as a 240mm dual-piston fixed
caliper opposed. The alloy wheels with Pirelli tires MT45Z Grimeca host in the
following sizes: 100/80x16 to 'front and 110/80x17 rear.
Engine
The engine of C9 has little in common with the previous mounted on S1 and S2,
although it remains the same cylinder fitted with laminated admission into the
cylinder, forced circulation cooling, electric starter and automatic mixer, the
major novelty 'introduced this engine make it new. We see the main news':
The cylinder-piston-head and completely redesigned alloy. (Code 47702 cylinder)
Exhaust valve (CTS Cagiva Torque system) is combined with the resonance chamber
(CPC Cagiva Power Chamber). The system is not very different from APTS Gilera
has a mechanical centrifugal-through appropriate linkage takes the motion from
the crankshaft and through the expansion of metal balls countered by a spring,
it shall gradually open the valve between 7000 and 7500 rpm. The opening of the
CTS therefore arisen as the gradual closure of the CPC result in lower volume of
exhaust gases that pass through and then are routed directly to the exhaust
manifold. CPC CTS and then allow the adoption of a cylinder that sees change its
diagram exhaust the number of turns, and thus maintaining optimum performance at
all speeds.
Adoption of the balancer
Engine and transmission gears again.
Calibration carburetor (Dell'Orto PHBH 28ND) revised and new exhaust system
Cagiva new engine not only offers much higher performance than the previous
sull'Aletta mounted, but also greater driving comfort and a level of vibrations'
down. The new exhaust systems have also greatly improved the quality
'disbursement now is very linear, with no apparent holes delivery. The C9
detects a maximum output of 24.51 hp at the wheel 10000giri (21.25 hp at
8750giri S2) and a speed 'of up to 156.2 km / h (140.3 km / h S2). With regard
to the tests taken in the 400 meters to 50km / h, the merits of the exhaust
valve are felt and the improvements achieved are significant, so as to enable
the C9 to record a time of 19.724 seconds at the speed 'output 95.238 km / h
against the poor results obtained from S2 (22.911 sec 79.646 km / h).
The Italian 125 cc road-bike market has traditionally been filled by a wide
range of machines from literally dozens of different manufacturers. Lately,
however, the struggle for sales supremacy has rationalised into a five-way
battle between Honda's local affiliate and four rival Italian makes: Aprilia,
Gilera, Laverda and Cagiva, each trying frantically to upstage the other by
producing an ever more sophisticated and alluring product with which to tempt
Italian youth into parting with their hard-earned lire.
Cagiva lagged behind the others for a while in terms of mechanical
sophistication, but in May 1987 they produced a bike which stunned their rivals
and captivated buyers: the 125 Freccia ('arrow' in Italian), designed by Massimo
Tamburini, who worked at Bimota for ten years before moving to the Castiglioni
brothers' Cagiva group. The Freccia's visually striking styling would look good
on any bike, but on a relatively humble and inexpensive 125 cc single, it may
well be the most motorcycle for the least money, in real terms, yet put on
That's not to say the Freccia is any slouch in the traffic-light GP stakes.
Not only is its single-cylinder, reed-valve, two-stroke engine the first from
Cagiva to feature a gear-driven balance shaft which completely damps out
unwanted vibrations, but it incorporates much of the techology that won Cagiva
the 1986 World 125 cc Motocross Championship and helped their 500 cc grand prix
contender. Cagiva claim an output of 27 bhp at 10 000 rpm for the little 56 x
50.6 mm engine, enough to power it to a top speed in independent magazine tests
of nc less than 97 mph (156 kph) - more than most 250s could achieve a decade
ago. However, it's the way the Freccia delivers this performance which is so
remarkable. Thanks to the maker's combination of a CTS (Cagiva Torgue System)
power valve, which varies exhaust-port timing according to the engine speed, and
CPC (Cagiva Power Charge power chamber, which varies the resonance of the
exhaust pipe at low revs, bottom-end and mid-range torgue is far greater than
you would expect from a high-revving two-stroke single. The Freccia pulls
cleanly from as low as 3000 rpm, until at 7000 rpm there's a sudden surge of
extra power as the exhaust valve opens fully, leading to GP-levels of
performance at the upper reaches of the rev band - and that remarkable top
speed. The close-ratio, six-speed gearbox makes light work of keeping the engine
on the boil.
The Freccia's handling matches its performance, with the svelte bodywork
hiding a rather different sort of skeleton than its Ducati Paso cousin's
unlovely box-section steel frame. The Freccia's chassis looks as if it might
have come straight from the race track, although the twin-spar design is
executed in chrome-moly steel rather than a race bike's aluminium. You would be
hard pressed to tell the difference thanks to the silver paint it's covered in,
which does enable the bike to look as good with its clothes off as on.
The bodywork is very well made for a high-volume, relatively low-cost model,
and fits together well. The flap behind the steering head unlocks to lift up and
reveal three plastic tanks stored beneath, one each for water, oil and fuel, the
last two mixed together by the automatically variable Mikuni pump, matching the
Kokkusan electronic ignition as evidence that Cagiva will buy the best from
anywhere they have to - including Japan. But the chassis specification is
entirely Latin. Marzocchi suspension front and rear, a 16-inch Grimeca front
wheel and 17-inch rear, Pirelli tyres and Brembo brakes, withjust a single front
260 mm disc.
It's worth examining the Freccia's mechanical specification in some detail,
because for a high-volume 125 cc road bike it's remarkably sophisticated and
completely upstages the opposition. At a sticker price of 4 698 900 lire, it
offers amazing value for money - a fact confirmed by the production shortages
experienced by the factory in mid '87 as they grappled with demand from the
dealers' floors - the more so when Tamburini's strikingly attractive styling
comes free as well. If Bimota had ever stooped to making a 125 cc road rocket,
the Freccia is how it might have been, although there are some different design
themes present in Tamburini's styling for the Cagiva: the front mudguard comes
from the KR500 Kawasaki GP bike of half a decade ago, as designed by
NewZealander Rod Tingate. The full enclosure concept was inaugurated for street
use by Tamburini's successor at Bimota, Federico Martini, on the Ducati-
powered DBI, although Tamburini himself also followed the same lines with his
abortive TGAI racing prototype developed at around the same time when he worked
for the Gallina Suzuki GP team. Also, of course, Tamburini's own Ducati Paso is
reflected in the Freccia by reason of its wide, even slightly bulbous fairing.
But in one sense, though, the baby Cagiva is a true original, the first time
that dream-bike styling has been brought to the marketplace for anyone with less
than five million lire to spend on it - more satisfying than a dream of buying a
Bimota - costing at least five times as much. As Cagiva boss Claudio Castiglioni
says, the Freccia deserves to stand on its own feet and be considered for its
merits, which are considerable and not available for the same price in any other
model. For well under half the price of a Japanese four-cylinder street bike,
Cagiva offer a machine which is at least as sophisticated in mechanical terms,
and whose performance will comfortably exceed the national speed limits in most
countries of the world. Plus it's good-looking, even elegant, and fun to ride.
What more should a motorcycle be?
Source Dream Bikes 1988
Any corrections or more information on these motorcycles will be kindly appreciated.