HALF AND HALF
Most enthusiasts would associate the name of Italjet with either quirky mini-bikes or some feisty off-roaders and possibly overlook the impressive 650cc 4-stroke twin that for four years in the late 1960s and early 1970s rolled off the Bolognese factory production lines.
It carried the name Grifon on its beautifully crafted side panels, and it’s believed that this particular bike — now owed by West Country enthusiast Roger Chapman — is possibly the only one of its kind in the U.K.
By the mid-1960s, motorcycling in Italy had lost its appeal and numerous well established firms like Parilla, Mi-Val, Bianchi, Capriolo, MM and Rumi had been forced to close their doors. Even big manufacturers including Moto Guzzi, Ducati and Laverda were running into the red. Largely thanks to government and military orders, they managed to survive. Their salvation came with the huge and burgeoning American market which was crying out for large capacity twins. This proved to be a happy hunting ground for Triumph, who in 1967 exported a staggering 28,700 units stateside. It was the latest unit-construction Bonneville engine which would power the Bolognese masterpiece, the first and only time the Meriden twin engine would be used by another manufacturer.
In its four year production period, around one thousand Grifon’s were made, with the bulk going
