The DEMM company was split off from the parent group OPRAM (founded in Milan in 1919) in 1928.
The name came from the three owners – Giacomo Daldi, Dino Daldi & Luigi Matteucci (Daldi e Matteucci Milano). The company made industrial components including gears, machine tools & measuring instruments such as micrometers and didn’t enter the motorcycle market until 1953 with a 125cc 2-stroke. The same year saw the introduction of an advanced 50cc 2-stroke motor – which was supplied to other companies such as Legnano and Testi. In 1956 they produced their first moped, the Dick-Dick. While the majority of the company’s output were 50cc 2-strokes (over 800,000 produced) they also made a range of 2 and 4-stroke singles of up to 175cc (some 7,000 built). Also produced were farming equipment and 3 wheel delivery trucks (1,500 constructed). They held a number of world speed records during the late ’50s then won the Italian 50cc Championship in ’61 with a DOHC single. Motorcycle production ceased in 1983 but the company went on manufacturing machine tools and continues to this day as a part of the ZF Transmission Group.
The museum is the work of the father & son team of Giuliano and Mose Mazzini. Giuliano worked at DEMM for decades rising from draughtsman to vice-president. Many of the later engine designs are his work. The museum is located in a section of the original factory, in Porretta Terme, a small town about 60km southwest of Bologna.
THE MUSEUM OF MOTORCYCLES AND MOPEDs DEMM
LOCATION: Porretta Terme, Italy
Open: Saturdays and Sundays
By Phil Aynsley
