FB Mondial

125cc Turismo 1951 

After the retreating German army razed their truck factory during the Allied advance through Italy, brothers Giuseppe, Carlo, Ettore, and Luigi Boselli launched a new venture in Milan in 1948 to supply war-torn Italy’s need for basic transportation. FB Mondial—the initials for “Fratelli Boselli” and Mondial translated from French as “Global”—quickly earned a reputation for producing high-quality, lightweight motorcycles. With a keen understanding that racing victories were vital to the company’s acceptance among the fraternity of motorcycle manufacturers, Giuseppe Boselli collaborated with chief engineer Alfonso Drusiani to produce a radical new racer. Drusiani’s 125cc four-stroke single cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts took rivals Morini and MV Agusta by storm and earned global acclaim on racetracks throughout Europe and Great Britain.

Mondial introduced its first production roadsters in 1950. The pushrod four-stroke 125cc bikes possessed some styling and engineering similarities to their racing counterparts, and were offered in sport, super sport, and touring trim. Each featured identical frames with pressed-steel girder forks and plunger rear suspension. Although more expensive than counterparts offered by rival companies, the Mondial roadsters were particularly sturdy, fast, and in high demand by riding enthusiasts eager to mount bikes so similar to the world champions of the racing circuit. Mondial’s Grand Prix titles in 1949, 1950, and 1951 were referenced in the company’s logo on the gas tanks of its roadsters.