In the 70’s, Brazil had a true moped invasion, but one model was the symbol of that era, having its name branded as a synonym of “moped” in Brazil: Caloi Mobylette.
THE FRENCH ORIGIN: MOTOBECANE
To start telling the history of Mobylette in Brazil, we need to tell the history of her French sister.
Motobecane was a great moped manufacturer in France, where it developed its first version of Mobylette, in 1949.
The brand, founded by Axel Bardin, Charles Benoît and Jules Benezech, in 1924, is part of the French two-wheeled History, thanks to the legendary post-war Mobylette and their main model, AV88, nicknamed “La Bleue”.
Motobecane produced something circa 30 million Mobylettes worldwide, until its closure in 1981.
GREEN-AND-YELLOW MOBYLETTE
In the 70’s, Caloi, Brazilian bicycle factory, facing the sale success of the Austrian moped Puch, manufactured under license by Motovi since 1972, decided to jump right into this new market share and gone after a license from Motobecane to build the most succeeded moped in Brazilian History, the Mobylette.
Caloi provided the build of its new factory in Manaus Free Zone where, starting from 1975, began to manufacture its moped.
Due to the facility to import spare parts directly from France, through tax exemption by having its factory in Manaus, Caloi achieved enormous success in sales since its release, due to the good quality of the moped, and strong publicity campaign.
Mobylette, like the ther mopeds of the epoch, had a two-stroke engine, automatic clutch system made by conic pulley belts similar to CVT, pedal starting system, fueled with gasoline to which was mixed 3% of 2-stroke oil to lubrication, put in a fuel tank with 3 liter capacity.
Mobylette Caloi 50, with the AV7 engine, was made until 1979.
In 1980, Mobylette passed through meaningful changes, passing to adopt the modern AV10 engine, an evolution from the previous version. Got also a new (Round) headlight and backlight.
In 1981 occurs the major change in the line. Mobylette changed totally its frame configuration, this new model nominated Mobylette II AV10. Its modern design, however, was extremely similar to its major rival, the also newly remodeled Monareta AV-X, from Monark.
Similarities were too much, and the only major difference between both was the fact of Monark’s fuel tank be plastic, placed under the seat, and Caloi’s be inside the frame’s tube, and the backlight, that on Monark was also under the seat, behind the fuel tank, meanwhile on Caloi it was placed in the back fender.
In 1983, Mobylette gets new updates, receiving a new back, where the frame, in the back, gets a new design, as like a new fender, now in plastic, with integrated backlight, making it more youthful.
In 1986, the moped pass through a new and marking remodeling. Adopting fairing, new front fender and rack, Mobylette gets a youngster appeal and now it is renamed Mobylette XR.
Beyond the XR version, Mobylette also had the CX version, more spartan, without the fairing and with metallic front fender, painted in the model’s color.
In 1988, Mobylette kept going without major changes, but kept firm in sales.
1990’s XR model, with new colors and graphics.
Mobylette kept firm in 1993, with new colors and graphics.
The 1995 model came with changes only in the sticks’ graphics.
The 1998 model was Mobylette’s last model.
Mobylette in Brazil was a great success, being the dream come true of the first motorcycle of generations of Brazilians, who had the privilege of having one.
Actually, a “revival” of the Mobylette, similar to Caloi’s, is manufactured by Bikelete, named simply “Moby”. Its frame has the same design to Caloi’s last Mobylette XR, with a slight difference in the fuel nozzle’s position (Now, near the fork). There’s a 4-stroke version of this moped, as well.
MOBYLETTE AV10 XR 50CC — TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Engine = One cylinder, 2-stroke, air cooled
Displacement = 49,90 cc
Fuel = Gasoline
Max power = 2,2 HP at 5500 rpm
Transmission = CVT – Auxiliary chain and pinion
Ignition = By coil
Injection = 12mm carbureted
2 stroke oil mixture = 63ml of 2T mineral oil for air cooled engines (break-in period of 500km) and 40ml (after break-in or 500km) for every 1 liter of regular gasoline;
Start = Mechanical (A short pedal stroke and release the clutch)
Brakes = 80mm drum front and rear
Wheels = 2.00 x 17″
Frame = steel
Front Suspension = Conventional telescopic
Rear suspension = conventional with spring damper
Weight = 46kg
