Surflex- 75th Anniversary, From Vintage Range to 2026 Bike Clutches
Proud owners of the Italian ' Marchio Storico '- the prestigious recognition awarded in Italy to what are regarded as historic and industrially important brands and businesses- Surflex( founded in 1951) celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2026. To mark the achievement the Tradate( VA) manufacturer is introducing a ' Vintage Range ' of clutch components dedicated to motorbikes from 1914.
It was at that time that the early Italian bike industry was finding its place among the burgeoning British and German brands and models, enjoying already gaining a reputation for design and prestige. Ariel and Norton dominated the international landscape at that time and, in Italy brands such as Bianchi( founded in 1885), Benelli( 1911), Gilera( 1909), Della Ferrera( 1909) and Frera- founded in
1905 and based in Tradate, the same town that would eventually become home to Surflex. Early brands that Surflex worked on included the likes of Vespa and Lambretta scooters, and 50 cc mopeds with Minarelli, Franco Morini and Zündapp engines, and the stylish reverse gear equipped Belgian Sarolea marque. Surflex was founded by Giuseppi Rimoldi, the first Italian manufacturer of motorcycles clutches. Caterina Rimoldi told IDN that " in Surflex enthusiasm and excitement drove the production of mechanical parts and still does. " Racing was always a very important- and successful- market for Surflex. Among other famous racers our sintered discs equipped the MV Agustas of Giacomo Agostini. " Surflex invested heavily in manufacturing technology, much of it was of our design and some of the original equipment is still used sometimes today. It is the only way to replicate the delicate operations and production differences that characterised some of the earliest components made in our factory. The Japanese motorcycle industry started to develop in the 1950s, especially with Mr. Soichiro Honda. Surflex was what we ' d these days call an " early adopter ", offering OEM upgrades for early Honda and other Japanese made models as early as the 1950s. Manufactured in-house, using asbestos-free proprietary friction material blends, some including Kevlar or carbon fibers, the range includes applications for most Harley models- from Sportsters, V-Rods and even Harley-Davidson made Buells, right up to contemporary M8 Touring and Softail applications. In fact, Harley applications right the way up from 1941- the Harley models that were current at the time the Surflex factory began production. From the start, the Surflex vision was to provide " the whole range of components and assemblies and to undertake all processes in-house, from design to machinging. Surflex offers three groups of friction materials- organic, semi-metallic and sintered- which means it
Parts Europe adds Brembo
Brembo is now available across the full Parts Europe distribution network. " Internationally recognised for its leadership in braking system engineering, Brembo ' s products are widely used by motorcycle manufacturers and racing teams, reflecting a commitment to performance, safety, and continuous innovation. " Parts Europe now offers Brembo aftermarket braking components, including brake calipers, discs, pads, master cylinders and related components and accessories. The Brembo range covers a broad spectrum of motorcycle applications, from street and touring models to high-performance sport and trackoriented machines. " All the Brembo aftermarket products supplied by Parts Europe are manufactured to OEM-level quality standards and undergo extensive quality control and
is able to offer a solution " tailored for every single use, in a really vast range." More than one hundred mixtures are available in order to meet specific requirements, such as race, touring, cruiser, enduro or trail use, in bikes of any displacement. Some are designed to work dry, others in an oil bath; in one-plate, multi plate or centrifugal clutches in contact with steel or aluminum components, where abrasion must be reduced to the minimum level ".
SURFLEX S. R. L. Tradate( VA), ITALY Tel: + 39 0331 811795 surflex @ iol. it www. surflex. it
validation. This ensures accurate fitment, regulatory compliance, and dependable performance, making Brembo solutions suitable for both performance upgrades and professional replacement applications."
PARTS EUROPE Wasserliesch / Trier, GERMANY Tel: + 49( 0) 6501 9695 2000 www. partseurope. eu www. brembo. com
42 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- APRIL 2026 www. AMDmag. com