Rome Motodays 2018 | UM Motorcycles arrives in Italy, Carpinelli: “Quality is our only goal”

At Roma Motodays 2018, UM Motorcycles, an American company founded in the early 2000s that focuses on young people with 125 cc motorcycles, landed in Italy for the first time.

The American company will land in Italy with 7 models. The Renegade series includes 4 models, from Cruisers to Scramblers (Commando, Commando Classic, Sport S, Scrambler). The Off-Road DSR series consists of three models: the DSR Enduro EX (a classic enduro), the DSR SM (a supermotard) and the DSR Adventure TT. (For model details click , here)

We therefore decided to talk to those who decided to bring UM Motorcycles to Italy, Alberto Carpinelli: “UM motorcyles is a company founded in 2000 in Miami. The company then expanded to South America, into emerging markets. It has started marketing in Europe in the last three years, in: Portugal, Spain, Austria, Germany, England and now in Italy. In Portugal there is the European base, from which the motorbikes and spare parts can depart. The spare parts logistics are managed by the Portuguese platform, which is well organized because it is also the distributor for Kawasaki and Benelli for Portugal. Which provides reliability and guarantee.”


The company currently has brought 125 motorbikes to Italy and Europe, so focus a lot on young people, in particular new drivers. Will there be any news soon?

“The company absolutely focuses on young people. In Europe we are marketing the 125, as we are in a position to have this displacement Euro4 approved and we are also approving the 300, modifying them to comply with the regulations. We will also have the Renegade in 300 version as in the rest of the world. The 125s are important bikes, well sized and above all well made. Where the sixteen-year-old finds true satisfaction, both from an aesthetic point of view and from that of reliability and use.”

A few more details?

“The bikes are all liquid cooled. The enduro version uses engines from the Piaggio group, so they are shared by Aprilia and Derbi and there are also other brands that use it. Participation with the Piaggio group, however, is not limited to engines alone but in some cases also to the entire motorcycle. We therefore have production lines shared with Aprilia. We are able to market in a more advantageous way for the end user, because the company is young and dynamic, and does not carry the costs on its shoulders, not only of marketing but also of distribution and organization which increase costs. The models are of well-informed quality and are made to last so the price may be lighter than the models with which they share the mechanical parts."

Even the design is taken care of down to the smallest details

“There is a lot of Italian in these motorbikes, both in the Enduro and in the Costum versions, because the designer is a very good artist who has already worked for various companies, he has some very important creations under his belt which range from custom to motorbikes created for speed record. Relying on a high-level design studio is a quality choice, not just a marketing one. If we follow the models of the past, the product would have an easy success, initially, and then decline. We have decided, even if it is more difficult, to be original and beautiful. Quality is fundamental and is our only objective together with the pleasantness and happiness of the end customer.”

At the end of the interview, Carpinelli also revealed a little secret to us. It is his intention to create a small flat track championship consisting of 5 races and truly attractive entry costs. It would take place in a former racetrack on UM Scramblers.