We've followed the Zaeta project from nearly day one and I was over the moon to see this passion project still alive and kicking in photos from EICMA. Then I realised I'd missed a major piece of the company's history: they're WORLD CHAMPIONS! Er...
It turns out the Geneva-based FIM - Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme - are clearly drinking from the same fountain as those fellow Swiss-based nutcases, FIFA. The FIM sanctioned a one-race world championship at Misano, in September.
There were riders from all over Europe, but no Brits or North Americans (see the entry list at the bottom of this post). Other nations could have entered, I'm sure, but it didn't seem to be a widely publicised. Zaeta's Francesco Cecchini beat the international field that included 2018 DTRA second place rider and recently crowned Spanish national champ, Gerard Bailo.
Cecchini rode a development of the Zaeta DT, the TM-powered Corse Tricolore. The company's 'capo' Paolo Chiaia sent us photos and details...
Frame designed and produced by InMotion Group
TM is providing racing engines 450FI
It is very different from the previous
Slightly higher from the ground
New carbon fibre parts designed for a seat which is longer and embraces part of the tank
Race Ohlins front and rear
New exhausts under the seat.
Weight is more or less unchanged , about 100kg with liquids
It seems there is a proposed three-round FIM World Championship for 2019, with two Italian rounds sandwiching a French race. How they can call this a world championship is slightly baffling.
If all this Zaeta talk has given you the itch for one of these exclusive Italian street trackers, our friends at Krazy Horse are UK importers or go to Zaeta facebook
Further reading
SB26 Zaeta x El Solitario x Dirt Quake road trip and cover story
SB17 Maxwell Paternoster Zaeta
SB11 Zaeta DT and Paolo Chiaia
SB5 Original steel frame Zaeta
The 2017 FIM World Championship Entry List
Photos: Roberta Tomba, Huub Breedveld