Not content to compete in the sport, scrambler, and adventure spaces with its Kawasaki-licensed/CFMoto-built 649cc parallel twin motor, Moto Morini is stepping into the contemporary cruiser market with a displacement bump for a torque infusion. The 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 arrives in America with its Italian-designed and Chinese-built offering. The price is an aggressive $5999, less expensive than a Kawasaki Eliminator 450 or Honda Rebel 500. We were impressed by the Motor Morini SCR Trek scrambler and STR Sport models we reviewed earlier this year, so we eagerly grabbed the new 2025 Calibro 700 as soon as possible.
- Although the name Calibro sounds like surfer-speak when spoken by Southern California natives—“Cali bro”—it means “caliber” in Italian. Interestingly, the Italian pronunciation of calibro is closer to “Cali bro” than you might expect. Hey, we laughed at the Grom name when Honda revealed it. So, Calibro it is, bro.
- The 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 is a lightweight urban cruiser with modern styling. Rather than relying on the company’s positioning as a heritage brand, the Calibro 700 offers the same kind of non-retro styling we have seen in the Honda Rebels and the Kawasaki Vulcan S. It’s a successful look, and not a bad alternative when faced with the natural authenticity of the American cruiser brands. Regardless, the Calibro 700 is a good-looking motorcycle that elicited unprovoked positive remarks at fuel stops for the bike and rider.
- The ergonomics are relaxed and comfortable. While footpegs are forward, the seating position is upright and natural. The grips on the moderate buckhorn-bend handlebar aren’t too far away, so the rider isn’t in a jackknife position. Instead, the effort is to give the rider legroom without letting style hold too much sway over comfort. The 28.3-inch seat height welcomes a broad range of riders, and the support of the two-piece seat is excellent.
- Warm up the 693cc twin before setting out in the morning. Our other two Moto Morini test bikes have been cold-blooded, and the Calibro is no exception. If you try to set off too soon, you’ll notice hesitation at lower rpm. Once up to operating temperature, the throttle response is as expected. Be patient, bro.
- Riding around town on the 2025 Moto Morini Calibro is effortless. The ergonomics are just right for all-day urban exploits. You’re feeling good, so this isn’t simply a bike for a 10-minute ride to your local caffeine dealer before taking a two-hour break. It will be hard to empty the four-gallon fuel tank on city streets in one day, so it’s only a matter of stopping when you want to, not the bike forcing you off. The 443-pound curb weight means less fatigue—it feels light.
- There’s plenty of power on tap for dealing with traffic. Moto Morini claims 68 horsepower available at 8500 rpm, making the bike more than powerful enough for any freeway. Although you have to rev it to 6500 rpm for the full 50 ft-lbs of torque, there’s plenty available earlier. Also, the Calibro 700 is willing to rev, so it is more than happy to spin up from low rpm into the midrange and beyond. Vibration is kept under control and is not an issue.
- The six-speed transmission is slick, and the clutch has a slipper function—always a good safety feature. Moto Morini didn’t license Kawasaki’s excellent Positive Neutral Finder technology, which is a pity. Regardless, the transmission shifts perfectly well, and the cogs match the powerband and intended use. The clutch pull isn’t unduly heavy, though I wouldn’t turn my nose up if Moto Morini added the assist feature. Speaking of the drive train, the final belt drive is a nice touch—quiet, clean, and low maintenance.
- The handling is secure, with the chassis keeping any sporting notions in check. We don’t have rake and trail numbers, though the 58.7-inch wheelbase lets you know the 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 is about stability. The forward footpegs are fairly low, so you’ll grind the feelers before you know it when changing direction. We were touching down in the urban canyons of Los Angeles, and sometimes when simply making a left or right turn. Fortunately, when the feelers meet the asphalt, it’s not too alarming, so the chassis is not unduly upset.
- The no-name, non-adjustable fixed-damping suspension is up to the task. Rather than try to micromanage short wheel-travel, Moto Morini engineers gave the Calibro 700 generous suspension numbers. Having 4.7 inches of fork travel and four inches of rear wheel travel is well above the genre par, providing plenty of cover should the suspension have less-than-perfect setup or budget-minded action. Occasionally, you’ll hit a dip or pothole that reminds you that the Calibro has suspension built to a price. But, most of the time, it feels just fine, whether cruising the boulevard or getting in some urban twisties.
- You might be wondering about the Timsun tires on the aluminum wheels—we were. As it turns out, the Chinese rubber does just fine in this application. With the limited cornering clearance and manageable power, the demands aren’t excessive, and the Timsun tires get it done. However, we can’t tell you how they’ll work in the rain or how many miles you can put on them until it’s time for a replacement. The 18-/16-inch aluminum wheel combo restricts your choices a bit. We’d think about a pair of a known entity such as the Pirelli Night Dragon tires at replacement time if we were dissatisfied with the Timsun rubber.
- Braking is by J.Juan, and ABS is standard—all good. As with the tires, the J.Juan calipers do what they need to do in conjunction with the 320mm front and 255mm rear discs. Soft initial engagement ramps up nicely as you pull on the brake lever, with additional braking available from the rear wheel. Bosch ABS 10 throws its credibility into the mix, executing its anti-locking duties with the Timsun tires without intrusion into the riding experience on the 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700.
- The single circular hybrid dash looks great, though the layout isn’t right for cruising. The analog-style tachometer is hardly necessary, yet it takes up about 75 percent of the real estate. The speed is displayed digitally, which I like, but the number is small and in the lower right-hand sector; it’s the most essential piece of information and should be more prominent. There’s also a gear-position readout, and it’s even smaller. The LCD is not always easy to read in daylight, though it is spectacular after dark. The switchgear is organic and simple. Moto Morini went with Harley-Davidson-style separate left and right thumb turn indicator switches. Unfortunately, MM left out the self-canceling function, so I would prefer a traditional single left-thumb switch. Right-thumb turn signals are awkward. Sometimes, function has to trump form, even if you’re Italian.
- Moto Morini does a fantastic job with aesthetics and details. While the Calibro 700 is made in China, it doesn’t look like it. There are all sorts of attractive design cues—bobbed front fender, fork gaiters, bikini fairing, twin-shocks, boattail rear fender—and it’s topped off by excellent paint and beautiful machined-steel touches on the engine. Moto Morini branding on the grips, footpegs, handlebar, and bar clamp adds to the premium feel—all for less than $6k.
- It’s tempting to say Motor Morini is back—and they were never truly here in the United States—but it’s more of a new company with a sense of history. The guys at Zhongneng Vehicle Group have a good formula: buy a heritage brand, keep the design house in Europe, and step up the manufacturing quality while still bringing the motorcycles to market at an attractive price. The 2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 is a fun and functional motorcycle that just happens to look quite good and works far better than you would expect for its MSRP. No one has to know how much you paid for it or where it was built. Just let them fantasize about the price of your exotic Italian brand while you bask in the reflected glory and enjoy the ride.
Action photography by Kelly Callan
Static photography by Don Williams
RIDING STYLE
2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 Specs
ENGINE
- Type: Parallel twin
- Displacement: 693cc
- Maximum power: 68 horsepower @ 8500 rpm
- Maximum torque: 50 ft-lbs @ 6500 rpm
- Top speed: 106 mph
- Compression ratio: 11.6:1
- Fueling: Bosch EFI
- Valvetrain: DOHC: 4 vpc
- Cooling: Liquid
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Clutch: Wet multiplate w/ slipper function
- Final drive: Gates carbon belt
CHASSIS
- Frame: Double street cradle w/ steel swingarm
- Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 41mm fork; 4.7 inches
- Rear suspension: Dual shocks; 4.0 inches
- Wheels: Aluminum
- Tires: Timsun
- Front tire: 130/70 x 18
- Rear tire: 180/65 x 16
Front brake: 320mm disc w/ floating 2-piston J.Juan caliper - Rear brake: 255mm disc w/ floating single-piston J.Juan caliper
- ABS: Bosch ABS 10
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 58.7 inches
- Seat height: 28.3 inches
- Fuel capacity: 3.9 gallons
- Curb weight: 443 pounds
- Colors: Metallic Red; Metallic Gray
2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 Price: $5999 MSRP
2025 Moto Morini Calibro 700 Review Photo Gallery
