OK to request help identifying a mid-90s bike?
 

I want to make sure and not be asking about a bicycle that is "too modern" for the thread & anger the community.

I have lurked the BF forums for years but always quietly & only have 5 posts. I need to round out my 10 to geet to actually post the info & images.

Please let me know if somewhat obscure, 90s eyetalyan stuff is correct here or if there's an better forum to ask within.

Go for it. Worst that can happen is someone doesn't help.

Thanks Unca_Sam. I'll give it a shot.

BTW, Unca_Sam, I like the Arthur/The Moth. Also, I'll have to go check out your '66 Racer Deluxe & see how much nicer it is than my regular ol' '68 Racer.

Pic Assist - https://www.bikeforums.net/g/album/22303305

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a86d7c304d.jpg

It looks like a post Orazio Grenzi Virginia, so it should have come out of Luciano Paletti's shop.

Mid 90’s bikes are all over this forum. That is one cool bike and now I have a new itch to scratch. Virginia!

That bike is in the wrong state.

You're a good one, cb400bill (and which era CB400 are you?)

:twitchy:

1976. Red. Sold it years ago.

Thank you to all who have helped already; getting an image up & chimed in before I was allowed to fully post.

Now I wanted to post more detailed photos in hopes of it striking the right memory to find out more about the bike...

This is a recent purchase for me from an Italian shop, but they hadn't had much information either. I thought it was still interesting enough & the equipment on it was also worthy. All Campy parts, Campy dropouts front/rear. Interesting mix of welds. And so on.

I contacted Frank @ Classic Steel Bikes hoping his knowledge would lead me further along, but he only had a couple of (helpful) thoughts quoted here:
"Hard to find any info about the Virginia brand indeed.
Virginia was and still is a bike shop in Modena, Italy. They didn't produce the frames themselves, the frames were made by various frame builders (all Italian)
Your bike is built with Mannesmann steel (very pure CroMo steel) and the frame building was done by Oria, Verona. Good quality tubing!! Nice detail is that your frame has the lugless TIG welded triangel and the solid luged bottom bracket pot for extra stiffness.

I would date this as an early 1990's frame?

Here some links you may like:
ciclivirginia.it
ITALIAN CYCLING JOURNAL: Oria Steel, Tubing for Frame Building"

I sent an email to Virginia Bici, but haven't heard back in the couple of weeks since. That's where I am hoping someone here may know a little bit more.

Just purchased an NOS ITM stem & new, current width bars so that now I can start & complete the refurb. Can't wait to ride it!

Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer their knowledge.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...784ac46a1d.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a86d7c304d.jpg
I know it can be polarizing, but I LOVE the color combo of the frame & could even deal with the bar tape if I was going to keep it, but going with perforated white leather on tape & this temp black Flite saddle until I can afford a white version.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f5e02db52a.jpg
Was thinking of going all white cabling too, but as these are all in good condition & I'm not needing to dump a bunch of unnecessary money into a non-necessity item, they'll stay black until the next full wire & cable redo.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b193f046b8.jpg
The fades & stars are actual paint but the "Ettore A." is a sticker.https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c7f5b36c45.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...608f98c1ca.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...394c0cb3c4.jpg
It's like a semi-hexagonal semi-round bottom bracket shell
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...980017c79f.jpg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...678d7a93a6.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...635291dd57.jpg

Man, no real information but that bike is a beauty. I saw another Virginia bike somewhere not that long ago. As a Virginia native it caught my eye but like you no real info other than it was a shop in Italy.

Wow, I'm really digging this thing.

Looks like you're a rather itchy sort, Spaghetti Legs! That's quite the beautiful lot you have.

That bike is so nice it hurts.

Congratulations on the finest
thread ever. :thumb:

The best advice that I can offer is to clamp your bike to the work stand on the seat post, not the top tube

Thanks cb400bill.

I completely agree. The clamp isn’t actually pinched/closed onto the tube. Only set it in there as the seatpost is in a temp torque so I could take the photos.

My other main riding bikes are a really thin-walled Bianchi EL-OS & a carbon-framed one so I’m generally clamped with the seatpost.

But I appreciate you keeping an eye out for the safety of it.

I feel that’s highly optimistic, but I super appreciate your enthusiasm.

yeah, I was Yamaha RZ350 kid. Never went back after my accident.

A friend still has her Kenny Roberts RZ350.

a buddy of mine had one of those too.

such light & fast lil rides.

now if only I could figure out this new ride (Virginia)!

What is there to figure out?

What a beauty.

Since you seem to still be confused about what you have....

VIRGINIA - FRAMETELLER (in Italian)

I tried to put a Google translate link in but it doesn't seem to work. If you go to Google translate and put the webpage into it, and then click on that link, it will translate the page for you.

nothing beyond satisfying my curiosity & my want to be able to know it’s history, it’s era, maybe a model name, maybe even who Ettore A. was/is.

just always nice to actually know a bike while getting to know it.

Thank you, Choke. I appreciate the effort & info. The Italian language page made me work to remember my 4 years of high school Italian.

It’s not that I’m confused per se, it’s more that I’d love to know more about the company & more about this specific model (what it even is) & so on.

It’s obviously not a mandate in order for me to enjoy the bike, I just think it’s unique enough to try to know more about it.

Thanks is again for the info!

Apologies, MauriceMoss. I had meant to give my thanks early on & got distracted with "only 5 posts, etc.). Anyway, thank you.

So, I looked into the Paletti thing as the engraved bottom bracket & the shared nameplate logo could be sort of a more modern/bastardized version of the Luciano Paletti nameplate, but then I was reading more about the Paletti & realized Luciano's son, Michele took over the business & maybe he incorporated an "MP" for a logo?
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...815601e0d1.png
Luciano Paletti on left, the Virginia with the additional, unknown logo. Similar, but again, can it be a Michele Paletti logo?

It's hard to get a complete idea of the Virginia brand from the VIRGINIA - FRAMETELLER page as it really only has bikes into the early 80s represented. Looking at the Paletti page though, they have newer bikes & even reference BF member
jamesdak 's bike that has very similar types of welds & shapes of internal cable routes.

Lastly (for this entry at least), I was looking at how there are signatures on some of the toptubes, like on my Bianchi, & then noticed I hadn't even taken a photo of the one on the Virginia because I'd been concentrating on the drive-side shots. Unlike my Bianchi, this one is a sticker, but I assume it's there for the same effect.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05040067fb.jpg
This is the "signature" on the Virginia frame. I am not able to discern what the actual name is. Stylized P or T - o - l - A - t - t - u - r - i or c - o and maybe another letter or just a flourish.

Thoughts?

I had the '76 RD 400C, in green - from '79-82 when a left-turning cager took me out. RD400 was totalled. Not mine, but pic from the interwebs. Mine wore a square-tube rear rack with adjustable sissy bar (and it also had the correct mirrors). Of all of the motorcycles I've owned, I REALLY miss this one!!!

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...15e5f000ed.jpg