As little bikes from Japan increasingly flooded the market in the ‘60s, American manufacturers started looking into emulating the more nimble foreign offerings rising in popularity. Instead of developing an existing engine, Harley-Davidson opted to purchase a 50 percent stake in Aermacchi, an Italian marque that produced small displacement bikes. This led to the release of the Sprint 250 in 1961, also later offered in a 350 size under the designations SS and SX, the former a road-bike and the latter a scrambler-style runner.
Despite being outclassed by some of the 350’s made by the competition of the era, the Sprint is still a pretty capable machine. The sub-350 lb (wet) 350 model was powered by an air-cooled 344cc, OHV single that made a reported 25hp at 7,000rpm while boasting a claimed top-speed of over 90mph. The Sprint 350 sold in the late ’60s for $795, a figure that translates to around $6,350 in today’s money.
Sprints quickly rose to popularity in production racing circles and were also used — with some success — in professional racing. In the ’68-’70 race seasons, four of the top ten fastest racers at the Isle of Man’s Junior TT were Aermacchi pilots, two of which bagged second place finishes in the process. The production bikes were often upgraded, as some of the factory components were a bit lacking. The gearbox was just a four-speed, the suspension components were cheap, and before ’74 the model didn’t have an electric start. Making things worse/weirder was that the kickstart was on the left side and the shift pedal was on the right.
One of the most renowned names in Aermacchi circles is Ron Lancaster of Lancaster Aermacchi Sprint Restorations & Parts in Tampico, Illinois. After a relatively long race career — which was cut short after a bad crash in Springfield II in ’72, six years prior to him hanging up his leathers for good — Ron had produced a myriad of specialty tools for the Sprint while working as a toolmaker, and also became the owner of a hydraulic repair shop, giving him access to lathes and other expensive equipment.
Eventually Ron started up his Tampico Sprint specialty shop, gaining an encyclopedic knowledge of the bike and developing a vast network of connections all over the world to help him get his hands on NOS parts. He also reproduces parts using modern, more durable metals. The shop has a dyno it uses to break in newly rebuilt engines before they’re shipped off. In addition to engine rebuilds, Ron’s shop offers pretty much any service one could ever need, and if he doesn’t, he has connections at local paint, powder-coating, foundry, etc shops in his area. If you’re looking to have an Aermacchi Sprint rebuilt, Ron Lancaster is the guy you want to do it.
This particular 1973 Aermacchi 350 example has been rebuilt to resemble a 1967 CRTT racer, albeit with a budget of $10,000. Mike Medford was called on to make the bike’s tank and seat units while the fairing is sourced from a 1960’s model. The 344 cc single was rebuilt by Ron Lancaster and the seller says they have the recipes to prove it. This example also boasts an array of upgraded components such as Magura levers, Tomaselli clip-ons, Akront rims, dual front-brakes, custom front brake drum, left side shift, and more.
The bike’s ad says bill of sale only, and the bike is currently in a storage unit in Nevada. You can find this 1973 CRTT tribute Aermacchi Sprint 350 racer for sale here on Craigslist in Reno, Nevada with a negotiable price of $5,500.