Aermacchi H-D 250 Ala Azzurra - Specifications & Review

Company History

Aermacchi began as an aircraft maker in Varese and pivoted to motorcycles after WWII, applying aeronautical pragmatism to light, affordable transport. The brand’s compact singles and later twins were simple to service and fun to ride, becoming staples of Italian streets and international export markets. In the 1960s, Harley-Davidson acquired a stake, creating Harley-Davidson Aermacchi, and the collaboration yielded notable small-displacement racing wins—especially in 250/350 classes—while supplying approachable road bikes for learners and commuters. The machines combined Italian chassis feel with pragmatic engineering: good frames, sensible ergonomics, and engines that favored tractability. As consumer tastes shifted toward larger, more sophisticated motorcycles, and as Japanese competition intensified, the brand’s momentum waned; eventually the motorcycle division’s assets transitioned, with Cagiva inheriting facilities. Historically, Aermacchi’s significance is twofold: it kept Italy mobile during lean years with honest, repairable bikes, and it showed how cross-Atlantic partnerships could bring small-bike excellence into an American portfolio. Today, Aermacchi-badged bikes and Harley-Aermacchi racers draw enthusiasts who appreciate featherweight handling, mechanical simplicity, and the charming overlap of Italian and American histories written in aluminum, steel, and the bark of a well-tuned single.