The Blata B1 is a minibike model of Blata, the Czech motorcycle company based on the outskirts of Blansko. Blata grew out of a single minimoto built in 1991 and made racing part of its business when it founded the BLATA CUP in 1994.
Blata B1 at a glance
| Maker | Blata, Blansko, Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Class | minimoto (pocket bike) |
| Typical length | about 1 m (class figure) |
| Typical height | about 60 cm (class figure) |
| Typical weight | just over 20 kg (class figure) |
| Engines used in the class | 39 or 50 cc two-stroke, 90 cc four-stroke |
| Cooling | air in Junior classes, liquid elsewhere |
| Typical power | 2–3 hp and 6–7 hp air-cooled, 11 and 14–15 hp liquid-cooled |
| Racing series | BLATA CUP, founded 1994 |
| Model specifications | not published |
No published technical data for the Blata B1 was found. The figures in the table describe the minimoto class in general, as given by the Italian Wikipedia article on minimoto; they are not claimed as the specifications of this model.
History of the Blata B1
Blata is named after Pavel Blata, who worked from 1974 as a test rider for the engineering company Povázské. In 1991 he built his first minimoto in his garage, and the company that followed settled on the first outskirts of Blansko, in Moravia.
The firm produced 554 minimotos in 1992 and began developing a scooter. In 1994 exports to the United States and the European Union started and the BLATA CUP minibike racing series was founded, with the company reaching twenty employees and 2,200 minimotos and scooters built. The B1 belongs to this racing-oriented minibike range, and the maker lists folding motorcycles and quads alongside it.
Minimotos are small circuit machines: about a metre long, around sixty centimetres high and just over twenty kilos, with 39 and 50 cc two-stroke engines in most cases and 90 cc four-strokes also accepted. Junior classes use air cooling, with 2–3 hp from Chinese engines and 6–7 hp from Italian ones, while liquid-cooled engines make 11 hp and 14–15 hp and can reach 18 hp in major championships. Blata also took its racing ambitions to the world championship: in 2005 it was to supply V6 engines to the WCM MotoGP team, renamed Blata WCM, with riders Franco Battaini and James Ellison, though the prototype never raced.
Design and features
- Minibike class: a small machine for circuits and private ground.
- Racing pedigree: produced by the company behind the BLATA CUP series.
- Two-stroke engines: 39 and 50 cc units dominate the class.
- Light and compact: about one metre long and just over twenty kilos in the class.
- World championship link: Blata backed the WCM MotoGP team in 2005.
Blata B1 versions
- Blata B1: the model described on this page.
- Blata Origami: a closely related Blata model.
- Blata pocket: the pocket-bike model of the range.
- Blata Elite: another minibike from Blata.
- Blata 2.5: a further small model.
Related Blata models are the Blata Origami, the Blata pocket and the Blata Elite. More in the Blata collection.
Video: Blata B1 replica story
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Blata, Italian Wikipedia: company history, BLATA CUP, 2005 MotoGP project
- Minimoto, Italian Wikipedia: dimensions, engines, cooling and power
