Naked Malaguti Drakon 250 Under Development

Like most of the bikes built under the KSR Group’s umbrella, the Malaguti Drakon 250 will be built in China. But this model is ultimately destined for Europe. (Malaguti/)

Malaguti is among the seemingly bottomless pit of famous motorcycle brands being reborn, and having already announced plans to sell a new Drakon 125 in Europe, the company is now developing a larger-displacement 250cc version.

Malaguti was founded in 1930 in Bologna, Italy, focusing at first on bicycles before building motorcycles in the late ‘50s, then rode the wave of vast European scooter sales in the 1990s and early 2000s, however it all sank in 2011. Then in 2019, it reappeared under the ownership of Austria’s KSR Group, launching a range of Aprilia-based bikes including the RST125 (a rebranded Aprilia RS 125), the Monte Pro 125 (based on the Derbi Mulhacen), and the XSM125 (an Aprilia SX 125 under another badge). That same year it showed its first new in-house design, the Drakon 125, which is edging toward production now.

Now a second model, the Drakon 250, has emerged via a Chinese type-approval filing. As with some of its other brands like Brixton and Motron, KSR uses Chinese manufacturing to keep costs down, employing existing companies to make its machines. In the case of the Malaguti Drakon 250, the manufacturer is Zongshen, one of China’s older and better-respected bike makers and part owner of the Zongshen-Piaggio joint venture that manufactures Aprilias in China.

Malaguti’s Drakon 125 was first shown back in 2019 and is believed to be near-production ready. (Malaguti/)

Understandably then, the Drakon 250 features Aprilia parts, most notably the same 249cc single-cylinder engine that’s used in the Chinese-market Aprilia GPR250 (an upsized RS 125) and GPR250S (essentially a 250cc version of the Tuono 125 that’s offered elsewhere). The engine features a 72mm bore and 61.2mm stroke, and has a claimed output of 27.5 hp and 15.9 pound-feet of peak torque, and isn’t currently offered in anything outside of China. In comparison, the Drakon 125 has a claimed 13.4 hp and 7.7 pound-feet of peak torque—so as well as twice the capacity, the Drakon 250 has slightly more than double its sibling’s power output.

Since the Malaguti brand is aimed squarely at Europe, the Drakon 250 (and that engine) are likely heading west.

According to the type-approval document, the Drakon 250 weighs 331 pounds wet, which is just 14 pounds more than the 125cc version, and its physical dimensions are virtually identical to the smaller-engined bike. The tires are a fraction wider at 110/70-17 front and 140/70-17 rear, compared to the 125′s 100/80-17 and 130/70-17, but all the body panels appear to be direct carryovers from the Drakon 125. The only other noticeable visual change is the redesign to the pillion pegs, which are mounted on extensions of the rider’s footpeg brackets instead of hanging from the seat subframe, as on the smaller Drakon.

Will Malaguti return to the US market? Most likely not. The current range, focused around 125cc bikes, isn’t well suited to North America’s demands, but the fact that the firm is targeting Western buyers in Europe rather than chasing sales in Asia suggests that future models could be larger capacity and more appealing for other international markets.