PAT, an acronym for Piero Ancillotti Tuning, refers to Alberto's older brother, who, together with their father Gualtiero, founded the Ancillotti brand as we know it today. In the early 1980s, Piero, driven by Ancillotti’s undeniable commercial success over 40,000 motorcycles sold in less than twenty years and the brand’s remarkable sporting achievements, including three world speed records still unbeaten today (set at Monza in 1965 and Elvington, England, in 1966 with the specially tuned Ancillotti Lambretta “Special 250 c.c.”), as well as 15 Italian championships in Motocross, Regularity, and Trial between 1971 and 1979, victories in European championships in Finland, Sweden, France, and Spain, and a gold medal at the “International Six Days Trial,” decided to enter the exhaust system market, then dominated by Malossi, Polini, and Giannelli. Over the years, Ancillotti had registered numerous patents, including new exhaust systems for Enduro and Motocross bikes, as well as the famous performance exhausts for Lambretta Innocenti. Drawing on this extensive experience, Piero decided to patent and manufacture, between the late 1970s and early 1980s, several exhaust systems with matching "finalino" silencers for various motorcycle and scooter models from different manufacturers of the time. With Ancillotti Motorcycles, Piero chose to market these exhaust systems under the PAT brand. For each motorcycle brand and model, much like in a modern co-branding strategy, Ancillotti applied stickers on the exhausts and silencers with inscriptions such as: “BY PAT FOR CAGIVA,” “BY PAT FOR APRILIA,” and “BY PAT FOR PIAGGIO” (Ciao and Vespa T5). Each exhaust came with a technical sheet detailing its construction features and installation instructions. For instance, in the sheet provided with the Vespa T5 exhaust, there was a specific note: “Technical Communication: For the correct installation of our Vespa T5 exhaust, it is essential to secure the silencer using a metal strap attached to the cooling fan locking screw. The silencer comes with a clamp and an M8 bolt with a nut, to which the strap must be fastened. Please ensure that the strap is not placed between the clamp but inside it, so that the bolt can be properly tightened.” The slogans included: “Using our products, your skills, and your bike, you can become your own mechanic, fine-tuning your ride and diving into this exciting hobby. Have fun with PAT!!” and “Unleash the horsepower of your bike with PAT products.” Stickers on the silencers often featured the phrase “the Best” alongside the PAT logo. Never before, as in the 1980s, had mopeds symbolized freedom and independence for entire generations those were the golden years of the tuboni, Fifty, and Peripoli. The Florentine brand introduced the Cioè, the Ciò, and the Più four-speed models. Ancillotti had devised a simple yet effective marketing strategy straightforward slogans with plain words designed to engage and excite young riders of the time, turning bike modification into a hobby. Being able to tweak one’s own ride, like a real mechanic, held a deeper meaning back then it meant growing up, being self-sufficient, and proving that your bike was faster than the others, even if only by a few kilometers per hour.
Today, looking back, it brings a smile…