Gilera

Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera (1887–1971). In 1969, the company was purchased by Piaggio.

History

Giuseppe Gilera founded his self-named motorcycle company in 1909 (aged 22) near

Gilera subsequently produced a series of V-twins and single-cylinder models with sidevalve, F-head, and overhead-valve configurations. After WW1, the factory was moved to Arcore, between Milan and Lecco, very near the Monza racing circuit. Racing was always a focus for the brand, with Giusseppe's brother Luigi a successful ISDT participant in the early 1930s. ^[2] After withdrawing from competition in 1957, Gilera changed direction abruptly. They downplayed their hitherto successful line of four-stroke singles and began to focus on motocross and off-road events in association with independent specialist Elmeca. Sales declined through the 1960s and by 1968 the company was in receivership.^[3]

In 1969, Gilera became part of the Piaggio group. In 1992, Gilera made a return to the Grand Prix arena and Piaggio continues to produce small-displacement motorcycles with the Gilera name. The famous factory of Arcore was closed in 1993 and now the motorcycles (only scooters) bearing the name Gilera are produced by Piaggio in Pontedera.

Racing history

In 1935, Gilera acquired rights to the CNA Rondine. It had double-over-head camshafts, forced-inducting supercharger and was water-cooled, producing 60 kW (80 hp) @9000 and had a top speed of 140 mph (230 km/h).

four-stroke engine machines. The engines ranged from 100 to 500 cc, the most famous being the 1939 Saturno. Designed by Giuseppe Salmaggi, the Saturno was inspired by the pre-war Gilera VTEGS 500 cc “Otto Bulloni” yet was quite different due to its unit construction.^[5]

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After World War II, Gilera dominated

In 1966 Minter arranged to ride the Gileras at the TT in June,[7] again without success as he crashed on a wet road surface after a rain shower at Brandish Corner during the last practice before race-week, breaking his left wrist which ended his racing for the rest of the race season. The bikes were raced at Brands Hatch later in the year.^[8]

The four-cylinder Gilera engine was also used successfully for world championship sidecar races. Eight victories in the sidecar class, as well as four runners-up in the world championship from 1949 to 1952 (three times Ercole Frigerio and one Albino Milani), showed the potential of the engine. In 1954, the Gilera four-cylinder was used by Piero Taruffi for the record-breaking TARF vehicle.^{[9][10][Note 1]} The Swiss driver Florian Camathias won a sidecar race with a Gilera four-cylinder engine for the last time in 1964.^{[citation needed]}

European championships

Year	Class	Rider
1939	500 cc	Dorino Serafini

MotoGP World Championship

Gilera won the following World Titles:

• 500 cc class
  :

Year	Class	Rider
1950	500 cc	Umberto Masetti
1952	500 cc	Umberto Masetti
1953	500 cc	Geoff Duke
1954	500 cc	Geoff Duke
1955	500 cc	Geoff Duke
1957	500 cc	Libero Liberati

• 250 cc class
  :

Year	Class	Rider
2008	250 cc	Marco Simoncelli

• 125 cc class
  :

Year	Class	Rider
2001	125 cc	Manuel Poggiali

MotoGP World Constructors champions

• 500 cc class
  • 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957

Isle of Man Tourist Trophy

• 350 cc class

• 500 cc class

Year	Champion	Class	Motorcycle
1955 Isle of Man TT	Geoff Duke	Class 500 cc
1957 Isle of Man TT	Bob McIntyre	Class 500 cc
1963 Isle of Man TT	John Hartle Second	Class 500 cc	Team Scuderia Duke Gilera
1963 Isle of Man TT	Phil Read Third	Class 500 cc	Team Scuderia Duke Gilera

Motorcycles

Racing motorcycles

Model	Engine	Years	Notes	Image
Gilera 500 Rondine		()
Gilera 5004C		()
Gilera RSA 250		()

Historic

Model	Engine	Years	Notes	Image
500 LTE		()	Produced during World War II for the Italian army.
Marte		()	Produced during World War II for the Italian army, the Marte was a 498 cc (30.4 cu in) OHV single with 14 bhp (10 kW). Intended for use with a sidecar, the Marte had a shaft drive and hand-operated transmission.
Saturno		()	Produced after World War II until 1959 as a 498 cc (30.4 cu in) overhead camshaft opposition.[11]

Modern

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Model	Engine	Years	Notes	Image
Coguar		()
Ice		()
Storm		()
RV	124,3 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1984-1987)
RX	124,3 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1984-)
KK	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1986-1987)
KZ	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1986-1987)
Saturno Bialbero 500		(1987-1991)	Produced from the late 1980s as a modern version of the historic Saturno using a 491 cc DOHC engine with 45 bhp @ 7,500 rpm[11][12]
XR1	124,3 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1988-1989)
MX1 / MXR	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1988-1990)
SP 01 / SP 02	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1988-1991)
RC 600		(1989-1994)
Nordwest 600		(1991-1994)
Freestyle 125	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1991-1994)
CX	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1991-1993)
Crono	124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling	(1991-1992)
GFR		(1993-1994)
DNA		(1996-2009)
Runner		(1997-2020)
Nexus		(2003-2012)
GP800		(2006-2013)
Fuoco		(2007-2017)
Ice		(2001-2003)

Moped

Model	Engine	Years	Notes	Image
Eco / EC1 / Città		(1979-1989)	(moped)
Stalker		(1996-2012)	(also known as SKP)
SMT / RCR		(2003-2020)

See also

• List of Italian companies
• List of motorcycle manufacturers

References

1. ^ The TARF was initially powered by a Moto Guzzi 500 two-cylinder engine, which was subsequently replaced with Gilera 350 cc, 500 cc and 550 cc four-cylinder designs.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gilera.

• Official website
• The Gilera Historical Register