Gilera

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

Gilera
Subsidiary
IndustryMotorcycle and Scooter
Founded1909
FounderGiuseppe Gilera
Headquarters
Pontedera
,
Italy
Area served
Worldwide
ParentPiaggio
Websitegilera.com
Gilera exhibit
1954 Gilera 150 Sport

History

In 1935, Gilera acquired rights to the Rondine four-cylinder engine. It was at that time, the world's most powerful engine with 45 kW (60 hp). The first across-the-frame 4-cylinder motorcycle was the racer 1939 Gilera 500 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).[1] This formed the basis for Gilera' s racing machines for nearly forty years. From the mid-thirties, Gilera developed a range of 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.[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

After World War II, Gilera dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning the 500 cc road racing world championship six times in eight years. Facing a downturn in motorcycle sales due to the increase in the popularity of automobiles after the war, Gilera made a gentleman's agreement with the other Italian motorcycle makers to quit Grand Prix racing after the 1957 season as a cost-cutting measure.

The 1957 500 cc machines on which former World Champion rider Geoff Duke had much success were resurrected in 1963, but with the benefit of newer, upgraded tyre technology of the 1960s were considered still competitive. The team was devised by Duke to challenge the domination of Mike Hailwood on the MV and had early successes with riders Derek Minter and teammate John Hartle at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Imola, Italy.

In May 1963 Minter suffered serious injuries when racing a Norton at Brands Hatch, and his place in the team for the TT races was taken by Phil Read, who came third to second-place teammate Hartle. The team only raced for one season in selected races.

In 1966 Minter arranged to ride the Gileras at the TT in June,[4] 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.[5]

European championships
YearClassRider
1939500 cc Dorino Serafini

MotoGP World Championship
Gilera 5004C

Gilera won the following World Titles:

YearClassRider
1950500 cc Umberto Masetti
1952500 cc Umberto Masetti
1953500 cc Geoff Duke
1954500 cc Geoff Duke
1955500 cc Geoff Duke
1957500 cc Libero Liberati
  • 250 cc class:
YearClassRider
2008250 cc Marco Simoncelli
YearClassRider
2001125 cc Manuel Poggiali

MotoGP World Constructors champions
  • 500 cc class
    • 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957

Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
  • 350 cc class
Year Champion Class Motorcycle
1957 Isle of Man TT Bob McIntyre Class 350 cc
  • 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

Historic
  • 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.
1947 Gilera Saturno.
  • Saturno Produced after World War II until 1959 as a 498 cc (30.4 cu in) OHV single with 22 bhp (16 kW) @ 5,000 rpm and swinging-arm rear suspension using parallel, twin horizontal coil springs. The racing version designated Saturno San Remo was campaigned with success in Italian national and international races but was unable to compete with the multi-cylinder and overhead camshaft opposition.[6]

Modern
  • Citta (moped)
  • Coguar
  • DNA
  • Fuoco or MP3
1989 Gilera Nuovo Saturno Bialbero
  • GFR
  • GP800
  • Ice
  • Nexus
  • Nordwest
  • Runner
  • Nuovo Saturno 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[6][7]
  • Stalker (also known as SKP)
1991 Gilera 125 CX
  • Storm
  • RCR
  • SMT
  • CX
  • MXR
  • MX1
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See also

References
  1. Hamish, Cooper (January 2018). "Radical Rondine: 1939 Gilera 500 Rondine". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  2. James Adam Bolton (February 2011). "The Gilera Saturno". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  3. Cormier, Jason. "Gilera CX125". www.odd-bike.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  4. Motor Cycle 18 August 1966 "Last Sunday night, Derek Minter left for Italy to collect two five-hundred Gileras for the Senior TT". Accessed 31 March 2016
  5. Sixty Years of Speed, 1967, a Motorcycle News publication. Accessed 31 March 2016.
  6. Wilson, Hugo. (1993) The Ultimate Motor-Cycle Book pp.96-97 Gilera. Dorling Kindersley ISBN 0751300438 Accessed and added 2014-12-24
  7. Walker, Mick (2013). Italian Racing Motorcycles. Brooklands Books. ISBN 9781783180066.
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