Gilera

Italian motorcycle manufacturer

Gilera

Type| Subsidiary
Industry| Motorcycle and Scooter
Founded| 1909; 114 years ago (1909), Milan
Founder| Giuseppe Gilera
Defunct| 2020
Headquarters|

Pontedera

Italy

Area served

| Worldwide
Parent| Piaggio
Website| gilera.com
Gilera 600 SuperSport 1954 Gilera 150 Sport

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[edit]

Giuseppe Gilera founded his self-named motorcycle company in 1909 (aged 22) near Milan, Italy. His first model used a 317cc single-cylinder overhead-valve engine (67x90mm bore/stroke) with a single-speed belt drive in a simple open frame with the engine as a stressed member of the frame, and no suspension. It produced 7hp, weighed 75kg, and had a top speed of 105km/h (65mph). [1]

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[edit]

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).[4] 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.[5]

Twin-torpedo bodied Gilera TARF I (late 1940s - early 1950s)

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After World War II, Gilera dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning the 500 cc road racing world championship six times in eight years.[citation needed] 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,[6] 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.[7]

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.[8][9][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[edit]

Year | Class | Rider

|
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1939 | 500 cc |  Dorino Serafini

### MotoGP World Championship[edit]

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

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|

2008 | 250 cc |  Marco Simoncelli

* 125 cc class:

Year | Class | Rider

|
|

2001 | 125 cc |  Manuel Poggiali

### MotoGP World Constructors champions[edit]

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

### Isle of Man Tourist Trophy[edit]

* 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[edit]

### Racing motorcycles[edit]

Model  | Engine  | Years  | Notes  | Image

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|
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Gilera 500 Rondine |  | ()  |  |
Gilera 5004C  |  | ()  |  | Gilera 5004C (1957)
Gilera RSA 250 |  | ()  |  | Gilera RSA 250, 2008, Marco Simoncelli.

### Historic[edit]

Model  | Engine  | Years  | Notes  | Image

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|
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500 LTE |  | ()  | Produced during World War II for the Italian army.  | 1939, Gilera 500 LTE
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) 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.[10] | 1947 Gilera Saturno.

### Modern[edit]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (December 2017)

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Model  | Engine  | Years  | Notes  | Image

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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)  |  | Gilera KZ
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[10][11] | 1989, Gilera Saturno Bialbero 500
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)  |  | Gilera MX1
SP 01 / SP 02 | 124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling | (1988-1991)  |  | Gilera SP 01
RC 600 |  | (1989-1994)  |  |
Nordwest 600  |  | (1991-1994)  |  |
Freestyle 125 | 124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling | (1991-1994)  |  | Freestyle 125
CX | 124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling | (1991-1993)  |  | 1991 Gilera 125 CX
Crono | 124,38 cc, Single, Two-stroke engine, Reed valve, liquid cooling | (1991-1992)  |  | Gilera Crono
GFR |  | (1993-1994)  |  |
DNA |  | (1996-2009)  |  |
Runner |  | (1997-2020)  |  |
Nexus |  | (2003-2012)  |  |
GP800 |  | (2006-2013)  |  | Gilera GP800
Fuoco |  | (2007-2017)  |  | Gilera Fuoco
Ice |  | (2001-2003)  |  |

### Moped[edit]

Model  | Engine  | Years  | Notes  | Image

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|
|
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Eco / EC1 / Città |  | (1979-1989)  | (moped)  | Gilera Città
Stalker |  | (1996-2012)  | (also known as SKP)  | Gilera Stalker
SMT / RCR |  | (2003-2020)  |  | Gilera RCR Gilera SMT

## See also[edit]

* Italy portal
* Companies portal

* List of Italian companies
* List of motorcycle manufacturers

## References[edit]

1. ^ Gilera: the Complete Story. Mick Walker, 2000. Crowood Press
2. ^ Gilera: the Complete Story: pages 10-12. Mick Walker, 2000. Crowood Press.
3. ^ Cormier, Jason. "Gilera CX125". www.odd-bike.com. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
4. ^ Hamish, Cooper (January 2018). "Radical Rondine: 1939 Gilera 500 Rondine". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
5. ^ James Adam Bolton (February 2011). "The Gilera Saturno". Motorcycle Classics. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
6. ^ 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
7. ^ Sixty Years of Speed, 1967, a Motorcycle News publication. Accessed 31 March 2016.
8. ^ "Taruffi Italcorsa Tarf II". Louwman Museum. 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
9. ^ "Tarf". Mauto. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
10. ^ a b Wilson, Hugo. (1993) The Ultimate Motor-Cycle Book pp.96-97 Gilera. Dorling Kindersley ISBN 0751300438 Accessed and added 2014-12-24
11. ^ Walker, Mick (2013). Italian Racing Motorcycles. Brooklands Books. ISBN 9781783180066.

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[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gilera.

* Official website
* The Gilera Historical Register

* v
* t
* e

Gilera

Current motorcycles|

* Runner
* Fuoco

1909-1945|

* 3½ HP
* 500 LTE
* Gran Sport
* L
* Marte
* S
* 6 GiornI
* Sirio
* T
* VT
* VT317

1946-1969|

* 124 5V Regolarità Casa
* 125-150-175
* B300
* G
* Saturno

since 1970|

* 50 4/5/6V
* 503
* Apache
* Arcore/Strada
* Arizona
* Bullit
* CB1
* CBA
* Eco
* Trend
* CX
* Coguar
* Crono
* Dakota
* DNA
* Eaglet
* Freestyle 125
* Ice
* Stalker
* SMT/RCR
* GP800
* Nexus

Racing motorcycles|

* C1
* 125 GP
* GFR 250

Designers|

* Piero Remor
* Lino Tonti

Racing riders|

* Geoff Duke
* Libero Liberati
* Umberto Masetti
* Bob McIntyre
* Manuel Poggiali
* Dorino Serafini
* Marco Simoncelli

Piaggio Group

* v
* t
* e

Piaggio

Discontinued|

* Boss
* Boxer
* Carnaby
* Ciao
* Cosa
* Diesis
* Free
* Grillo
* Hexagon
* NRG
* Quartz
* Sfera
* Si
* Skipper/SKR
* Toledo
* Typhoon/TPH
* Xevo
* X8
* X9
* X10
* Velofax

In production|

* Beverly
* Fly
* Liberty
* Medley
* MyMoover
* MP3
* X7
* Vespa
* Zip
* 1

Vespa vehicles|

* Cosa
* LX
* Granturismo
* GTS
* Primavera
* PX
* Sprint
* T5
* 946
* 150 TAP

Other vehicle|

* Albatros
* AL500
* Ape
* Quargo
* Paperino
* MP6
* M500
* Porter
* PK500
* Trackmaster
* Vespa 400
* Vespino

Brand & subsidiares|

* Aprilia
* Derbi
* Gilera
* Laverda
* Moto Guzzi
* Piaggio
* Scarabeo
* Vespa

Other|

* Rinaldo Piaggio
* Enrico Piaggio
* Corradino D'Ascanio
* Piaggio Aerospace

Piaggio Group

* v
* t
* e

Major and notable Italian motorcycle marques

Current|

* Aprilia
* Askoll
* Benelli
* Beta
* Bimota
* Borile
* Cagiva
* Di Blasi Industriale
* Ducati
* Energica
* Fantic
* Ghezzi & Brian
* Gilera
* Garelli
* Italjet
* KRC Motors
* Lamborghini
* Magni
* Minarelli
* Mondial
* Moto Guzzi
* Moto Morini
* MV Agusta
* Paton
* Piaggio
* Polini
* SWM
* Tacita
* Terra Modena
* TM Racing
* Vespa
* Vyrus

Defunct|

* Abra (1923–1927)
* Accossato
* Aermacchi
* Aeromere/Capriolo
* Aetos
* Agrati (1958–1965)
* AIM (1974–1982)
* Alano (1923–1925)
* Alato (1923–1925)
* Aldbert (1953–1959)
* Atala
* Autozodiaco
* Bianchi
* Caproni
* Ceccato (1947–1962)
* Cimatti (1937–1984)
* CNA (1920–1934)
* Della Ferrera (1909–1948)
* Frera (1905–1936)
* Fusi (1932–1957)
* Galbusera (1934–1955)
* Innocenti
* Iso Rivolta (1953–1974)
* Itom (1944–1975)
* Lambretta
* Laverda (1949–2006)
* Malaguti
* Malanca (1956–1986)
* Morbidelli
* MAS (1920–1956)
* Maserati (motorcycle)
* Moretti (1925–1989)
* Motobi
* Parilla (1946–1967)
* Rumi
* Santamaria

* v
* t
* e

500cc/MotoGP World Constructors' Champions

|  |

1949 AJS
1950 Norton
1951 Norton
1952 Gilera
1953 Gilera
1954 Gilera*
1955 Gilera
1956 MV Agusta
1957 Gilera
1958 MV Agusta
1959 MV Agusta

1960 MV Agusta
1961 MV Agusta
1962 MV Agusta
1963 MV Agusta
1964 MV Agusta
1965 MV Agusta
1966 Honda
1967 MV Agusta
1968 MV Agusta
1969 MV Agusta

1970 MV Agusta
1971 MV Agusta
1972 MV Agusta
1973 MV Agusta
1974 Yamaha
1975 Yamaha
1976 Suzuki
1977 Suzuki
1978 Suzuki
1979 Suzuki

1980 Suzuki
1981 Suzuki
1982 Suzuki
1983 Honda
1984 Honda
1985 Honda
1986 Yamaha
1987 Yamaha
1988 Yamaha
1989 Honda

1990 Yamaha
1991 Yamaha
1992 Honda
1993 Yamaha
1994 Honda
1995 Honda
1996 Honda
1997 Honda
1998 Honda
1999 Honda

2000 Yamaha
2001 Honda
2002 Honda
2003 Honda
2004 Honda
2005 Yamaha
2006 Honda
2007 Ducati
2008 Yamaha
2009 Yamaha

2010 Yamaha
2011 Honda
2012 Honda
2013 Honda
2014 Honda
2015 Yamaha
2016 Honda
2017 Honda
2018 Honda
2019 Honda

2020 Ducati
2021 Ducati
2022 Ducati
2023 Ducati

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* Championship not officially recognized
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