Aermacchi Chimera
| Aermacchi | |
|---|---|
 Aermacchi Chimera 175 (1957) |
|
| Chimera | |
| Manufacturer | Aeronautica Macchi |
| Sales description | Chimera 175 / Chimera 250 |
| Production period | 1956 to 1965 |
| class | motorcycle |
| Motor data | |
| 1-cylinder 4-stroke | |
|
|
| transmission | 4-speed |
| drive | Chain |
| Brakes | drums |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1360 |
| Dimensions (L × W × H, mm): | 2000 × 610 × 1000 |
| Empty weight (kg) | 122-125 |
The Aermacchi Chimera is a motorcycle manufactured by the Italian company Aeronautica Macchi from 1956 to 1965. "Chimera" means "dream" in German.
history
On the motorcycle exhibition in Milan which was Chimera 175 , by Alfredo Bianchi was constructed as the "ideal motorcycle", presented on 1 December 1956th The fully encased machine with a horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke engine, however, could not establish itself on the market. Therefore, in 1957, the enlarged Chimera 250 model was put to the side, the external appearance of which corresponded to that of the first model.
This second model also failed to achieve any notable market success, and so the manufacturer decided in the same year to offer a more conventional motorcycle with an uncovered engine. This is how the Ala Rossa , the Ala Bianca , the Ala d'Oro and the Ala Azzurra were created .
The Chimera 175 was built until 1960. However, only 119 copies were made in the four years. The 250 model was in the range until 1965, when Harley-Davidson had long since taken over the company. 177 copies were made of him. The models were also exported, e.g. B. to Belgium and Luxembourg , but (officially) not to Germany.
technology
Engine and drive
The Chimera has an air-cooled single - cylinder four-stroke engine with an almost horizontal cylinder. On the left stump of the double-bearing crankshaft there is a multi-plate oil bath clutch, via which the engine power is passed on to a straight-toothed four-speed gearbox. This transmission is operated with a rocker switch on the right side of the engine; the first course is downstairs. The transmission is connected to the rear wheel by a machine chain.
The two hanging valves are actuated via bumpers and rocker arms from the camshaft below , at the right end of which the interrupter contact for the battery ignition (battery: 6 V / 7 Ah) is attached.
The mixture preparation is done by an oblique flow carburetor with a round slide and without an air filter. The chrome-plated exhaust pipe is pulled back on the right side of the machine and ends in a cigar-shaped silencer with an integrated dovetail.
Frame and chassis
The Chimera has a central tube bridge frame without a tail boom. The rear swing arm is supported by a central spring strut. The front wheel sits in an upside-down fork .
Wheels and brakes
The 17 ″ wheels are wire-spoke wheels and have full-hub drum brakes . The rear brake is operated via a foot lever on the left side of the engine and a linkage, the front with a cable from the handlebars.
Materials
As an aircraft manufacturer, Aermacchi was familiar with handling aluminum and used this material in many places in his Chimera model. Not only the engine / gearbox housing, the cylinder and the cylinder head are made of this material, but also the panels on the engine, between the tank and the engine and on the upper part of the front fork (including the lamp housing). The frame, the load-bearing parts of the front fork, the tank with the rear mudguard that supports the seat, the front mudguard and the panels on the rear swing arm are made of sheet steel.
Painting, surface treatment and emblems
Both Chimera models, the 175 and the 250, were available in the color combinations blood orange red (similar to RAL 2002) / cream white (similar to RAL 9001) and light blue (similar to RAL 5012) / cream white (similar to RAL 9001). The sheet steel parts and part of the aluminum cladding are painted. Large parts of the engine cowlings are polished.
There are blue and gold Aermacchi emblems as decals on the sides of the tank and on the rear of the machines. At the rear of the motorcycles, the lettering "Chimera 175" and "Chimera 250", made of chrome-plated die-cast zinc, are affixed to the left and right.
Technical specifications
| Type | Chimera 175 | Chimera 250 |
| Construction period | 1956-1960 | 1957-1965 |
| Displacement | 172.4 cm³ | 246.2 cc |
| Bore × stroke | 60 mm × 61 mm | 66 mm × 72 mm |
| compression | 7: 1 | 7: 1 |
| power | 10.5 PS (7.7 kW) | 13.7 PS (10.1 kW) |
| at speed | 6500 rpm. | 6500 rpm. |
| transmission | 4-speed | 4-speed |
| wheelbase | 1360 mm | 1360 mm |
| Dimensions (L × W × H) | 2000 mm × 610 mm × 1000 mm | 2000 mm × 610 mm × 1000 mm |
| Empty weight | 122 kg | 125 kg |
| tires | 2.75 ″ × 17 ″ | 3.00 ″ × 17 ″ |
| Brakes front / rear | Drums, 160 mm / 140 mm | Drums, 160 mm / 140 mm |
| Top speed | 110 km / h | 120 km / h |
| Fuel consumption | approx. 2.75 l / 100 km | approx. 3.00 l / 100 km |
particularities
- The tank and the rear fender on which the seat is attached are made from one piece and are attached to the frame with only two screws, which does not have a tail boom. In addition, the 22 liter tank is unusually large for a motorcycle of this size. The weight of both passengers and the fuel supply are therefore on this part. The manufacturer therefore recommended not filling in more than 15 liters of petrol "in order to avoid vibrations".
- Aermacchi used Allen screws on the engine and to secure all trim parts , which was unusual in motorcycle construction in the 1950s.
- The slide carburetor has a choke without remote control for the handlebar. Since the carburetor sits behind the panels between the tank and engine and these only have small ventilation slots, operation while driving is almost impossible. Many owners therefore removed the left panel part permanently, which was then often lost. Therefore, many used machines are offered today without this cover, which is then correspondingly difficult to find.
Sources and individual references
- ↑ a b c d Mick Walker: Aermacchi . Transport Source Books, Olney & Ipswich 1995. ISBN 1-85847-501-5 (English)
- ↑ Aermacchi Chimera 175 . Aermacchi Registro Storico Italiano. Retrieved February 25, 2014
- ↑ Aermacchi Chimera 250 . Aermacchi Registro Storico Italiano. Retrieved February 25, 2014
- ↑ a b Aeronautica Macchi - Motos - Scooters . Sales prospectus of the Aermacchi importer for Belgium and Luxembourg DEFCO SA, Liège (French)
- ↑ a b c Ala Verde - Catalogo Parti di Ricambio . Spare parts catalog for the Aermacchi Ala Verde. Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson, Varese (Italian)
- ↑ a b c d Aermacchi Chimera 175 - Istruzioni per l'Uso e la Manutenzione . Operating manual for the Aermacchi Chimera 175. Aeronautica Macchi, Varese 1957 (Italian)
- ↑ Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson - Caratteristiche Tecniche - Technical Specifications - Caractéristiques Techniques . Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson, Varese approx. 1960 (Italian / English / French)
