Gilera

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gilera

logo
legal form Subsidiary of Piaggio
founding 1909
Seat Pontedera , Italy
Branch vehicle construction
Website www.gilera.com

Gilera is one of the oldest Italian motorcycle manufacturers and a subsidiary of the Piaggio Group.

Gilera was the first manufacturer to install transverse four-cylinder engines.

The beginning

The history of Gilera goes back to the first years of the 20th century. Giuseppe Natale Gellera, then known as Giuseppe Gilera, founded his motorcycle factory in 1909. The first development was the VT 317. It had a single-cylinder engine with approx. 7 hp, which was designed and built by Gilera, and was used in a kind of bicycle frame. This type of machine was used for various racing events (mountain races or local road races). The development of these single cylinders continued with models such as the 3.5 HP Tourismo from 1920, the VLSS from 1925, and the VL and VT models from 1930–1938. The VTE Otto bulloni put a temporary end to this development around 1940. This machine was thus also the immediate predecessor of the Saturno, which was only built after the war . The term Otto bulloni stands for the eight screws with which the cylinder was screwed to the engine block.

The creation of the four-cylinder

Gilera 500 four-cylinder

While Giuseppe Gilera was busy expanding his production facilities near Milan , a prototype of a four-cylinder in-line engine was designed and built in 1923 by two freshly qualified Italian engineers, Carlo Gianini and Piero Remor. This engine, equipped with an overhead camshaft, had a displacement of 490 cm³ and approx. 28 hp. A year after this engine was completed, another motorcycle enthusiast, Count Giovanni Bonmartini, found his way to the two engineers. The first complete motorcycle was completed in the same year. It was the GRB four-cylinder, named after the trio's initials. Due to the friends' considerable financial problems, however, the further development of this motorcycle was put to an end.

Count Bonmartini, owner of the CNA aircraft factory, subsequently took over the entire rights to this four-cylinder project. Gianini was employed by him as an engineer and entrusted with the development of aircraft engines. A further development of the motorcycle engine did not take place again until 1934. Another engineer and gifted driver was brought on board, Piero Taruffi . The engine now received two overhead camshafts, full water cooling and a compressor. These measures enabled the power to be increased to approx. 44 kW (60 hp) at 8500 rpm. In 1934, however, Count Bonmartini sold his factory to Caproni , another Italian aircraft manufacturer. Caproni, not interested in motorcycle developments, was looking for a buyer for this part of the CNA.

At this point Giuseppe Gilera came into play and took over the motorcycle projects of the CNA. Piero Taruffi switched to Gilera with this sale and was given the opportunity to drive forward the further development under professional conditions. The engine, transmission and chassis received improvements. Success in international races is evidence of this development. Between 1935 and 1937 the Rondine , a fully faired four-cylinder machine, held the speed record of 244 km / h. As in many other cases, World War II stopped further progress here.

The 500 four-cylinder engines dominated the premier class even after the war. Since the installation of charger systems was banned, Gilera had no choice but to completely redesign the engines. The development of the motorcycles went so well that the GP-Gilera were able to clinch six world championship titles in seven years. A total of 44 races were won with these machines. Drivers of this era were, to name a few, Nello Pagani , Umberto Masetti , Libero Liberati and Geoff Duke .

This four-cylinder technology was later sold to MV Agusta and with this company finally achieved world fame.

The Piaggio era

In the 1980s, Piaggio brought the name Gilera back to life: This new start in motorcycle construction began with the development of a modern single-cylinder engine with water cooling and four-valve technology. This engine was the first series single cylinder to have a cylinder head with two camshafts. For the time being, an engine version with 350 cm³ was completed. The engine was first used in the Enduro Dakota 350. Later versions with 560 cm³ were used in the RC 600 Enduros, with which several victories in the Dakar Rally , especially in the Silhouette class (close to series production), were achieved.

A new edition of the legendary Saturno is thanks to the Japanese trading company C. Itoh & Co., who wanted to offer their domestic customers an exclusive motorcycle from traditional European production. No one less than Sandro Colombo, who was chief engineer of the racing department at Gilera in the 1950s, was involved in the development of this machine. For the time being, the Saturno was built exclusively for Japan with 350 cm³ (because of the Japanese displacement restriction for motorcycles (400 cm³)). After some negotiations, the Saturno also found its way into the European market in small numbers. For Europe, the motorcycle was equipped with a 500 cc engine. A racing version of the Saturno with the name Piuma (spring) was later produced in small numbers.

Gilera was also the first to build the so-called Supermoto or Funbikes in series: The Nordwest can be seen as the origin of the series-produced Supermoto motorcycles. These converted enduros received roadworthy rims, chassis and braking systems.

Today scooters and mopeds are sold under the name Gilera.

Models

Before 1980

Gilera 500 Saturno Sport (1947)

athlete

Gilera Saturno 500 (1988)
Gilera 125 CX (1991)
  • RV (125, 200 and 250 cm³, 1983–1987) → KZ (125 cm³, 1986–1987) and KK → MX-1 (125 cm³, 1988–1991, also MX-R )
  • SP01 and SP02 (1988–1990) → Crono (1991–1992) → GFR 125 (Gilera Formula Racing) (125 cm³, 1993–1994, super sports car)
  • CX (~ 125 cm³, 1991, sports tourer)
  • Gilera Saturno 500 (1988-1991)

Competition motorcycles

  • GFR 250 (Gilera Formula Racing) (~ 250 cm³, 1992–1993, 250 cm³ class)
  • Supermono GB1 (Gilera Bimota 1 with 750 cm³ engine)
  • 125 ( Derbi- based super sports car )
  • 250 (super athlete, 2006)
  • Piuma 600

Enduros

Supermoto

Scooter

  • DNA (50, 125 and 180 cm³, 2002-2008)
  • Runner (since 1997, 1st generation)
    • Runner 50 SP (50 cm³, two-stroke engine, carburetor)
    • Runner 50 PJ (50 cm³, two-stroke engine, injection)
    • Runner DD (50 cm³, two-stroke engine, with two brake discs)
    • Runner ST (125 and 200 cm³, four-stroke engine)
    • Runner FX (125 cm³, two-stroke engine)
    • Runner FXR (176 cc, two-stroke engine)
    • Runner VX (125 cm³, four-stroke engine)
    • Runner VXR (180 and 200 cm³, four-stroke engine)
  • Runner (since 2005, 2nd generation)
    • Runner 50 ST
    • Runner 125 ST
  • Nexus (with 125, 250, 300 and 500 cm³)
  • Coguar 125
  • Fuoco 500 (tricycle)
  • Gilera P800
  • Stalker 50 (discontinued)
  • Storm 50
  • ICE 50
  • H @ K 50
  • Zulu 50
  • Gilera Typhoon (mainly offered under the name in Italy, France and Spain. Also known in Germany as Piaggio TPH or Typhoon , in Austria it is sold as Puch Typhoon .) → Gilera Storm 50

Light motorcycles / mokicks

Original

Gilera SMT 50

moped

Motorcycle racing

Motorcycle world championship

In total, Gilera was able to achieve eight rider world championship titles in the motorcycle world championship . The six titles from 1950 to 1957 were all won on the Gilera 500 four-cylinder .

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Geoff Duke (3)
World champion in the 500 cm³ class: 1953 , 1954 , 1955
ItalyItaly Umberto Masetti (2)
World champion in the 500 cm³ class: 1950 , 1951
ItalyItaly Libero Liberati (1)
World champion in the 500 cm³ class: 1957
San MarinoSan Marino Manuel Poggiali (1)
World champion in the 125 cm³ class: 2001
ItalyItaly Marco Simoncelli (1)
World champion in the 250 cm³ class: 2008

European motorcycle championship

In the European motorcycle championship , the manufacturer achieved a driver's title.

ItalyItaly Dorino Serafini (1)
European champion in the 500 cm³ class: 1939

Web links

Commons : Gilera  - collection of images, videos and audio files