Gilera Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

1965 Gilera 'Giubileo/Financa' 125

Specifications

Engine: Single cylinder four-stroke OHV

Bore & stroke:

Compression ratio: 10:1

Engine Capacity: 125cc

Maximum power: 6.5 HP

Valves per cylinder: 2

Carburettor: Dell'Orto

Cooling system: Air cooled

Lubrication: Wet sump forced circulation with mechanical gear pump

Transmission: Gear primary, chain final

Clutch: Cable operated with multiple wet disc in oil bath

Gearbox: 4-Speed foot-change

Starter: Kick-starter

Throttle: Cable operated

Frame type: Tubular and pressed steel

Front Suspension: Telescopic fork and shock absorbers

Rear Suspension: Swingarm with hydraulic shock absorbers

Front Brake: Drum

Rear Brake: Drum

Seat: sprung solo saddle

Fuel tank capacity: 13 litres

Top speed: 110 km/h (68 mph)

Gilera first sprang to prominence in the late 1930s, when its supercharged Gilera four-cylinder racers trounced BMW in Grands Prix and snatched the world speed record away from the German marque. Throughout the early 1950s it was the Gilera racers that again grabbed the headlines,

with the famous Gilera Quattro for his victories at the 500 cc world championships driven by Umberto Masetti, Geoff Duke and Libero Liberati.

Although racing generated valuable publicity, it was the sales of road bikes that paid the bills. The majority of machines sold were lightweights based on the overhead-valve 125 single that had appeared in prototype form in 1948. Developed and enlarged first to 150cc and then 175cc, these simple ohv singles, built in both Turismo and Sport versions, proved top sellers throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, their high price outside Italy made them a relatively rare sight in the Netherlands.

The name 'Giubileo' was first used by Gilera in 1959, the year when the company celebrated its Golden Jubilee. In 1965 there are only 124 Gilera Giubileo 125 produced. This beautiful Gilera 'Giubileo/Financa' had already been restored by its previous (engineer) owner before it was acquired by the Amsterdam Italian Motor Museum.

Source: Hessink's NL

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