1956 Gilera 175cc Formula 3 Prototype

Gilera enjoyed an amazing racing career throughout the early 1950s, taking six individual World Championships and five manufacturers’ titles. The publicity was imperative as they made Race on Sunday, sell on Monday the company mantra. The vast majority in sales were lightweight, small displacement machines based on the overhead-valve 125cc single cylinder bike that had first appeared in prototype form in 1948. As it developed, capacity increased, first to 150cc and then 175cc, and sales within Italy went a long way to keeping the dealership doors open.

The motorbike offered

During the heyday of the Moto Giro d’ Italia every manufacturer was looking for an advantage. This Formula 3 Gilera was an experimental model with sandcast engine cases and is one of only six made. This is purported to be the only known survivor. It doesn’t get rarer than that. Having been on static display in the MotoTalbott Museum in Carmel, California for some time, the bike has been re-commissioned to ready it for sale, but further fettling may be necessary before returning it to its status as Giro d’Italia weapon.