Gilera 500cc Grand Prix Racing Motorcycle Re-creation
Frame no. 20
Engine no. 20

• Replica of the 1957 Gilera Four
• Built in Italy
• No engine internals
• For display purposes only

This replica of Gilera's six-time World Championship-winning four-cylinder Grand Prix 500 is based on the 1957 version, as raced by Geoff Duke and Libero Liberati, who were joined for that season by new signing Bob McIntyre. The pairing of McIntyre and Gilera is one of the most famous in motorcycle racing, for it was this combination that passed an Isle of Man TT milestone when in June 1957 the Scot became the first competitor to lap the Mountain Circuit at over 100mph on his way to victory in the Senior race. McIntyre's fastest lap of 101.12mph was 29 seconds quicker than MV-mounted John Surtees' best, underlining the Gilera's superiority. With Duke and McIntyre beset by a succession of injuries and other misfortunes, it was the third member of the squad, Liberati, who eventually secured the 1957 riders' World Championship for Gilera, which also claimed the manufacturers' prize. At the end of '57 Gilera, Moto Guzzi and Mondial withdrew from Grand Prix racing, and the fours were mothballed.

Six years later, in 1963, Geoff Duke persuaded Gilera to release them for a revived campaign under the 'Scuderia Duke' banner. The under-financed team suffered a string of misfortunes, John Hartle's 1st place in the 500cc race at the Dutch TT proving to be its only World Championship victory that year. It would also turn out to be Gilera's last of the classic era.

With the surviving works Gilera fours either in museums or private collections, and thus extremely unlikely ever to be offered for public sale, it was perhaps inevitable that the revival of interest in classic motorcycle racing would lead to the construction of replicas of these precious thoroughbreds. The machine offered here is one such, and reputedly its engine components were cast at Ferrari, although it should be noted that there are no internals and thus the machine is suitable for display purposes only. Accompanying documentation consists of copies of technical drawings and a magazine article (in Italian). No documents.

As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.