helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 Been saving this one. I need the make, model/displacement and year!
tikkanen Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 That's a Gilera but I can't say which year - 60'ies? 500cc? Close? Søren
big J Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 Aw no, bloody old bike mags all over the floor again..........Helicopter Jim yer an aul rascal . I agree with Soren, those definetly look like Gilera heads, but other elements of the bike look homebuilt. Is it a sixties special?
Guest Nogbad Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 I am giving up. I looks like it ought to be a Guzzi, but the transmission is on the wrong side. Is it a sneaky departure by BMW?
jrt Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 It's not a Panthette, which was a 500cc V twin (transverse? longitudinal? uh...crossways), but that was a chain drive.... That'd be a good quiz as well. hmmm....
callison Posted February 21, 2005 Posted February 21, 2005 Well, the shaft is on the left. Perhaps it's an MG built for export to the southern hemisphere.
helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted February 22, 2005 Author Posted February 22, 2005 That almost proves that Martin is accessing the same data I am. Well done! Oh yes - it is the model GPR. What do you think everyone? Should Martin be denied the quiz point because he didn't get the model?
Martin Barrett Posted February 22, 2005 Posted February 22, 2005 There is one other interesting chapter in the story of Lambretta, and that is the tale of their would-be racer that never did make it to the classical grand prix circuits. Designed in 1951, by Ing. Salmaggi, the 250cc Moto Lambretta was certainly unique, as well as being one of the most beautiful racing bikes ever built. The engine was a four-stroke 90 degree V-twin set transversally in the frame. It had a bore and stroke of 54 by 54 mm. The drive to single overhead camshafts was by vertical shafts and bevel gears, and no less than three coil springs were used on each valve. The crankcase contained the roller bearing lower end and oil tank, with fins cast on the lower half to aid in heat dissipation. The crankshaft was in line with the frame, so it was only logical to mount an in-line gearbox behind the engine and then use shaft drive. The gearbox was a five-speed unit, and, typically Latin heel-and-toe shift lever was used. The magneto was mounted under a cover at the front of the crankcase. The frame used was quite unorthodox for those days, with a large diameter backhone, and the engine serving as part of the frame section. An orthodox swinging-arm rear suspension was used in conjunction with a telescopic front fork, but the drive shaft was contained in the left side swinging-arm tube. Huge air-cooled brakes were used that were located in deeply finned full width hubs, and tire sizes were 2.75-21 front and 3.00-21 rear. The first prototype built featured an unusual torsion bar rear suspension and a dry sump oil system, but Salmaggi quickly changed this to the above specifications after preliminary tests. Painted a deep red and with all the polished aluminum, the Moto Lambretta was a beautiful sight to behold. It was also a potent performer, with its 28 bhp output comparing favorably to the 27 bhp that the all conquering Moto Guzzi 250s produced. The 5.8-gal. fuel tank was gracefully contoured for the rider's arms, and the twin carburetors and long megaphones added a touch of styling that made the bike appear fast even at rest. The exotic 250 never made it to the race track, though, probably because the record attempts with the streamliner had succeeded so admirably in bringing the company the desired publicity. With some development. plus a good rider, the Twin could have certainly have been a winner, but it faded away until it is now just a beautiful bit of history in the Innocenti museum. ------- Not quiet the same material yet - still looking for your picture
helicopterjim R.I.P. Posted February 22, 2005 Author Posted February 22, 2005 Not quiet the same material yet - still looking for your picture 44000[/snapback] I would like to say point taken but I fear it shall be point given! P.S. You forgot this - Cycle World, July 1968 !
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