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LOT 620 N

c.1946 Gilera 247cc Nettuno Frame no. 212405 Engine no. 212405

Sold for £4,830 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 620N

c.1946 Gilera 247cc Nettuno
Frame no. 212405 Engine no. 212405

c.1946 Gilera 247cc Nettuno
Frame no. 212405
Engine no. 212405

Gilera first sprang to prominence in the late 1930s, when its supercharged 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 racers which again grabbed the headlines, the Arcore marque's fours taking five manufacturer's titles and six individual championships in the hands of riders such as Duke, Liberati, and Masetti. Although racing generated valuable publicity, it was sales of road bikes that paid the bills. Best known and most successful large-capacity Gilera roadster of the period was the 500cc Saturno. Less familiar outside Italy was its baby brother the Nettuno (Neptune) - a 247cc, overhead-valve, four-stroke single - which, like its larger contemporary, employed the horizontally-sprung, friction-damped, swinging-arm rear suspension first seen on the pre-war blown four. The Turismo produced 11bhp while the more powerful Sport, with alloy cylinder head, came with 13 horsepower on tap. Top speeds were 64mph and 78mph respectively. Production of both models ended in 1954. This Nettuno has been restored by a specialist. The machine is offered with a combined instruction manual/parts list. There is no registration document with this Lot.

Footnotes

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.

Saleroom notices

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  • 12 August 2020, 13:00 - 17:00 BST

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NNOVA declaration
If purchased by a UK resident, this machine is subject to a NOVA declaration, whilst the responsibility of submitting the NOVA rests with the Buyer to do so, Bonhams will facilitate the process by engaging an agent (SHIPPIO) to undertake the NOVA and C88 (customs) application if applicable on the Buyer's behalf. A fee of £350 + VAT to do so will be added to the Buyer's invoice.

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