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LOT 379

1956 Gilera 175V Sferica Registration no. not registered Frame no. n/a Engine no. *189-85*

Sold for £4,600 inc. premium

1956 Gilera 175V Sferica
Registration no. not registered
Frame no. n/a
Engine no. *189-85*

• Rare Sferica 175
• Older restoration
• Last run 18 months ago

This pretty little Gilera is one of a tiny handful of factory prototypes developed for the city-to-city road races so popular in Italy after WW2. The name Sferica (Spherical in English) refers to the racer's special cylinder head which featured inclined valves in a hemispherical combustion chamber (the standard roadster had parallel valves). Gileras had occupied five of the top 10 places in the 1955 Moto Giro d'Italia but the company's engineers knew that something better would be required to keep abreast of the increasingly powerful opposition: hence the Sferica.

The engine number, which the Gilera register confirmed was allocated to a 175V supplied to a Rimini dealer in 1956 (the V suffix was for the racers). (The Moto Giro went through Rimini in 1956, with a Bologna start/finish.) The numeral '2' with the radiating lines around it, stamped below the engine number, is typical of the stampings Gilera put on their Moto Giro bikes.

This example was shipped to the UK from mainland Europe and the engine dismantled by Neil Ridgewell of Made in Italy Motorcycles; when lifted the head was found to have a hemispherical combustion chamber with valves set at 90 degrees. The racer's dry clutch is another deviation from standard practice, as is the positioning of the spark plug: right on production bikes, left on the Sferica. It is not known how the Sferica entries fared in the 1956 Moto Giro. Most likely only a handful were built and they remain exceptionally rare. This example, formerly owned by Greg Pullen, is illustrated in his book, A-Z of Italian Motorcycle Manufacturers.

An older restoration and having last run 18 months ago. The only modification notified is self-generating electronic ignition. There are no documents with this lot, which is sold strictly as viewed.
Key not required

Footnotes

All lots are sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.
Please see the Auction Information and Guide for Buyers at the top of the main sale page, for bidders' obligations. The Autumn Stafford Sale

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This Lot will be auctioned on Sunday 12 October, with the auction starting at 11am GMT.

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  • 11 October 2025, 09:00 - 17:00 BST
  • 12 October 2025, 09:00 - 17:00 BST

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