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If the Lot is to stay in the UK or is not exported within 90 days of sale, Import VAT at 20% on the hammer price and buyer's premium is payable, in addition to Import Duty at 6% + VAT on the hammer price and buyer's premium.

This replica of Gilera's six-time World Championship-winning four-cylinder Grand Prix 500 appears to be 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 would suffer 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 believed to be one such. Its frame carries number '0014', though that number is stamped on a glued-on plaque. Notable features include a Smiths 12,000rpm tachometer, Lucas competition magneto, Dell'Orto carburettors, and a Aquila saddle.

Our vendor purchased this machine in September 2005 from Gianni Perrone, the well‑known Italian racer, collector, author and dealer specialising in important European racing motorcycles (copy invoice and purchase paperwork on file). Perrone is understood to have acquired it some years earlier in Argentina. Although Perrone sold the machine as a genuine example, we have not been able to establish whether it is a period‑built example or a later reproduction. For the purposes of this sale and import classification it is therefore treated as having been built within the last 30 years, and is offered strictly as viewed, undated, and as a re‑creation.

Following a period of inactivity, this motorcycle will require recommissioning and/or restoration to a greater or lesser extent before returning to the road and thus is sold strictly as viewed. Prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves with regard to this motorcycle's completeness, history, authenticity, originality and mechanical condition prior to bidding.
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