Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: Tues 21st July from 1pm
Auction: Wed 22th July from 10am
Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ
Registration No: F301 FVFFrame No: the details below MOT: None
Rare in the UK Dakota 500cc trail bike
4 valve, water cooled and electric start
UK registered with V5C
Gilera is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in Arcore in 1909 by Giuseppe Gilera and still in existence today after the company was purchased by the Piaggio group in 1969. After World War II, Gilera dominated Grand Prix motorcycle racing, winning the 500 cc road racing world championship six times in eight years with riders Geoff Duke, Umberto Masetti and Libero Liberati. After facing a downturn in motorcycle sales due to the increase in the popularity of small automobiles, Gilera and the other Italian motorcycle manufacturers quit Grand Prix racing after the 1957 season. Gilera developed a range of mainly four-stroke engined machines ranging from 100cc to 500 cc, the most famous being the single cylinder Saturno designed by Giuseppe Salmaggi in 1939. After a few years of inactivity, Gilera returned to the sports bike market with the Saturno Nuovo, developed as a joint venture between Gilera engineer Sandro Colombo and Japanese designer N Hagiwara. Recreating the spirit of the original Saturno, this now featured a 4 valve watercooled engine in a Café Racer style chassis. This engine became the basis for a range of 350, 500 and 600cc bikes such as the RC600, the Super Motard Nordwest and the Dakota.
The Dakota 500 is a bike rarely seen in the UK, having never been officially imported. This beautifully presented example, in excellent and original condition, appears to have spent its early years in Spain before being imported into the UK in 2020. A well equiped bike with good quality European brakes and suspension, it uses Gileras own engine with a hydraulic clutch and most importantly with a big single, an electric start. The vendor has ridden it a couple of times a year as part of his small collection of bikes, but suggests it will need a light recommissioning before use. It will be supplied with a few service items, some original Spanish paperwork, old MOTS and a current V5C.
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Entry by catalogue and can be purchased for £20 (admits 2 people)
