Gilera

1952 Gilera motorcycle.

Giuseppe Gilera founded his motorcycle manufacture in Arcore in 1909. In the same year he launched his first model, VT 317. As World War I started, Gilera started producing 500cc machines. In 1935 the company acquired rights to the Rondine four-cylinder engine. This formed the basis for Gilera' s racing machines for nearly forty years. From the mid-thirties, the company developed a range of four-stroke engine machines, from 100 to 500 cc. Gilera was an important brand in sport; they managed to win 44 international Grand Prix titles before 1957, when the company left the racing competitions. However, they continued producing bikes for the general public. In 1969 the company was purchased by Piaggio.