Timewarp '70s Gilera moped unearthed

This Gilera 50 Trial looks to have time-travelled, untouched, straight from the 1970s. Once the stuff of dreams for 16-year-olds 35 years ago, the moped trailie has covered just 434 miles from new (or just 12 miles for every year of its existence).

In fact, it’s so ‘new’ the peel-off plastic cover that protects the underside of the front mudguard during delivery is still intact. It’s completely as new and unrestored.

It’s for sale at Classic Bikes Ltd near Market Drayton, Shropshire, for £3995. The firm’s Tom Swinnerton told MCN that the Trial was bought eight years ago having had just one registered keeper.

He said: “The previous keeper bought the bike a couple of years earlier from a dealership in the south of England that had the bike from new and had never sold it. It had been sitting in the shop gathering dust. But he realised that after just 434 miles that it was so rare and in such good condition he couldn’t bring himself to ride it, and brought it in to us.”

The single cylinder, two-stroke dates from the same era as Yamaha’s legendary FS-1E – better known as the ‘Fizzy’. Although the more expensive Gilera didn’t match the Yamaha’s popularity, it’s still highly regarded and desirable today.

The Italian machine was fitted with a 49.8cc engine producing 4.2bhp and capable, like most sports mopeds of the era, of around 50mph. This example is almost certainly unique.

For more information go to: www.classicbikes.co.uk.