1956 Gilera B300 Twin
Country: Italy
Engine: Air-cooled vertical twin 4-stroke
Ignition: Battery and coil
Power Rating: 12.5bhp @ 5,800rpm
Bore x Stroke: 60mm x 54mm
Displacement: 305cc
Valves: Overhead, pushrod activated
Fuel System: Single Dell’Orto 20mm carburetor
Transmission: 4-speed
Suspension: Front telescopic forks, rear twin shock
Brake: Front and rear drum
Weight: Approx. 380lb
Top Speed: 70mph
Sensation of the 1953 Milan show, the 300 twin was virtually a doubled-up version of the well-developed 150cc single. Although lacking in power, the B300 was exceptionally smooth, easy to start and very flexible. This was a luxury tourer from a company that mainly produced inexpensive lightweights that sold in the U.S. under the Sears & Roebuck label.
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Ooops...forget that post. 380 lbs was probably in line with bikes of the 300cc displacement. I bought a 1966 Honda 305 brand-new, but forget what the weight was. A 300cc 2-stroke would have probably blown the Honda away on the street. But...the article mentions the bike as being shown at Milan in 1953 and that this particular bike was a 1956 model. I would have guessed that the bike was produced in the mid-sixties, not the mid-fifties.
380 lbs? Really? Wasn't that a bit heavy for a 125cc?
This Gilera at first glance has the profile of a 60s BSA twin. I wonder if also leaked oil and had questionable electrics like a BSA.