Estimate:
£40,000-£50,000
AUCTION DATE:
To be auctioned on
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
499 cc engine.
Stilma (Sociéta Torinese Industrie Lavorazioni Meccaniche Affini) was an engineering company based in Turin that began to produce motorcycles in 1946. Little is known of the company, but it is believed that this fascinating motorcycle we offer today was the only one produced by the firm.
The engine was an overhead valve, single-cylinder 499 cc with a single Dellorto carburettor, mated to a four-speed gearbox with a foot change. We understand the engine was to Stilma’s own design and is numbered 003; presumably the first two engines were development units. The front wheel has a 21-inch rim with a speedometer drive attached, and the rear is a 19-inch rim.
The Stilma demonstrates some interesting styling features, including the pressed steel rear mudguard, which covered both the oil tank and battery. As viewed from the front of the bike, the mudguard blends into the forks, a design featur