The Gilera Bullit was a moped built at Arcore from 1990 to 1993 in three versions. For a 50 it was unusually well equipped, with a boxed twin-spar frame, a single-sided rear swingarm and a rev counter reading to 12,000 rpm, and its main rival was the Malaguti Fifty.
Gilera Bullit at a glance
| Maker | Gilera, Arcore (Milan) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1990–1993 |
| Introduced | June 1990 |
| Versions | Bullit 50 a.e., 50 Mix a.e., 50 Mix a.e. Replica |
| Price | 2.5 to 3 million lire |
| Gearbox | three speeds, fourth available |
| Frame | boxed twin-spar |
| Rear suspension | single-sided swingarm |
| Front brake | large Grimeca disc |
| Instruments | 100 km/h speedometer, odometer, 12,000 rpm rev counter |
| Rival | Malaguti Fifty |
based on one source (Italian Wikipedia). The Commons candidates for this model showed other machines, so the article keeps the photo already attached to the record.
History of the Gilera Bullit
Launch and price
The Bullit was introduced in June 1990 and was sold over its production life at prices between 2,500,000 lire for the basic version and 3,000,000 lire for the version with electric starting and an automatic oil-and-petrol mixer. Among the after-market accessories that were not original Gilera parts were a 26-litre top box and a side stand.
Three speeds, or four
The gearbox had only three speeds because the law required it, but the bike was prepared for a fourth: on early production machines it simply had to be unlocked, and on later ones a Gilera kit with the extra gear wheel could be added with a quick intervention. The engine was at first built by Gilera itself at Arcore to its own design and drawing, and was well regarded for reliability and performance, especially once the restriction required by the regulations of the time was removed. After the first years engine production moved to Morini, though the original Gilera design was kept.
Against the Malaguti Fifty
The Bullit’s direct rival was the Malaguti Fifty, but its technical solutions were generally considered better: a larger front disc brake, always on a Grimeca system, a boxed twin-spar frame, a larger diameter for the front forks and, above all, a single-sided rear swingarm, a solution that was very rare on a 50 moped and normally reserved for far more powerful motorcycles.
Equipment
The instrumentation was rich for the class and the same on all versions: a speedometer reading to 100 km/h, a total odometer, a rev counter reading to 12,000 rpm, a neutral light, indicator and coolant overheating lights and a light for the oil level of the mixer. No version had a fuel gauge, because the usual tap on the left side had on, off and reserve positions.
Design and features
- Single-sided rear swingarm: a rare solution on a 50, borrowed from much bigger motorcycles.
- Boxed twin-spar frame: stiffer and more modern than the tube frames of rival mopeds.
- Grimeca front disc: larger than the one on the Malaguti Fifty.
- Full instrumentation: 12,000 rpm rev counter, odometer and warning lights for coolant and oil.
- Fourth gear on demand: unlocked on early bikes, added with a Gilera kit on later ones.
Gilera Bullit versions
- Bullit 50 a.e.: the basic version with electric starting.
- Bullit 50 Mix a.e.: with an automatic oil-and-petrol mixer.
- Bullit 50 Mix a.e. Replica: the top version at 3 million lire.
Other Gilera mopeds of the period are the CBA and the Città , and the five-speed ancestor of the family is the 50 5V Trial. More models are in the Gilera collection.
Video: Prima accensione Gilera Bullit con blocco kk 180 polini
Video by Vladis Trombini on YouTube.
Sources
- Gilera Bullit, Italian Wikipedia: production years, versions, prices, gearbox, frame, equipment, Morini engines
