250cc SOHC & DOHC

The Parilla story starts with this model. In 1946, Giovanni Parrilla decided to build a new prototype motorcycle similar to that of the Norton Manx. The Monoalbero (SOHC) did well enough on the track and Parrilla built more, improving on the design. A year later, it was decided to put this model into production. The 1948 SOHC model line consisted of the following: 

 

Tourist - The most common OHC model built by Parilla. This model had lights and small sized brakes.
 

 

Sport - The next step up from a Tourist. Sport models had lights, mild cam and the bigger, "frying pan" brakes.
 

 

Compititione - A SOHC race bike with no lights, a hot cam, and big brakes.
 

 

Corsa - A incredibly rare DOHC model with magnesium cases and brakes.
 

  250cc DOHC 

       

1954

  

Today

The Bialbero, with two overhead cams, was built as an upgrade to the Monoalbero's one cam. The first DOHC bikes were built in 1949. The model was in brochures up to 1952 and a small batch of four DOHC bikes were built for the Milano-Taranto race in 1954. There is only one survivor of the four.

        

        

 

       

      

      

1949

  

1950

  

1950

  

1954

 

        

Todays' 250 outlook: Finding a 250 is good if you have the money to spend on one. Almost all 250's are in Europe with the exception of two restored bikes in the USA. Many 250's are a collection of assembled parts ("bitsa" bikes) while a few have matching numbers. Best guess for number of surviving bikes would be around 50. This is the top of the food chain for Parilla motorcycles.

 

Models    Home    Literature    E-mail    Links    News & Information