Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
26th Mar, 2025 9:00
1961 Bianchi Tonale 175
No Reserve
Registration No: 50 RHN
Frame No: 235116
MOT: Exempt
Beautifully engineered OHC 175cc
Typical curvaceous Italian styling
Supplied with a spare engine and V5C
Like most pioneers in the automotive world, Edoardo Bianchi started out making bicycles in 1885 and by 1897 had fitted an engine into the centre of a strengthened cycle frame to provide a motorised version. In 1910 Bianchi designed a 498cc single that proved to be very successful and established Bianchi as a respected motorcycle manufacturer with a range of models that included a 600cc V-twin. Bianchi became a prominent name in the motorcycle racing world with bikes such as the DOHC 350cc works racer designed by Albino Baldi, Bianchi's chief engineer, becoming probably the most successful Italian racing bike at the time ridden by riders such as the legendary Tazio Nuvolari and Alberto Ascari. The company also created a car brand, Autobianchi, in 1955 in collaboration with Pirelli and Fiat and kept producing motorcycles until the late 1960s before returning to their roots and concentrating on high quality racing bicycles.
This rare in the UK Bianchi Tonale 175, being offered at no reserve, is a typically stylish overhead cam sports model with a unit construction engine housed in a twin loop frame with full-width alloy hubs. The lightweight sports class was very popular in Italy at the time, with most manufacturers designing bikes to compete in long distance events like the Moto Giro d'Italia, with Bianchi winning the race in 1956 ridden by works rider Osvaldo Perfetti. The Sandro Colombo designed Tonale was way in advance of anything being offered by its British contemporaries but also considerably more expensive. Unusually, according to the registration document, this example appears to have spent all of its life in the UK being first registered in June 1961. It comes supplied with most of a spare engine, megaphone and racing seat together with current V5C.
More photos to follow.
