Sears Gilera SR124 5V Strada Project
Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2022 8:53 am
Grüße aus Detroit. Thank you for the add. 17 years ago I bought a 1967 Sears Gilera SR124 5V out of a barn in Bay City, Michigan, some 2 hours away from where I live near Detroit. The farmer I bought it from dropped it when it was new with 237 miles (380Km) on it. The gear selector lever broke off (he still had it), but no other damage other than being stored in a damp barn in SE Michigan for 4 decades. He was retiring and sold his farm, so I got the bike for chump change.
I immediately dismantled the bike with full intentions to restore it, but life and other projects got in the way. The bike sat in pieces on my workshop shelves, serving more at wall art than a future project. And then last month, another 124 5V showed up for sale near me. It wasn't complete, missing the tank, seat, rear fender/tail light & tool boxes. But it had a very good condition exhaust system and better (read: less rusty) wheels. I figure between the two bikes, I should be about to build a runner. The second bike has a seized engine, whereas my first 124 is free.
So, 17 years after buying my first 124 5V, I began a "freshoration"... just a freshing-up, not a full-on restoration. I'm currently in the process of stripping & refinishing all the painted parts. Gloss black chassis with silver tank, fenders, headlight shell & tool boxes. I also have some modernization planned, but I not going to discuss it until I've proven the concept.
Attached are photos of bike 1 (10/2005) as bought and in parts, and bike 2 (10/2022) and the work I've completed so far.



I'll post more as the project evolves.
/M
I immediately dismantled the bike with full intentions to restore it, but life and other projects got in the way. The bike sat in pieces on my workshop shelves, serving more at wall art than a future project. And then last month, another 124 5V showed up for sale near me. It wasn't complete, missing the tank, seat, rear fender/tail light & tool boxes. But it had a very good condition exhaust system and better (read: less rusty) wheels. I figure between the two bikes, I should be about to build a runner. The second bike has a seized engine, whereas my first 124 is free.
So, 17 years after buying my first 124 5V, I began a "freshoration"... just a freshing-up, not a full-on restoration. I'm currently in the process of stripping & refinishing all the painted parts. Gloss black chassis with silver tank, fenders, headlight shell & tool boxes. I also have some modernization planned, but I not going to discuss it until I've proven the concept.
Attached are photos of bike 1 (10/2005) as bought and in parts, and bike 2 (10/2022) and the work I've completed so far.




I'll post more as the project evolves.
/M
