Gilera Serafina 850 Concept
The Gilera Serafina 850
When we envision what a modern 2-stroke street bike could be, it is very easy to picture something along the lines of the Suter 500 with sharp styling, an amazing looking chassis and very trick components. But when I thought more about all the different styles of two-strokes over the past 50 years, I started to question whether a 2-stroke with a mix of state of the art technology and nostalgic styling could be appealing to the public? After all, how many smoker fans don’t shake at the knees when they see a TZ750 or an NSR500? With that in mind, I present to you the Gilera Serafina 850 Concept.
Inspired by many of the great GP Bikes from the past, Serafina 850 is a combination of modern 2-stroke technology and classic GP looks, built into one light-weight package. Donning the traditional Italian colours, the bike would be powered by an 850cc Direct-Injected inline twin 2-stroke engine, with a maximum power output of 180hp. The targeted dry weight would be 135kg, giving the retro rocket a very healthy power-to-weight ratio.
In order to meet the tougher emissions, the programmable direct injection would allow the rider to adjust the characteristics of the engine, with the assistance of traction control. It would also allow multiple engine mapping options for commuting and closed course racing.
With the power plant housed in a twin-spar alloy frame and fitted with fully-adjustable Ohlins TTX25 gas forks and powerful Brembo brakes, the Serafina would handle as well as it looks.