Gilera 500cc 1954 World Champion Geoff Duke motorcycle racing photo portrait For Sale

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Gilera 500cc 1954 World Champion Geoff Duke motorcycle racing photo portrait:
$9.95

A superb and rare photo of the 500cc World Champion of 1954, GeoffDuke.

Geoff Duke , OBE (born 29 March 1923 in St. Helens, Lancashire) was a British multi-time world champion GrandPrix motorcycle road racer. The name of Geoff Duke is synonymous with motorsports, for he dominated motorcycle racing in the 1950s, winning six worldchampionships and five Isle of Man TT races. Duke came to prominence afterwinning the 1949 Senior Clubmans TT and the Senior Manx Grand Prix and was tobecome the very first post-war motorcycling \'superstar\', popularly knownamongst the racing fraternity simply as \'the Duke\'. He was signed up to theNorton works team for the 1950 TT, finishing second in the Junior and breakingboth lap and race records in the Senior. After winning three WorldChampionships for Norton he surprised everybody by moving abroad to Italianmotorcycle manufacturer, Gilera in 1953. With Gilera, he had a string of threeconsecutive 500cc world championships. His support for a rider\'s strikedemanding more start money led the FIM to suspend him for six months, dashingany hopes for a fourth consecutive title. In 1955 he was declared the firstrider to lap the Isle of Man TT course at 100 mph, though this waslater corrected to 99.97. As a consequence the official first 100 mph lap is credited toBob McIntyre, also on a Gilera, in 1957. Duke was a non-starter due to injury.His final race was the 1959 Junior when he finished fourth on a Norton. In 1963formed Scuderia Duke with Gilera to race the 1957 Gileras against the might ofMV Augusta. Duke cut a distinctive figure on racing circuits as he was thefirst rider to wear one-piece leathers - he had enlisted his local tailor, tomake the first of his now famous one-piece race suits. He was named Sportsmanof the Year in 1951, awarded the RAC Segrave Trophy and, in recognition of hisservices to motorcycling, was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1953.Highly honoured by the Isle of Man, where hemade so many of his world record breaking rides, a point on the Mountain Coursehas been named after him. Three sharp bends at the 32nd Milestone betweenBrandywell and Windy Corner now carry the title \'Duke\'s\'. The FIM named him aGrand Prix \"Legend\" in 2002.

Gilera wasfounded by Giuseppe Gilera in the Northern Italian town of Arcore, close to the city of Milan, in 1909. In 1935 Gilera acquired rights to the Rondinefour-cylinder engine. This formed the basis for Gileras four cylinder racingmachines nearly forty years. From the mid-thirties Gilera developed a range offour-stroke engine machines. The engines ranged from 100 to 500cc. The mostfamous of which was the 1939 Saturno. After World War II, Gilera dominatedGrand Prix motorcycle racing, winning the 500cc road racing world championship6 times in 8 years. Facing a downturn in motorcycle sales due to the increasein the popularity of automobiles after the war, Gilera made a gentleman\'sagreement with the other Italian motorcycle makers to quit Grand Prix racingafter the 1957 season as a cost cutting measure. In 1969 the company waspurchased by the Piaggio & Co. SpA -- which now holds six marques and isthe world\'s fourth largest motorcycle manufacturer. In 1992, Gilera made areturn to the Grand Prix arena and Piaggio continues to producesmall-displacement motorcycles with the Gilera name. Gilera World Championships:

1950: 500cc with Umberto Masetti

1952: 500cc with Umberto Masetti

1953: 500cc with Geoff Duke

1954: 500cc with Geoff Duke (SEE PHOTO!)

1955: 500cc with Geoff Duke

1957: 500cc with Libero Liberati

2001: 125cc with Manuel Poggiali

It is a very nice non period photo that reflects a wonderful era of motorcycling’srich history in a wonderful way. This is your rare chance to ownthisphoto, therefore it is printed in a nice large format ofca. 8\" x12\" (ca.20 x 30 cm).

Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos youbuy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!

(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear onphoto, for purposes only)

No copyrightexpressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out ourarchives that we have gathered from various sources.

All items always sent wellprotected in PVC clear filesand board backedenvelopes.

We havephotographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from theoriginal photographer or press studio! They are all of professional andexcellent quality.

After many decadesof professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out ourarchives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. Theywill look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with aborder. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,restaurant, bar or club!

First come -first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask anyquestions before the sale ends.

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