1982 Moto Villa Everest 348, 310cc. Registration number GKR ...

Hammer

£2,000

1982 Moto Villa Everest 348, 310cc. Registration number GKR 491Y. Frame number FV 348 * 0602 * DGM 18470 0M. Engine number FV 348E 517.
Brothers Francesco and Walter Villa began building their own machines in the mid-1960s. Walter raced Villa bikes before his rise to stardom and three consecutive 250-class World Championships for Harley-Davidson between 1974 and '76, to which he added one in the 350 class. Manufactured up to 1988, the firm's lightweight roadsters used proprietary engines, while its successful moto-cross and enduro models used motors of Villa's own design.
The Everest 348 was introduced at the 1977 Milan Bike Show ad initially looked very similar to the all conquering Montessa Cota 348. Suspension came from the Spanish firm Betor, the same as the Bultaco Sherpa, the handlebar and rims were Akront and the brakes Grimeca, other parts came from Germany and it was shod with Dunlops. The engine used a 28mm Bing carburettor.
GKR, a 1982 example, was entered into the 1983 Scottish Six Day Trial as part of a two bike team, as number 106, ridden by Rob Smith, he received a Second Class award; the other machine, ridden by B. Giles, number 260, retired. They had been imported by Peter (Piero) de Pasquale from Ashford who had been to the factory and bought three off road bikes and then converted two of them for the Scottish by lightening them. He has been in contact with the cataloguer and still has many spares that may be available should the next custodian be interested in competing again. The intention was to set up a dealership with the factory but they went into administration shortly afterwards. Both machines had few competition entries post the SSDT, mainly local events.
Peter then sold it to Daniel Lewis, again in Kent in 2005, the following year it went to Alan Gould of Tredegar in Wales and out vendor bought it in 2007, storing it in his dry garage.
It was last taxed on the roads in 1983 and the current odometer reading is at 74 miles, one presumes that it was refreshed at this time and fundamentally unused since.
Recently recommissioned the next custodian would be advised to complete their own safety checks before entering this historic machine into future events.
Sold with the V5C and various paperwork.