Mondial 500cc GP racer Nello Pagani Dutch TT Assen motorcycle racing photo

Description

A superb and rare photo. Shown is 500cc works racer
Nello Pagani
in action on the
Mondial 500cc machine
.
FB-Mondial
was a motorcycle manufacturer from Milan, Italy between 1948 and 1979, known for its Grand Prix motorcycle racing successes during the 1950s. Prior to World War II, it manufactured delivery tricycles. The firm produced some of the most advanced and successful Grand Prix road racers of the time, winning 5 World Championships. The "F.B." in the name stood for "Fratelli Boselli", after the owners, the Counts Boselli, a noble family from the
Milan
area. During a time when MV Agusta and Ducati produced economy lightweight 2-stroke motorcycles, mopeds and scooters, Mondial produced high-quality sporting motorcycles. The Mondial factory in
Milan
was much smaller than the large Moto Guzzi, Gilera or Benelli concerns, and was more of a "boutique" manufacturer, specializing in high-performance, small-displacement motorcycles. Much of the production of each motorcycle was done by hand, which kept output low, with production numbers typically ranging between 1,000 and 2,000 units per year. In 1949, when MV Agusta decided to produce a 4-stroke motorcycle, they purchased a Mondial 4-stroke motorcycle to use as an example. After the 1957 Grand Prix season, the major Italian motorcycle manufacturers including Gilera, Moto Guzzi, MV Agusta and Mondial announced that they would pull out of Grand Prix competition citing increasing costs and diminishing sales (MV Agusta later reconsidered and continued racing). Mondial had prepared a bike with desmodromic valve actuation (before Ducati) but did not produce it. The last all-Mondial motorcycle left the factory in 1960. After this, Mondial purchased engines from proprietary makers. In this hybrid form, motorcycles with Mondial frames and ancillary parts, but non-Mondial engines, were produced by the factory for the next 19 years. In 1957, Soichiro Honda approached Mondial owner Count Boselli for purchase of a Mondial racebike, with which the firm had just won the 125 cc and 250 cc world titles. Count Boselli gave Mr. Honda a racing Mondial; Honda used this bike as a standard to which he aspired, in order to compete on a world-scale. An original Mondial 125 cc racebike is the first bike on display when entering Honda’s Motegi Collection Hall. The rights to Mondial were purchased by newspaper tycoon Roberto Ziletti in 1999. Ziletti was an avid motorcyclist in his youth, and his dream was to own a prestigious motorcycle company. In 2000 Ziletti asked Honda to supply engines for the new Mondial (the Piega 1000) from their race-winning RC51 superbikes. A deal was made because Mondial had supplied Soichiro Honda with that 1957 racebike. This was the first time Honda has ever allowed a firm to use its engines for their production vehicles. In 1999 Roberto Ziletti attempted to revive the marque. Ziletti's father died, leaving him in charge of the Lastra Group. Mondial's difficulties occurred when Lastra acquired Mitsubishi Corp.’s worldwide graphic arts division, leaving Roberto Ziletti insufficient time to resolve Mondial’s problems. He had spent more than 11 million Euros on the company, and after failing to farm Mondial out to a Swiss company, the Arcore factory was placed in the hands of the
Monza
bankruptcy court in July 2004, with around 35 Mondial Piega 1000s in various states of completion. To place this in perspective, Lastra Group had a turnover exceeding 500 million Euros in 2004. In interviews in March 2005 a south Georgia motorcycle dealership, stated that the courts had arranged to sell Mondial to their American firm, Superbike Racing, on
February 28, 2005
, and that they would continue the marque. However, the Monza courts sold Mondial Moto
SPA
to another buyer on July 27, 2005: Biemme, another motorcycle firm located in Meda (near Milan) and owned by Piero Caronni (the same man who bought from Rimini bankruptcy court the remains and the production right from Bimota for the then defunct Bimota V Due), renamed itself as GRUPPO MONDIAL S.R.L. and continues offering the Piega 1000s to the market.
This is your rare chance to own this
non period
photo that reflects a very interesting and highly historic piece of
motorcycle and Mondial‘s glorious history. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 12" (ca. 20 x 30 cm).
We have more photos listed on Ebay, also motorcycle (racing) photos! Check them out and use the shipping discount! You can always contact us for any requests.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you buy.   For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well protected in PVC clear files
and board backed envelopes.
We have photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and excellent quality.
After many decades of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a border. 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 any questions before the auction ends.