Also Enrico Farina's Bylot at Eicma 2012

Bilot is a typical expression from Monza that indicates someone who has done something stupid or something useless. It is said that it was the name of a Napoleonic general who in Monza did all kinds of things without achieving any results. Enrico Farina called his creation Bylot. There is a reason and why.

“I started "chewing" blocks and mud at a very young age with my father at the regularity races. Then the first fifty arrived, immediately modified with a Ceriani “long leg” fork. It was a crescendo of ribbons and races, until 1989 at the Incas Rally, organized by my friend Franco Acerbis. I hung up my helmet for a short time. I took it up again by starting to participate in the Valli Bergamasche revival and other vintage regularity competitions. It was like pouring gasoline on the fire: hunting in markets and exhibitions like this." And I found myself a collector. After a while, however, just admiring my bikes and using them in some revival is no longer enough for me. I want to experiment. I start putting together strange combinations and the trip explodes. I find a beautiful Laverda 125 road car in Rimini, I buy it. It takes a moment to transform it into regularity: four modifications, the Peripoli Giulietta America tank and you're done. born in the tank next to the Monza cap. One Sunday I met my friend Rolandi on the Verderio Superio field in a pit cross race. He competes and wins with his self-designed Rotek jewel, all machined from solid wood, a marvel ”, explained Farina.

“I think about my Laverda and an idea comes to me. I start jotting down projects and talking about them with expert and trusted friends. Borghin (the one from Gabor) and the very expert Malanchini give me advice. The Angel of Carugate, who is a restorer, calls me crazy, but then sleeps on it and tells me that it can be done. This is how Bylot was born, a provocation, we'll see later. Nothing remains of the Laverda idea, the frame is a classic double cradle but raised. Each component is a fruit of my imagination, the motto is: "I like it like this". I'm not ashamed of having "copied". Bolt-on crossbar handlebars were cool then and still are today. The headlight support fixed to the plate was used on the Gilera Frigerio, but also on the Italjet Mangusta scrambler. Do you remember the beautiful VDO 8-day power reserve watch used by the Gilera team at the 1960 six-day event? The original is impossible to find, but there's no problem, just ask and voilà the replica set in the tank next to the Monza cap. As for the engine, it is a 170 with a classic five-speed gearbox, but other much higher-performance engines are planned. For now, let's see what effect it has." he concluded.