1991 Gilera CX125
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Single-sided rear suspension was extremely cool at the start of the 1990s. Having a single suspension arm at the back and the front would therefore surely be the coolest thing in the world, ever. Enter Gilera’s futuristic CX125, new for 1991.
Bimota had just caused much cooing with their first hub-steered Tesi road bike, so timing was spot-on. Gilera’s chief engineer, Federico Martini, had been in charge at Bimota when the Tesi was developed, but the CX front-end was completely different. Instead of forks there was a single large-diameter telescopic leg (by Paioli) carried snug against the regular steering head. Articulated tie-rods linked a compact bottom yoke to a chunky aluminium arm, curving inside the scooped alloy wheel.
Though the system didn’t separate load paths like the Tesi, Gilera obviously claimed many advantages including more rigidity than a regular fork, lower weight and ‘improved driving characteristics’. With the front arm at least as sizeable as the single-sider at the rear, taking a generous quantity of salt with these claims was wise – especially as the claimed dry weight for the CX was 11kg greater than the Gilera Crono it shared its 30bhp two-stroke engine and twin-spar frame design with. At the bike’s launch, Mr Martini described the CX as, ‘a marketing bike, born by commercial requests’.
Which matters not one iota. Nor does it matter that Bike’s test ride (May 1991 issue) discovered the whacky CX felt just like a normal bike, or that it cost £3000 when a Yamaha TZR125 was £1850 (in Europe; it wasn’t an ocial UK model). Just look at the ruddy thing. And though the suspension offered no real benefits, dynamically there were no disadvantages either, so it’s great to ride. Who wouldn’t fancy the zinging performance, super-light handling and racer feel of an edgy Italian stroker, with the appearance of something from a 1960s sci-fi comic? Only around 1000 were built, half of which were sold in Italy. Today, a slightly dog-eared CX125 in need of light recommissioning is around £2750. Double that for a minty one.