Ducati Bialbero Gran Sport-based 125 GP Racer

Ducati DOHC Bialbero 125 GP Racer

With Phil Aynsley

When Ducati decided to go Grand Prix racing in the mid 1950’s the 125 cc class was the obvious target.

Fabio Taglioni had already produced his first complete design for the company – the 100 cc Gran Sport, which was on its way to becoming unbeatable in its class in the long distance road races of the day.

A 125 cc version followed almost immediately and it was this that formed the basis of his 125 Bialbero (two shafts) GP design.

In fact the DOHC Bialbero was pretty much the 125 Gran Sport with a new cylinder head.

The design was first seen in February 1955 and was the precursor to the first of Taglioni’s Desmodromic racers, the 125 Trialbero (three shafts) that debuted in July ’55 (but more on that in a later column).

The 125 Bialbero was not widely raced by the factory itself but supplied to privateers who won national championships in many countries (Sweden and Brazil to name two).

A certain Mike Hailwood won many races on one in the late 1950s! The Bialbero was developed and sold up until 1959.

The bike I photographed is actually the 1955 prototype and was sold to Willie Scheidauer in 1956.

He went on to win several German titles on it, up until the mid ‘60s. It was restored in the late 2000s under the supervision of Hugo Gallina in the US.

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Noted metalsmith Evan Wilcox was responsible for the exact copy of the alloy dustbin fairing and seat cover.

Note the cast in air scoops on the brakes, designed to channel cooling air into the otherwise mostly shrouded brakes.

This prototype was good for 16 hp at 10,500 rpm. Without the dustbin fairing the Bialbero weighed 90 kg and had a top speed of 175 km/h.

At the time of photography it was owned by the late Jack Silverman.

Ducati Bialbero 125 GP Specifications