Brief history of the Ollearo motorcycles

Enrico Ollearo

Neftali Ollearo opened its first cycle and motorcycle repair shop in Turin in 1919 and soon designs an engine to be applied on a bicycle frame.
In 1921 the first motorized bicycle was created: a two-stroke 132cc engine with a cast iron cylinder head, rectangular wing parallel to the ground and a direct drive with a trapezoidal belt.
In a short time, the Turin fatory come to the construction of a gearbox, which, with a particular mechanism system allows the engine to be started by an half pedaling backwards.
In 1927 began the production of a new 175 cc “Type 2” model motorcycles with bronze head and Ollearo motorcycles also gain some results in sporting competitions thanks to his brother Marco Ollearo and to the driver Giovanni Spina.
Interesting and exclusive is the production of the “Lady Type” model, with a frame specifically built for the female audience, as well as a commercial three-wheeled van with rear-mounted drive.

In 1930, Ollearo introduces a motorbike that is considered from the press the real news of the year: the “Type 4”, driven by a 4-stroke engine of 175 cc, inserted longitudinally, with 4-speed in-block gearbox, splash lubrication and final shaft drive transmission with cardan joint, that between 1930 and 1932, will evolve in the 350 cc “Sirena” type, 500 cc “Perla” and 250 cc engines.
The production takes place completely in the Turin workshop, with the help of fifteen workers and all the family members: from the assembly of the engine to the construction of the frames, to the painting.
The Ollearo produces frames tailored to the customer, following the strict Neftali’s rule according to which in order to ride a motorcycle well, it is necessary – when stationary – to easily support the sole of the foot.

In 1945, after the difficult war period, the models are updated with the rear suspension and the telescopic fork and begins the production of an auxiliary motor for 49 cc bicycle with wheel mounting on the rear wheel.
In 1952, closed its doors one of the Piedmontese biggest (for the era) motorcycle factory, the “Fabbrica Italiana Motocicli Ollearo” with an estimated production of less than two thousand units.