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{{Infobox Motorcycle | |||
|name = [[Gilera]] ER500 Dakota | |||
|image = [[File:GILERA-ER-Dakota-500.jpg|frameless|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
|aka = | |||
|manufacturer = Gilera | |||
|parent_company = | |||
|production = 1988 | |||
|model_year = | |||
|predecessor = | |||
|successor = | |||
|class = | |||
|engine = Four stroke, single cylinder, 4 valves | |||
|bore_stroke = | |||
|compression = 9.5:1 | |||
|top_speed = 154.1 km/h / 95 mph | |||
|power = | |||
|torque = | |||
|fuel_system = | |||
|ignition = Electronic | |||
|spark_plug = | |||
|battery = | |||
|transmission = 5 Speed | |||
|frame = | |||
|suspension =Front: Gas telescopic forks <br> | |||
Rear: Alloy swing arm single shock | |||
|brakes =Front: Single 260mm disc <br>Rear: Drum | |||
|front_tire = {{tire|90/90-21}} | |||
|rear_tire = {{tire|5.10-17}} | |||
|rake_trail = | |||
|wheelbase = | |||
|length = | |||
|width = | |||
|height = | |||
|seat_height = | |||
|dry_weight = | |||
|wet_weight = | |||
|fuel_capacity = 22 Litres / 5.8 US gal | |||
|oil_capacity = | |||
|fuel_consumption = | |||
|turning_radius = | |||
|related = | |||
|competition = | |||
}} | |||
It could reach a top speed of 154.1 km/h / 95 mph. | |||
==Engine== | |||
The engine featured a 9.5:1 [[compression ratio]]. | |||
==Chassis== | |||
It came with a 90/90-21 front [[tire]] and a 5.10-17 rear tire. Stopping was achieved via Single 260mm disc in the front and a Drum in the rear. The front suspension was a Gas telescopic forks while the rear was equipped with a Alloy swing arm single shock. The ER500 Dakota was fitted with a 22 Litres / 5.8 US gal fuel tank. | |||
== Photos == | |||
[[File:GILERA-ER-Dakota-500.jpg|600px|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
[[File:Gilera-ER-Dakota-500--2.jpg|600px|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
[[File:Gilera-ER-Dakota-500--1.jpg|600px|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
[[File:Gilera-ER-Dakota-500-88.jpg|600px|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
[[File:Gilera-ER-Dakota-500--3.jpg|600px|Gilera ER500 Dakota]] | |||
== Overview == | |||
Gilera ER Dakota 500 | |||
The first the world saw of the new Gilera four-stroke during the 1980s was at | |||
the biennial Milan Show in November 1985. Not only did the famous old Arcore | |||
factory have one of the biggest and most impressive stands at the exhibition, | |||
but also an exciting new thumper in the shape of the 350 Dakota trailster, with | |||
the added promise of a larger version in the pipeline. | |||
And Gilera's first new four-stroke in over a decade showed that it wasn't | |||
just two-stroke models which were receiving the | |||
modern treatment in the Arcore R&D shop. | |||
FOUR-VALVES | |||
Designed by Ing. Lucio Masut, the newcomer employed every trick in the book - | |||
including liquid cooling, four-valve cylinder head, twin exhaust ports, twin 25 | |||
Dell'Orto carbs, double overhead camshafts driven by toothed belt, a balancer | |||
shaft (gear driven directly off the crankshaft) multi-plate hydraulically | |||
operated | |||
wet clutch, five-speed gearbox and Japanese electronic ignition and electric | |||
starter. There was also a forged piston and a one-piece crankshaft which ran on | |||
anti-vibration ring bearings. The pity was that all this hi-tech only produced | |||
33bhp at 7,500rpm from the 348.8cc (80 x 69mm) mill. But at least the 500 (which | |||
took another eighteen months) promised a 25 per cent power increase with no | |||
additional weight to speak of. | |||
DUAL-PURPOSE | |||
Gilera had opted to build a dual-purpose, on-off-roader rather than a pure | |||
street bike because, at the time, sales of machines like Yamaha's Tenere were | |||
riding high. The Paris-Dakar style was all the rage both in Italy and around | |||
Europe; in fact everywhere except Great Britain! Even though the Dakota's power | |||
output was disappointing in view of its technical gizmos, the in-house Gilera | |||
styling job was generally accepted as being superb. As proof of this, author | |||
Alan Cathcart picked the Dakota to feature as only one of two machines with | |||
engines of less than 750-class in his 1988 book, Dream Bikes. | |||
But besides the lack of power, the wide 5imp. gal (231tr) fuel tank and | |||
sculpted bodywork was slammed by serious off-road riders for its enforced | |||
'knees-out' riding stance which, unless the rider adopted a more rearward | |||
seating position, (which then altered the weight distribution) was extremely | |||
uncomfortable. | |||
THE ER VARIANT | |||
Gilera responded in a positive fashion by introducing the ER variant in 1987, | |||
just as the 500 model 492cc (92 x 74mm) came into production. The ER was | |||
targeted firmly at the committed green lane rider, with its smaller 3.3imp. gal | |||
(151tr) tank and the twin coolant radiators now shrouded by abbreviated plastic | |||
panels. These two changes enabled the driver to sit further forward in a more | |||
comfortable position. The original model was also retained and, with both | |||
versions available in 350 and 500 form, this meant that there were actually four | |||
different Dakota models to choose from. | |||
With a dry weight of no less than 3241b (147kg) in both engine capacities, | |||
the Dakota was one of the heaviest machines in its class. This showed up most | |||
under heavy braking when the single 260mm disc and its Grimeca four-piston | |||
caliper was stretched to its limit to cope. The Gilera engine was the most | |||
sophisticated in the on-off-road sector of the market, but with its great weight | |||
and power-sapping ultra efficient (quiet!) exhaust system it was not really | |||
suitable for pure competition, even in its 500 form. | |||
However, the engine was very strong and the square-tube enduro-type chassis | |||
was fully capable of taking more power. The result was that at the Milan Show in | |||
1987 Gilera launched the XRT. | |||
Source Gilera The complete story Mick Walker | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
!Make Model | |||
|Gilera ER Dakota 500 | |||
|- | |||
!Year | |||
|1988 | |||
|- | |||
!Engine Type | |||
|Four stroke, single cylinder, 4 valves | |||
|- | |||
!Displacement | |||
|492 cc / 30.0 cu-in | |||
|- | |||
!Bore X Stroke | |||
|92 x 74 mm | |||
|- | |||
!Compression | |||
|9.5:1 | |||
|- | |||
!Induction | |||
|Delorta carburetor | |||
|- | |||
!Ignition | |||
|Electronic | |||
|- | |||
!Starting | |||
|Electric | |||
|- | |||
!Max Power | |||
|44 hp / 32 kW @ 7250 rpm | |||
|- | |||
!Max Torque | |||
|40.1 Nm / 29.6 lb-ft @ 5750 rpm | |||
|- | |||
!Transmission | |||
|5 Speed | |||
|- | |||
!Final Drive | |||
|Chain | |||
|- | |||
!Front Suspension | |||
|Gas telescopic forks | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Suspension | |||
|Alloy swing arm single shock | |||
|- | |||
!Front Brakes | |||
|Single 260mm disc | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Brakes | |||
|Drum | |||
|- | |||
!Front Tire | |||
|90/90-21 | |||
|- | |||
!Rear Tire | |||
|5.10-17 | |||
|- | |||
!Dry Weight / Wet-weight | |||
|152 kg / 335 lbs | |||
|- | |||
!Fuel Capacity | |||
|22 Litres / 5.8 US gal | |||
|- | |||
!Consumption Average | |||
|18.2 km/lit | |||
|- | |||
!Braking 60 - 0 / 100 - 0 | |||
|14.9 m / 41.0 m | |||
|- | |||
!Standing ¼ Mile | |||
|14.5 sec / 140.4 km/h | |||
|- | |||
!Top Speed | |||
|154.1 km/h / 95 mph | |||
|} | |||
[[Category:Gilera motorcycles]] |