A Brief History of the Marque
Manufactured: 1909-1939 1
Della Ferrera was established in Turin in 1909 by Giovanni and Federico Della Ferrera at their factory in Corso Regina Margherita, Turin. 2
Della Ferrera produced motorcycles of 175 cc, 350cc and 500cc which were beautifully hand-crafted, and not the product of an assembly line. Advertising of the day guaranteed them for 100,000 kilometres, accompanied by the slogan "le nostre moto non si devono rompere", (Our motorcycles will not break).
Prior to WWI they experienced success in racing, and had built a 500cc four-valve single. They also built an engine the description of which sounds very much as if it employed a desmodromic system: "control system of the overhead valves, which makes use of a double rocker arm, which rests with each end on the stem of a valve." In 1913 they built a 500cc OHV V-twin which did very well.
Subsequent to the armistice they went on to create a simply staggering array of new engines, from tiny two-strokes to high-performance V-twins. In 1919 they displayed a single-cylinder 636cc machine with a four-speed gearbox. One popular twostroke was a 125 of 36x60 mm.
Augusto Monaco collaborated in the construction of a 250cc four-stroke supercharged engine producing 13 hp at 7000 rpm.
In 1920 they produced 636cc single cylinder and 803cc v-twin models, both with chain drive and a four-speed gearbox.
In 1921 Turismo 637cc and Gran Turismo 1048cc and 496cc models were produced.
1923 saw the introduction of 637cc single and 998cc 45° V-twin sidevalve models with constant mesh gearbox.
In 1924, Della Ferrera presented an auxiliary 130cc two stroke engine with an unusual split cylinder internal distribution with cylinder liners, which converged toward the combustion chamber to form an upside down V.
In 1925, the Sport Luxury was produced with a 1394cc V-Twin, four-speed gearbox, chain driven transmission and side valve distribution.
In 1926 a 500cc single with three-speed gearbox was produced.
1928: production began of a 175cc ohv single with a three speed gearbox.
In 1932 a single-cylinder 350cc sloper engine with overhead valves and integral three-speed gearbox was launched.
The 1938 range included 175 and 350cc OHV Super Sport Lusso models, a 500cc SV Tursimo and a motocarro called a Moto-Furgone.
The company sold engines to other manufacturers including GRG, Ottino, Conti and Tommasi
Motorcycle production ceased in 1939 shortly before outbreak of war. Remaining machines were left in warehouses and reappeared for sale after cessation of hostilities. The company sold the remnants from the motorcycle factory in the 1960s.
In recent times motorcycle apparel appeared in Canada under the Della Ferrera label, and there was talk of the production of a new motorcycle. Around 2013 the trademark was transferred to a UK company. In 2017 there was a website claiming to own the name. It had little content and dellaferreramotorcycles.com was offline in 2024.
Della Ferrera Models include:
1911 500cc Corsa
1919 1006cc Twin, 636cc Single
1919-1924 650
1920-1926 800cc
c.1921-1927 1000cc V-Twin
1927-1933 175cc
1931-1934 Piemonte 175cc
1927-1937 350cc
1927 496cc OHV single
1927-1933 500cc
1935-1938 Cenisio 500cc
1938 175cc
1938 350cc OHV Super Sport Lusso
1938 500cc SV Tursimo
1938 Moto Furgone
The Italian Della Ferrera twin of 1,006 c.c. and single of 636 c.c.
Italian War Office Models to be made for the Public.
ONE of the several Italian makes of motor cycles which has been used extensively by the Italian Army during the war is the Della Ferrera, of which photographs showing two models are reproduced here. We are informed by our Milan correspondent that these machines will be made for the public this year, and that the Italian motor cycle trade - a rapidly growing industry - will make a great effort to capture the greater part of their home trade. This fact, coupled with the probable early arrival in Italy of the new American models, will make it increasingly difficult for the British manufacturer to pick up his pre-war trade, which was very flourishing. Several new firms have announced their intention of entering the motor cycle trade and many interesting new machines, including at least two flat twins and a two-stroke, are on the tapis.
Specification.
We have from time to time illustrated many of the Italian machines, which, it may be remembered, very closely follow British lines. The Della Ferrera is no exception to this rule.
The single-cylinder Della Ferrera has a bore and stroke of 90 and 100 mm. respectively while the cylinders of the twin are 80 x 100 mm. bore and stroke. The capacity of the former is 536 c.c. and 1,005 c.c. in case of the latter.
In all other respects the specifications of the two models are identical and include Dixie magneto, countershaft gear, four speeds, dry plate clutch, kick-starter, and internal expanding rear brake.
The gear ratios are 4, 6, 9, and 13 to 1, obtained by two pairs of chains (two from the engine to the gear box and two to the rear wheel). These are completely enclosed. The kick-starter operates directly upon the engine shaft, while in the rear wheel sprockets is embodied a shock absorber of the rubber cushion type.
The Motor Cycle, January 9th, 1919
Notes
1. Tragatsch (p113) writes that the machines were produced as late as 1948, motoclubstoricoconti.it says 1942. These machines were almost certainly built in the late 1930s and sold post-war.
2. Their original workshop was at Corso Vittorio Emanuele II°, Torino, according to AMBS
Sources: Bretti Brothers, motoclubstoricoconti.it, autoelusso.it, amicidellemotobicisottocanna.blogspot.com (AMBS), motorcycles.fandom.com. (See also Italian resources)
