Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Launched in February 1989 and sold immediately afterwards, the MX-R Top Gilera Endurance is the evolution of the previous MX-1 model. Gilera's strategy for 1989 in the 125 Sport world was twofold: first, the MX-R suitable for 16-year-olds who love road sports bikes with great flexibility, with a comfortable driving position, even in two, excellent protection from the air and dispensing fluidity; on the other hand there was the SP01, another brand new, designed expressly for racing in Sport Production and suitable for a public that loves pure performance, not very comfortable in city driving, with poor power at low speeds but pointed and very generous at high levels regimes, equipped with an extension up to the hour unknown to the 125 sports. Unfortunately for Gilera, this strategy was not rewarded by the market: a market of the 125 sports cars increasingly crowded with competition led to an identity crisis for the Gilera brand with consequent serious financial problems deriving from the considerable investments made. The problems, which will become more important each year, led to the sale of the brand to the Piaggio Group in 1991 with the definitive closure of the Arcore factories in 1992. The MX-R, albeit with a new complete fairing, a new dual light floodlight and some technical refinements did not avoid together with the sports production SP01 before, the SP02 the SP91 Crono and the futuristic CX then, the definitive decline of Gilera as an independent brand (even if officially the last road produced by the brand, already passed under management of the Piaggio Group, it was the GFR, sold since 1993 when Gilera had already moved to the Pontedera facilities with the destiny of producing scooters and parts of them for the Piaggio Group). For these reasons it can be said that the MX-R did not have a segment heir. The MX-R remained on the list for two years until 1991. Price in 1989: 5,600,000 lira f.c. Available colors: black, red and white. The MX-R, especially in black, has an impressive line, but at the same time elegant and attractive as some replicas produced by competitors. There were different differences with the MX-1: the completely new hull profile, optimized to improve the protection of the rider from the wind in the shoulder and leg area and increase the air flow for engine cooling; the completely sealed hull that hides the excellent TwinBox frame in the same geometry as that of the MX-1 with different fairing hooks; the side air intakes to evacuate the hot air from the radiator; the largest and most protective fairing that houses a new and beautiful double light fixture; the bizarre decision to eliminate the Plexiglas dome (a choice that only the Cagiva had made with the C9) that excludes the possibility of seeing in the hull at maximum speed, very beautiful in design, but not very useful, due to the lack of visibility offered; the new rear-view mirrors produced by Vitaloni, are decidedly more beautiful and less faded than those mounted on the more slender and vertical MX1. Confirmed the solution of the fake tank that hides a practical storage compartment that can accommodate a full-face helmet. Control equipment and electrical controls remain unchanged. Except for the air intakes on the slightly larger side panels, the codon-side panel unit with the excellent exhaust with two high terminals and the saddle remain unchanged compared to the MX-1. Not nice the slightly undersized tail in the proportions already with the MX-1 seems even smaller with the MX-R with more front fairing. Cycling: unchanged compared to the MX-1 (quoted TwinBox frame), agile and with geometries that avoid sudden reactions: substantially of good quality and excellent quality especially in welds. The MX-R engine undergoes few modifications from the MX-1: - new cylinder; - new exhaust system and different carburetor but still with 28 (PHBH). Leaving the sporting ambitions to the SP01, the MX-R undergoes changes to the engine aimed at establishing a greater roundness of operation, rather than in search of maximum power, which translates into a greater body and elasticity at medium rpm, eliminating the vacuum of delivery at low, while maintaining a certain grit in the power supply curve that remains at the level of the best competitors. The engine therefore gives a smoother and more substantial driving, especially in driving in mixed sections and with climbs and descents, enhancing the good qualities of the chassis. Road tests show a maximum power of about 29 hp at 9750 rpm. The MX-R engine thus shows a slight improvement compared to the MX-1 in absolute performance, confirming the goodness of the few modifications by popping up the 400 meters in recovery from 50 km/h a time of 20.059 seconds and an exit speed of 94 km/h (20.587 if 91.37 km/h, the MX-1).
Launched in February 1989 and sold immediately afterwards, the MX-R Top Gilera Endurance is the evolution of the previous MX-1 model. Gilera's strategy for 1989 in the 125 Sport world was twofold: first, the MX-R suitable for 16-year-olds who love road sports bikes with great flexibility, with a comfortable driving position, even in two, excellent protection from the air and dispensing fluidity; on the other hand there was the SP01, another brand new, designed expressly for racing in Sport Production and suitable for a public that loves pure performance, not very comfortable in city driving, with poor power at low speeds but pointed and very generous at high levels regimes, equipped with an extension up to the hour unknown to the 125 sports. Unfortunately for Gilera, this strategy was not rewarded by the market: a market of the 125 sports cars increasingly crowded with competition led to an identity crisis for the Gilera brand with consequent serious financial problems deriving from the considerable investments made. The problems, which will become more important each year, led to the sale of the brand to the Piaggio Group in 1991 with the definitive closure of the Arcore factories in 1992. The MX-R, albeit with a new complete fairing, a new dual light floodlight and some technical refinements did not avoid together with the sports production SP01 before, the SP02 the SP91 Crono and the futuristic CX then, the definitive decline of Gilera as an independent brand (even if officially the last road produced by the brand, already passed under management of the Piaggio Group, it was the GFR, sold since 1993 when Gilera had already moved to the Pontedera facilities with the destiny of producing scooters and parts of them for the Piaggio Group). For these reasons it can be said that the MX-R did not have a segment heir. The MX-R remained on the list for two years until 1991. Price in 1989: 5,600,000 lira f.c. Available colors: black, red and white. The MX-R, especially in black, has an impressive line, but at the same time elegant and attractive as some replicas produced by competitors. There were different differences with the MX-1: the completely new hull profile, optimized to improve the protection of the rider from the wind in the shoulder and leg area and increase the air flow for engine cooling; the completely sealed hull that hides the excellent TwinBox frame in the same geometry as that of the MX-1 with different fairing hooks; the side air intakes to evacuate the hot air from the radiator; the largest and most protective fairing that houses a new and beautiful double light fixture; the bizarre decision to eliminate the Plexiglas dome (a choice that only the Cagiva had made with the C9) that excludes the possibility of seeing in the hull at maximum speed, very beautiful in design, but not very useful, due to the lack of visibility offered; the new rear-view mirrors produced by Vitaloni, are decidedly more beautiful and less faded than those mounted on the more slender and vertical MX1. Confirmed the solution of the fake tank that hides a practical storage compartment that can accommodate a full-face helmet. Control equipment and electrical controls remain unchanged. Except for the air intakes on the slightly larger side panels, the codon-side panel unit with the excellent exhaust with two high terminals and the saddle remain unchanged compared to the MX-1. Not nice the slightly undersized tail in the proportions already with the MX-1 seems even smaller with the MX-R with more front fairing. Cycling: unchanged compared to the MX-1 (quoted TwinBox frame), agile and with geometries that avoid sudden reactions: substantially of good quality and excellent quality especially in welds. The MX-R engine undergoes few modifications from the MX-1: - new cylinder; - new exhaust system and different carburetor but still with 28 (PHBH). Leaving the sporting ambitions to the SP01, the MX-R undergoes changes to the engine aimed at establishing a greater roundness of operation, rather than in search of maximum power, which translates into a greater body and elasticity at medium rpm, eliminating the vacuum of delivery at low, while maintaining a certain grit in the power supply curve that remains at the level of the best competitors. The engine therefore gives a smoother and more substantial driving, especially in driving in mixed sections and with climbs and descents, enhancing the good qualities of the chassis. Road tests show a maximum power of about 29 hp at 9750 rpm. The MX-R engine thus shows a slight improvement compared to the MX-1 in absolute performance, confirming the goodness of the few modifications by popping up the 400 meters in recovery from 50 km/h a time of 20.059 seconds and an exit speed of 94 km/h (20.587 if 91.37 km/h, the MX-1).
