This is an ex-Michael Harper Smith bike that was sold at an auction in January of 2013. The person who bought it at the time then put it in his apartment as an art piece and has apparently never started it. Hopefully you can keep it pretty but also put some miles on it.
Moto Parilla was founded right after WWII by Giovanni Parilla, who built his first bike around a Norton. Despite being based in Italy, Parilla had most of its success in the US. In 1951, the company introduced a 125cc 2-stroke commuter, and in 1953 they offered a 150cc version as well. The 150 was available in 3 versions, as explained by MotoParilla.org – this featured bike is a Sport, which was capable of 60 miles per hour. THe Sports are absolutely gorgeous and the little details really make it special – check out the foot pegs!
While this example has not been started for years, the seller says it’s in remarkable condition. The motor turns freely, compression ‘seems’ good, you can shift through the gears, and the brakes and clutch work. The bike has been repainted and the only issue with the cosmetics is that the decal on the right side of the tank is backwards. The oil drain plug isn’t correct, which means you’ll occasionally get an oil leak – the seller says it’s temperature dependent, you’ll a dime-sized leak when it’s warmer than 70 degrees. THe bike has a clean California title.
Find this Moto Parilla for sale in Los Angeles, California for $5,000 here on the Bay Area Riders Forum.