Photo ou archives : F-M. Dumas
6505
PATON
125 Racer - 1961
A winning partnership
Giuseppe Pattoni was crazy about engines. He began operations with a workshop in Milan, while racing a Gilera Saturno and competing in motocross with a sidecar outfit. In 1953, he joined Mondial as a mechanic.
Enter the Paton
His abilities earned him a promotion to the competition department in 1956. In 1957, he prepared Cecil Sandford's World Champion machine. When Mondial withdrew from Grand Prix racing at the end of the same year, "Pep" Pattoni joined engineer Lino Tonti to create their own marque – Paton ("Pa" for Pattoni, "Ton" for Tonti).
First Successes
The duo persuaded Mondial to give them racing supplies. Paton began by assembling ex-Mondial 125 and 175 machines, reworked and improved by Tonti. These bikes enjoyed great success in the Italian National Championships, and their fame spread abroad. In Britain, a young Mike Hailwood finished seventh in the 125cc TT riding his brand-new Paton. In France, ex-Mondial rider Jacky Onda was National 175cc Champion on a Paton in 1959 and 1960, while Gilberto Milani won more honors with Paton singles in Yugoslavia and at San Remo in 1961. Fast, light and powerful, Paton was forced to keep up with, in particular, the extremely simple overhead-valve Morinis. The 175 was rapidly abandoned, and Tonti redesigned the 125, using a twin-cam engine based on a touring 125 Mondial unit. These little singles were soon overshadowed by the 250 twin developed by Tonti, followed by his famed 500 twins.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 124cc (53x56mm)/ 175cc (62x58mm) air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke; magneto ignition; dry-sump lubrication
Power Rating: 17.5 hp @ 11,500 rpm/22.6 hp @ 11,000 rpm
Valves: twin overhead-camshafts driven by gear-train
Fuel System: carburetor
Transmission: 5-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: telescopic forks (front); swing arm with twin spring/dampers (rear)
Brakes: drum (front & rear)
Weight: 209 lb
This magnificent example of the ultimate version of the Paton 125 was raced in France in 1961 by the rider Gaida.