Rrosenthal

Ducati 916 rewrote the superbike design book Ducati 1950 – Italy Founded in 1926 to produce radios and electrical components, the Bologna factory diversified into military equipment before WWI, after which they began making Aldo Farinelli designed 48cc Cucciolo cyclemotor units. Following a brief partnership with Aero Caprioni, Ducati displayed a 60cc motorcycle at the…

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Enfield (now Royal Enfield) Bullet Eagle 1910-15 USA Quality made Spake-engined singles and V-twins. Now rare and expensive. EBE c1920-30 Sweden Proprietary engine manufacturer who made cycle clip-ons and then complete machines with 172-598cc engines. A number of 172cc ohv models with three-speed Sturmey Archer gearboxes survive in Northern Europe. EBS c1924-30 Germany Berlin manufacturer…

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Denis Parkinson poses on his 250cc ohc Excelsior Manxman Excelsior 1896-1964 UK The early history of the Bayliss, Thomas and Slaughter – later Bayliss, Thomas and Co – is a story of ‘firsts.’ They were the first company to coin the name Excelsior – on a cycle in 1874 – and the first British company…

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Federation motorcycles were marketed through the Co-op Fafnir 1900-14(26) Germany Production at the Aachen factory was initially established to build Werner-designed engines under licence, which were marketed as proprietary units. Fafnir soon developed further motorcycle engines up to a 1000cc V-twin and became Germany’s leading producer. From c1903, Fafnir made superb motorcycles too. Surviving Fafnir…

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Straight frame tubes were the hallmark of pre-war Francis Barnetts FN 1901-62 Belgium Like BSA, FN (La Fabrique Nationale d’Armes de Geurre) were weapon makers. Founded in 1889, the Herstal company began making cycle frames in 1895, then complete cycles and their first 133cc single cylinder motorcycle in 1901. With sound financial backing, development progressed…

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Early Thirties Garelli lightweight two stroke Gadabout 1946-51 UK See Swallow, scooters built by famous sidecar maker. Gaia 1922-32 Italy Turin maker of lightweights with Moser, Rubinelli and Ladetto and Blatto engines. Rare. Galbusera 1934-55 Italy Production began with a range of ohv singles using Italian Miller engines (Rudge units built under licence). Galbusera sensationally…

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Geoff Duke shows his class in the early 1950s on a works four cylinder Gilera Gilera 1909 – Italy Born in December 1887, Guiseppe Gilera began making motorcycles in 1909 after gaining engineering expertise at Bianchi, Moto Reve, and Bucher and Zeda. A 317cc single was soon followed by a V-twin and the first of…

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Barr and Stroud engined Grindlay Peerless v-twin from 1924 Glas 1951-56 Germany A range of 123cc, 148cc and 197cc Ilo two-stroke engined scooters with tiny 8in wheels and bulbous bodywork from Hans Glas, the same company who built the Goggo Mobil microcar. The scooters were named the Goggo 125, 150 and 200 as appropriate. Glockner…

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Harley-Davidson WLC, produced for the military Hagglund 1973-78 Sweden Limited production of pressed steel monocoque framed 345cc two-stroke Rotax engined military motorcycle with automatic transmission, the XM 74 was developed solely for the Swedish military by AB Hagglund and Soner, Ornsklosvick. Drive problems brought the project to a premature halt. Despite its problems, examples are…

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Limited production run for the Hesketh doesn’t detract from its many qualities Hawker 1920-24 UK Small quantity production of 350/550 side-valve Blackburne engined models and a 293cc two-stroke built by the company run by aircraft maker Tom Sopwith and his test pilot Harry Hawker. Hawker died in a flying accident in 1921. Hawker production ended…

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