A to Z Reference

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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Early Bultaco four speed model Buchet 1900-11 France Well known French manufacturer in the period of proprietary engines, offered single and twin cylinder motorcycles in varying capacities. They also built three wheelers, early racing motorcycles, often with massive engines, and cars, from 1910-30. Bucker 1922-55 Germany Built large numbers of motorcycles pre-WWII using proprietary engines…

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Yamaha YA1 motorcycle was a near copy of the DKW RT125 Yamaha 1955- Japan Born in 1851 at Wakayama, Torakusu Yamaha began a 10-year engineering apprenticeship in Nagasaki, often tutored by an English clockmaker. He soon learnt an appreciation of highly accurate precision engineering. Aged 30 Torakusu started a further apprenticeship at a medical shop…

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1924 Sirrah lightweight side car outfit Sirrah c1921-25 UK Manufactured by Alfred Wiseman and Son of Glover Street, Birmingham, who also built Weaver ultra lightweight machines and the dearer but better equipped Verus models. It’s stated in many sources the name Sirrah is derived by reversing the name of the designer Mr Harris. Sirrah –…

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Vespa was launched onto a transport-starved Italian market in 1946 Piaggio 1945-present Italy Rapidly became, first, a national then world leader in terms of production. By 1978 they’d sold over 6,000,000 machines and 15 years later hit 10,000,000. A true international player, Piaggio remain among the world’s leading motorised two-wheel makers by volume, on occasions…

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Mercury offered this 99cc Villiers 6F-powered Grey Streak Meister 1949-56 Germany Cycle maker Meister Fahdradwerke began motorcycle production in 1949 using Sachs and Ilo two-stroke engines, many with neat telescopic front forks and plunger style rear suspension. Later, a Zundapp-engined moped joined the range. The 98-197cc motorcycle range, designed by Alfred Osterag, was also marketed…

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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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1931 BSA B21 BSA 1905-73 UK In 1854, 14 Birmingham gunsmiths formed a group named the Birmingham Small Arms Company. Seven years later a public limited company of the same name was created and the 25-acre Small Heath, Birmingham site acquired. Needing to expand beyond armaments manufacture, the company began making cycle components in 1878.…

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The Williamson flat twin was offered with the options of air or water cooling Williamson 1912-20 UK Family links tied in early Williamson production with the Douglas family who ran the famous Bristol maker of flat twin motorcycles, Douglas. Built in Coventry, the Williamson used either air-cooled or water-cooled fore and aft 962cc flat twin…

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Silk assembly shop in 1975. There were 140 engine units built and 138 chassis Silk 1975 (1971)-c1980 UK That most useless of skills, hindsight, tells us the 1970s wasn’t the time to commence motorcycle manufacture, the UK wasn’t the place and a large capacity twin cylinder deflector piston two-stroke would only appeal to a very…

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