A to Z Reference

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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1938 250cc BMW R23 single BMW 1923-to date Germany Today BMW is Germany’s only large scale motorcycle manufacturer. Although portraying an image of dependable quality, the company itself has survived a close call with bankruptcy and kept afloat after WWII by manufacturing cooking pots, cycle parts and wood working tools. Their practice of building top…

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Vintage HRD-badged Vincent-built machine with 490cc JAP engine Vincent 1928-55 UK Born in London to wealthy parents whose main income came from a partnership in a large Argentinian cattle ranch, Philip Conrad Vincent, PCV to many, was educated at Harrow and then went up to Cambridge in 1926 to read Mechanical Sciences. Having already decided…

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1937 Motor Glide motorcycle from Salsbury Sadrian 1956-63 Spain Established maker of lightweight three-wheelers who branched out into lightweight motorcycle manufacture, using 125-200cc Hispano-Villiers power.  Salsbury 1935-49 USA Super salesman and entrepreneur E Foster Salsbury conceived his idea for cheap personal transport in 1935. Salsbury folklore claims EFS had one of those flashes of inspiration…

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1901 Astor-powered Orient single Olmo 1951-c1961 Italy Production began using Mosquito clip-on units mounted under the pedal crank of suitable cycle frames and then moved into moped production using 50cc proprietary units. Olympic 1903-05 and 1919-23 UK Wolverhampton cycle-maker Frank Parkyn, who displayed MMC-powered motorcycles at the 1903 Crystal Palace Show, restarted production of lightweights…

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Nineties Laverda 750S La Francaise Diamant 1907-54 France Parisian firm, under the Alcyon umbrella for much of its life. Built a sizeable range of predominantly utility type machines from 100cc pedal start, two-stroke lightweights to 500cc four-stroke singles. Post WWII production centred around a range of up to 250cc lightweights. Moderately priced examples surface at…

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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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Bimota SB8K Santamonica Berini 1949-c1960 Holland Production commenced with a 32cc cyclemotor unit, nicknamed the ‘motor egg’ due to the shape of its fuel tank. The disc valve two-stroke engine, similar to that found in the British Cyclemaster, was mounted above the front wheel of a bicycle, driving via a roller pressed on the tyre.…

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Velosolex brought cheap and cheerful transport to the masses Velosolex 1946- France/Hungary The Motor Cycle published a one-page road test on 24 July 1952 entitled '45cc Velosolex Motorised Cycle' with the accompanying less-than-snappy standfirst; ‘A sturdy, built-as-a-whole runabout with adequate performance and exceptional ease of control.’ ‘Perfect French minimalism’ would have succinctly suited. After WWII…

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Royal Rubies were available with either advanced chain or belt drive Royal Moto 1923-33 France Maker from Saint-Etienne who built an extensive range of 98cc velomotors to 250cc two-stroke motorcycles, as well as 250-500cc side-valve and ohv four-stroke singles. Royal Nord 1950-c1963 Belgium Range of two-stroke up-to-250cc lightweights, built using a selection of proprietary engines,…

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