A to Z Reference

Big v-twins were offered early on by Puch and often used for sidecar duties Puch 1903-87 Austria, 1987- Italy Puch’s history is somewhat complex. Born in 1862 Johann Puch, a cycle mechanic, set up his first business in 1889. Two years later he established the cycle making firm Johann Puch and Comp Fabriksmassige Erzeugung von…

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Moto Guzzi Le Mans was the range leader for the Italian motorcycle firm Moto Guzzi 1921- Italy The Moto Guzzi founding partnership of technician Carlo Guzzi and wealthy backer Giorgio Parodi lasted for more than 30 years, yet there could have been three partners. Born in 1889, Carlo Guzzi joined the Italian Army during WWI,…

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Honda CBR RR900 Fireblade HJH 1954-56 UK Built in Neath, Wales by HJ Hulsman (Industries) the roadsters and competition models powered by 147-247cc Villiers two-stroke engines offered excellent value for money. But unfortunately, money wasn’t a commodity Mr Hulsman was very good with. Forgetting to pay the taxman lost him his business and gained him…

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Standard 350cc Connaught with company’s own sidecar, pictured in 1923 Christophe c1922-28 France Range of machines identical to Automoto. Models included two-stroke lightweights, 350 and 500cc four-strokes and they tried a 498cc ohc model with three valve cylinder head. Ciamatti 1950-84 Italy Former Olympiad Marco Ciamatti – cycling gold medalist as part of the Italian…

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Zundapp 597cc KS601 OHV with Steib sidecar Zundapp 1921 (1917)-85 Germany An amalgamation of munitions companies who created ZUNDer (or Zunderund) APParatebau Gmbh in Nurnberg during 1917. Although another German giant, Krupps, was involved with the initial set up of Zundapp, they withdrew at the end of WWI when munitions manufacture ended. Another Zundapp founder,…

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1912 Sun motorcycle with Precision engine Sun 1911-33 and 1946-61 UK The Sun Cycle and Fittings Company ought to be better known than it is, as many of us who own older British-made light and medium weight motorcycles can thank this company for enabling their machines to be built. In addition to cycles, Sun Cycle…

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The new-for-1911 budget Premier 246cc sidevalve Premier 1908-1915/1933 UK, Germany and Czechoslovakia As Hillman, Herbert and Cooper, the forebears of Premier had been involved in the formative years of the cycle as opposed to the ‘Ordinary’ (Penny-Farthing). Their early offering, a front wheel drive high wheeler wasn’t that successful, but significantly it was given the…

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1931 Motobecane Motocomfort Morbidelli (MBA) 1969 – Italy Although captivated by road racing as a teenager during the Fifties, Giancarlo Morbidelli started a woodwork manufacturing and machinery business in his home town of Pesaro, only a stone’s throw from the Benelli works. As his business thrived, Morbidelli entered the road race scene as a sponsor,…

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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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Single cylinder roadster from CCM CCM 1971- UK Following the closure of BSA’s competition shop, Bolton based Alan Clews bought from Small Heath 12 BSA motocross frames, assorted wheels and sundries. Alan built one machine, installing a BSA engine, then another, then another – and CCM (Clews Competition Machines) was founded. Early models were named…

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