Harley-Davidson 1942ca “WLC” 750cc side valve V-twin frame # 401169 engine # 42WLC9683 Harley-Davidson began producing the WLA in small numbers in 1940, as part of a general military expansion. The later entry of the United States into World War II saw significantly increased production, with over 90,000 being produced during the war (along with spare parts the equivalent of many more). Harley Davidson would also produce a close WLA variant for the Canadian Army. This model was called the WLC. P ...
Wooden Boneshaker ca 1875 This artisanal-made early wooden bicycle has wooden pedals on adjustable pedal cranks. The leather saddle appears original and is mounted on a leaf spring. The spoon brake on the rear wheel is operated by a string. Front wheel diameter is 90 cm, rear wheel diameter is 80 cm. Total length of this early machine is 170 cm, handlebar-height is 130 cm. This impressive wooden bicycle once belonged to the famous collection of the bicycle and motorcycle museum in Falmignoul, Be ...
Draisine ca 1835 The most startling feature of this very early bicycle is that it has no pedals or cranks and the rider gained propulsion by merely pushing his feet along the ground. It was invented by the German-born Baron von Drais (1785-1851) and was patented in France in 1817. Von Drais called his invention the ‘running machine’ but to the French public it became known as a Draisine. It was a breakthrough in personal transport and became enormously popular, with special riding schools establ ...
Velocipède ca 1870 At the 1867 Paris Exhibition, the French firm of Michaux got a lot of publicity for developing the first commercially-viable version of a two-wheeled, human-powered bicycle: the Velocipede. While they were not the first to do this, Michaux was the first to tinker and perfect the design. When it was demonstrated at the Paris Exhibition, the Velocipede brought worldwide attention to the concept of cycling and sparked a craze of experimentation that would last until the early 187 ...
Flying Dutchman ca 1900 children’s toy vehicle This children’s vehicle has survived in complete and original condition, which is pretty rare. It has got feet-steering via the front wheel axle and is propelled by pushing and pulling wooden levers that are connected to a set of cogwheels that drive the rear wheel. The sprung seat is adjustable and the total length of the vehicle is 130 cm, height of drawbars 70 cm. The front wheels have a diameter of ca 30 cm, the rear wheels are ca 40 cm in diame ...
Velocipede ca 1870 believed Michaux It is generally accepted that Pierre Michaux (1813-83), a serrurier or locksmith, and his son Ernest (1849-89) produced his first ‘boneshaker’ by converting a hobby-horse to provide cranks to the front wheel. Henri Michaux claimed in a letter that Pierre Michaux thought of the idea and Ernest executed it. There is some uncertainty when this happened but it appears likely that it was in 1864 (although 1855 and 1861 have been suggested). However there is a compe ...
Velocipede ca 1870 We have no clue as to the make of this early boneshaker; a small plate riveted to the seating spring indicates “Gobley”. She has an original, spring-mounted saddle, restored wheels and unusual, upward-turned handlebars. The frame is of the wrought iron type. Dimensions are as follows: wheels 90 and 75 cm, overall length 170 cm, handlebar height 140 cm. This survivor once stayed in the Wouters Collection at Falmignoul in Belgium.
Coventry Machinists’ 1890 Swift Model D safety Bicycle The end of the 1880s saw evolutionary changes in cycle design. The first crossframe model, the Premier, was brought out in 1886 and from then on development went fast towards the diamond frame safeties with a horizontal top tube. Early steering went via socket steering , around 1890 the more expensive models were fitted with ball-head steering. Coventry machinists’ marketed two popular bicycle ranges at the time, the ordinary “Club” and the ...
Hirondelle 1925 “Retro-Direct” Hirondelle machines were made by the “ Manufacture Francaise d’Armes et Cycles” de Saint-Etienne in France. The Hirondelle ( Swallow) is a light, swift and agile bird, an apt name for this type of bicycle. A very interesting feature of this original-paint twenties bicycle is the derailleur gear system, in which for uphill sections the first gear is used by pedalling backwards and for flat sections the second gear is utilized by pedalling forward. The bike comes wit ...
The Sterling ca 1892 safety bicycle # 4387 This early diamond-frame safety bicycle was manufactured by the Sterling Bicycle Co in Chicago around 1892. In May, 1895 the company moved to a brand-new factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Their slogan was “Built like a watch”. The machine has been restored and comes with original saddle, 26-inch solid rubber tyres, spoon brake and chain tensioner on the rear wheel. Interesting accessories include whip in whip holder and pocket watch in holder on handlebars ...
Magnat-Debon 1912ca Model G 3-speed gear in bottom bracket frame # 8338 Magnat-Debon, founded in Grenoble in 1892 by Joseph Magnat and Louis Debon, was one of the most innovative of the early French cycle manufacturers. They were pioneers in the field of bottom bracket gears and already around 1905 they offered 2- speed and 3- speed gears in their top of the range Model F and G bicycles. The gear is operated via a rod and trigger disc, with the letters P (“Petite” or Low) M (“Moyenne” or Medium) ...
Dursley Pedersen 1911ca frame # 6613 The bicycle was designed by Mikael Pedersen (1855-1929), a Danish engineer and farm machinery inventor who was known for his centrifugal cream separator. He emigrated to Britain in 1893 and worked for R. A. Lister, the engine and cream separator manufacturer in Dursley, Gloucestershire. Pedersen was an enthusiastic cyclist but found the safety bicycle seats uncomfortable. He designed a woven saddle made of silken, wiped or leather cord 45 yards (40 m) in leng ...
Rover (believed) ca 1900 with Simpson chain This bicycle has a 22-inch black painted frame, silver painted handlebars without grips, Brooks saddle and black painted cranks with open pedals. There are no brakes fitted, the wheels are fitted with 28 x 1 ½ tyres. The front chainwheel is a standard pattern. The special thing about this bicycle is the chain, an invention of William Spiers Simpson in 1895. “The design departed from the standard roller bicycle chain: it was composed of linked triangles ...
Vélocipède circa 1870 This well-kept “boneshaker” was probably made by a blacksmith. It has got the usual flat iron frame and the wooden spoked wheels are in good general condition, with one spoke missing and tight iron tyring. The driving wheel is 38 ½ inch, the rear one ca. 33 inch. The handlebars are of the straight type with wooden grips and the brake mechanism is intact. It’s operated by twisting the handlebars, which are connected to the brake spoon by a string. The saddle pan appears orig ...
Coventry Machinists’ ca 1887 Club “Boy’s Own” Ordinary bicycle In 1868, The Coventry Sewing Machine Company received an order from Paris to make a number of Velocipedes, an early type of bicycle that was popular in France. The idea was that these bicycles would be exported to France, but the Franco-Prussian War forced the company to build up a home market instead. This event heralded the beginning of the city’s cycle industry. The firm’s name was changed to Coventry Machinists’ Company in 1869 a ...
Singer 1878ca Ordinary Bicycle frame # 33197 This Ordinary has a tubular steel frame and 52-inch (132 cm) front wheel with spoon brake. The pedals have rubber stud inserts and the bearings are adjustable. The saddle is fixed on a leaf spring and accessories include a bell and whip holder plus whip. At the time Singer was one of the leading British bicycle manufacturers, known for their precisely crafted frames and innovative components. This quality machine once belonges to the collection of the ...
Douglas 1924 “SW/24” 349 cc side valve twin frame # 73857 engine# 75390 This Bristol-based firm developed the horizontally opposed fore-aft unit in about 1907 and continued utilizing this engine layout well into the thirties. The earliest Douglas models had direct belt drive, but in 1910 a two-speed gearbox was added, with the control on top of the petrol tank. Douglas machines became very popular because of their lightness, ease of starting and speed: in the 1912 Junior TT races Douglas took fi ...
ACE 1923 1265cc 4 cylinder IOE frame # 4389 engine # B 6521 William Henderson created the fabulous ACE after he left the Excelsior Company in 1919. With growing discontent he had witnessed that the Excelsior engineers added more weight to the four between 1917, the year of the Henderson takeover, and 1919, without really working on better engine design or tuning. So he left and with financial backing of bicycle maker Max Sladkin he designed a faster, lighter and more graceful machine than the He ...
Norton 1968 “Commando MK 1“ 745 OHV twin frame # 128934 engine # 20M3 /128934 The new Commando was launched in 1967 and used the preceding Atlas model’s 750cc engine and AMC gearbox. It was an instant hit with the motorcycling public and was voted MCM’s “Machine of the year” for five consecutive years. The most important new feature of the Commando was its vibration-beating “Isolastic” frame. The canted-forward engine retained the 73 mm x 89 mm bore and stroke of the Atlas engine. Compression ra ...
HRD-Vincent 1949 “Black Shadow Series-C” 998 cc OHV v-twin frame # RC 4037/B engine # F10AB/1B/2137 The appeal of the Vincent, and the Black Shadow in particular, lays in its ability to out-perform just about every other vehicle on the road, and in the early post-war years there was nothing to compare with it. This was a time when the average family sedan was barely capable of reaching 70mph, and not until the advent of Jaguar’s XK120 was there a production sports car that could live with the th ...