Oldtimers

Triumph 1909 3½ HP Roadster 475 cc single speed frame # 159664 engine # 4686 The first Triumph motorcycle appeared in 1902. It was equipped with a Belgian Minerva engine. In 1903 and 1904 JAP and Fafnir ( German) engines were employed and by 1905 Triumph’s own engine, designed by Charles Hathaway was in use. Winning the single cylinder class in the 1908 TT races on the Isle of Man gave an enormous boost to sales of Triumph machines. The cubic capacity of the engine grew from 363cc in 1905 till 5 ...

FN 1925ca. “M50” 748cc four cylinder overhead inlet valve frame # 839 engine # 1756B Responding to demands from sidecarists for more power, FN introduces a 748cc, 7hp four – the Type 700 – for 1914. This new engine is a side valve of ‘T’-head layout, with mechanically operated valves and a mechanical oil pump, which drives the three-speed gearbox via a steel, multi-plate clutch. Pedal starting is dispensed with on the Type 700, a kick-start mechanism is added at the right-hand side of the engine ...

Matchless 1922 Model H/2 996 cc MAG IOE V-twin frame # 3961 engine # 2C9 ^ No. 60982 The first Matchless motorcycle was made by the Collier brothers in 1899. In 1907 the Isle of man TT races in the single cylinder class were won: after a second place in 1908 victories were gained again in 1909 and 1910, proving that the machines were matchless indeed. After WW I the company designed a model especially suitable as a sidecar machine, the model “H”. Both JAP and MAG engines were used as power sourc ...

Moto Guzzi 1952 “Airone Sport ” 247cc OHV single frame # M22937 engine # N *97467* In 1932 Moto Guzzi had decided to move into the lightweight market. At first this was the 175cc class that enjoyed various advantages in taxation and driving licence regulation, but when these were abolished the public interest in the 175cc class waned and Guzzi decided to increase the displacement of its little P175. At first the step was made to a 232cc machine but in 1937 the PL was introduced with 247cc capaci ...

AJS 1927 Model H1 799 cc side valve v-twin frame & engine # H 60440 The four Stevens brothers had been in motorcycle manufacturing since the final years of the 19th century, but only in 1911 their first complete “AJS” motorcycle, a 298 cc two speeder, was marketed. Their first V-twin Model D with a cubic capacity of 632 cc was introduced in 1912 and was a very successful model, especially for sidecar use. At the 1919 Olympia Show a redesigned 748 cc model D was introduced. Its features included ...

Nimbus 1952 746 cc OHC four in line frame # 10599 engine # 8891 In April 1934 the “Nimbus II” was brought out. The flat steel strip frame was a feature in common with the earlier “stove pipe”, but most other features were totally new: the top half of the crankcase was cast in one piece with the ribbed air cooled cylinder block. The iron cylinder head sported an overhead camshaft. The crankshaft drove the overhead camshaft through the upright mounted dynamo via sets of bevel gears. Its distinctiv ...

Matchless 1996 “G50” 496cc OHC Tom Kirby tribute racer frame # MRD 93044 engine # RVB The Matchless G50 was a racing bike made by Associated Motorcycles (AMC) at the former Matchless works in London. It was introduced in 1958 and developed from the 350cc AJS 7R but with the engine capacity increased to 496cc. The “G50” designation stands for the 50bhp that the engine developed. The G50 was immediately popular, and while slightly less sophisticated than its Norton rival, it was nonetheless 30lb l ...

NSU 1957 251 OSB “Supermax” 247 cc OHC frame # 3229907 engine # 1836241 Production at NSU was resumed already in May 1945. The company had been lucky that only part of the production facilities had been damaged and the American occupiers immediately consigned the works as a repair facility for US army vehicles. At first bicycles and Kettenkrad off-road vehicles were produced and from the summer of 1947 the pre-war 125 ZDB and 251 OSL models left the factory again. Chief designer became Albert Ro ...

Nimbus 1952 746 cc OHC four in line frame & engine # 10398 In April 1934 the “Nimbus II” is brought out. The flat steel strip frame is a feature in common with the earlier “stove pipe”, but most other features are totally new: the top half of the crankcase is cast in one piece with the ribbed air cooled cylinder block. The iron cylinder head sports an overhead camshaft. The crankshaft drives the overhead camshaft through the upright mounted dynamo via sets of bevel gears. Its distinctive humming ...

Harley-Davidson 1920 “JS” 989 cc IOE V-twin engine # 20 JS 3390 In April 1920 the new Juneau Avenue factory building was completed; this made H-D the largest motorcycle factory in the world with 2,400 employees and established dealerships in 67 countries. There were 50,000 subscribers to “The Enthusiast” magazine. Harley-Davidsons were fast becoming famous for their power, comfort and reliability: more than 7,500 Model Fs and more than 14,000 Model Js would be delivered to customers during 1920. ...

Saroléa 1926 494 cc OHV “23 M Super Sport” frame# 30060 engine# 30060 The firm was established in 1850 at Herstal (Liege) as an arms factory by Joseph Saroléa. In 1892 the production of bicycles was started. Joseph died in 1894 and under the management of his sons the company grew bigger and bigger. In the early years of the new century the company started to develop motorized bicycles and soon Saroléa was a force to reckon with: around 1907 the firm employed some 200 labourers and had 4000 m2 o ...

BSA 1953ca A7 “TRIBSA” 750 cc vertical twin with Triumph engine frame # BA7S 5378 engine # 6T 46984 In 1937 Triumph had launched its Speed Twin which became a great success. BSA couldn’t stay behind so the company started to develop a vertical twin in the years before the war. This model was to make its appearance in 1940 but by that time BSA got very much involved in the war effort and the launch of new models was postponed. In September 1946 the new twin became available as the A7; it was to b ...

BSA 1939ca G-14 986cc side valve V-twin combination frame # 5762-29 engine # KG14.941. BSA’s first V-twin was the Model A and it was primarily intended as a sidecar machine. It was introduced for the 1920 season and remained in production for about 3 years. A larger 986cc version debuted as the Model F in 1922 and would continue in production as the Model G, regularly revised and updated, until 1940. The 80 x 98 bore x stroke engine has the cylinders set at a 50 degree angle. The constant loss l ...

BMW 1951 R25 245 cc OHV single frame # 235723 engine # 239114 Built to the same exemplary standards as the Bavarian company’s famous flat-twins, the single-cylinder BMW first appears in 1925 as the 247 cc R39. Throughout the twenties and thirties singles are brought out in various capacities, ranging from 198 cc to 398 cc. For a number of years after the war Allied restrictions prevent German companies to produce machines of greater capacity than 250cc, so BMW’s first postwar model is a 247 cc s ...

BMW 1961 R 50S 494 cc transverse OHV twin frame & engine # 564812 Bayerische Motoren-Werke is known in English as the Bavarian Motor Works, or more simply as BMW. The firm launched its first horizontally opposed twin in 1923 and has stood by this style of engine layout ever since. The opposed design offers riders buttery smooth performance as the engine has inherently good balance. In 1955 BMW created its R50, R60, and R69 models. These new models had a similar engine and the same shaft-drive as ...

Triumph 1910 3½ HP 499 cc with Brampton Variable Gear frame # 152324 engine # 8564 4 2 The first Triumph motorcycle appears in 1902, equipped with a Belgian Minerva engine. In 1903 and 1904 JAP and German Fafnir engines are employed and by 1905 Triumph’s own engine, designed by Charles Hathaway, comes in use. Winning the single cylinder class in the 1908 TT races on the Isle of man gives an enormous boost to sales of Triumph machines. The cubic capacity of the engine grows from 363 cc in 1905 ti ...

BSA 1933 B33-2 249 cc OHV frame # A1806 engine # A2.561 BSA’s 1933 range comprises models from 249 cc till 986 cc. The model ranges get a letter code: “B” for 249 cc, “R” for 348 cc, “W” for 499 cc, “M” for 595 cc and finally “G” for the big 986 cc twin. Three types of machines are offered in the “B” class, all with bore x stroke dimensions of 63×80 mm. The B33-1 is a side valve machine, the other two have overhead valves. The B33-3 is the “Blue Star” Sports version with tuned engine, full cradl ...

Harley-Davidson 1942 “WLC” 750cc side valve V-twin frame # 8A 1354 A engine # 42WLA68130 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. ...

Ariel 1955ca KH 499 cc OHV twin frame # CAPR 13268 engine # LE 787 Triumph starts a parallel twin vogue in 1937 and the other British manufacturers have to follow suit to stay competitive; BSA designs the A7 and in late 1947 Ariel comes up with the KH 500 cc twin. It’s designed by Val Page and well-received by the motorcycle press, who praise the pleasant and easy-going nature of the engine. Most of the design pretty much follows contemporary best practice, with a one-piece crankshaft carrying a ...

Hobart 1921 “2 ½ HP Spring Frame” 269 cc Villiers MK IV two stroke engine # C 2285 William Hobart Bird (c1851-1934) started to manufacture bicycles in 1884. In 1901 motorcycle production was also taken up and soon the company developed an excellent reputation for the high workmanship that was apparent in their bicycles and motorcycles. The company also supplied frames and engines to other manufacturers. At first Dalton and Wade engines were employed, later models were fitted with JAP singles and ...