Oldtimers

Mondial 1962 “Nova” 123cc OHV frame & engine # 3926 Few marques have achieved so fine a competition record in so short a time as FB Mondial. FB Mondial was founded in the aftermath of WW2 by the Boselli family, whose first venture into powered transport had been with the FB (Fratelli Boselli) three-wheeled delivery van in the 1930s. The name ‘Mondial’ first appeared on a motorcycle in 1948, when the Boselli brothers introduced a revolutionary double-overhead-camshaft 125cc racer. Mondial’s minia ...

Zündapp 1940 KS 600 597 cc OHV transverse twin frame # 506813 engine # A1 6163 The Zündapp story begins in 1917 when the Nuremberg firm is founded by Dr. Fritz Neumeyer and Friedrich Krupp as a producer of detonators (Zünder- und Apparatebau is German for Igniter and Apparatus). After World War 1 the demand for war equipment declines and Neumeyer becomes the sole proprietor of the company. In 1921 he switches towards the construction of motorcycles. The early models are 211 and 246 cc two stroke ...

Martinsyde 1921 6 HP 678 cc exhaust-over-inlet V-twin frame # NO933 engine # H933 The British firm of Martinsyde was founded in 1908 when Helmuth Paul Martin and George Harris Handasyde went into partnership to build aircraft. By the end of WWI Martinsyde was Britain’s third largest aircraft manufacturer, occupying sites at Brooklands and Maybury Hill in Woking. Faced with a sharp downturn in demand for its products, the firm turned to motorcycle production after the war’s end, having acquired t ...

Scott 1938 498 cc “ Flying Squirrel” Ex-Steve McQueen water cooled two stroke twin combination frame # 4520M engine # DPZ4578 Bradford-born Alfred Angas Scott’s experiments with two-stroke motorcycle engines began in the closing years of the 19th century. The first complete Scott motorcycle followed in 1908, its twin-cylinder engine, two-speed foot-change gear and all-chain drive marking it out as an exceptionally advanced design for its day. Light weight, ample power and sure-footed handling th ...

Norton 1957 Model 40 “International” 348cc OHC frame # 1174901 engine # 1676 gearbox # G102A4239 One of the most charismatic model names in motorcycling history, ‘International’ was first used by Norton for its top-of-the-range sports roadster in 1932. The Inter’s Arthur Carroll-designed overhead-camshaft engine had been developed in the works racers for the preceding two years, and although it retained the classic 79x100mm bore/stroke dimensions and shaft-and-bevels cam drive of the existing CS ...

Vincent HRD 1947 Touring Rapide 998 cc V-twin with Watsonian Monaco MK1 sidecar frame # F10AB4448 engine # F10AB/1/448 Introduced in 1946, the Vincent-HRD Series-B Rapide was immediately the fastest production motorcycle on sale anywhere, with a top speed of 110 mph. The basic design clearly had even greater potential though, which would be realised later in the form of the Black Shadow and Black Lightning models. In 1950 “HRD” disappeared from the logo; the machines were renamed “The Vincent”. ...

Yale 1912 “Model 27” 7 HP 998 cc AIV V-twin engine # 2403 Yale was a foremost player in the first decade of American motorcycling. The make was marketed by the Consolidated Manufacturing Company of Toledo, Ohio. Originally the company made bicycles under the brand names of “Snell” an “Yale”. To make a flying start in motorcycle production the California Motorcycle Company was bought in 1903 and for its first five years the motorcycle was sold as the Yale-California. In 1909 the big single grew t ...

Harley-Davidson 1942 “WLA” 750cc side valve V-twin frame & engine # 42WLA51423 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. Productio ...

BSA 1925 6 HP Model E 27 770 cc side valve V-twin frame # N 2127 engine # A223 The Model E is BSA’s first V-twin, primarily intended as a sidecar machine. It is introduced in 1920 and remains in production up to 1932. In 1922 a somewhat scaled up version is brought out, the 986 cc model F. From 1932 on the 986 cc model will be BSA’s only V-twin. The 76×85 engine has the cylinders set at a 50 degree angle. The valves are interchangeable, with quickly adjustable tappets. The constant loss lubricat ...

Harley-Davidson 1963 FL “Duo-Glide” 1207cc OHV V-twin frame & engine # 63FL7298 The Duo-Glide was so-named because in 1958 Milwaukee’s 1207cc Panhead was equipped with both telescopic front forks and a swingarm rear suspension, the latter’s action controlled by a pair of outsized, chrome-covered shock absorbers. It was a big step forward in comfort for touring riders, who came to revel in the bike’s cushy ‘Glide Ride.’ Many mounted saddlebags and a windshield, and hit the road bound for points u ...

ILO ca1952 F60H 60cc two stroke cycle motor fitted to contemporary carrier bicycle engine # 43857 In 1911, Heinrich Christiansen starts a machine factory near Hamburg, in the north of Germany. Initially, the company is mainly active in the field of machines and tools for the railways. Christiansen chooses as brand name ILO (also spelled JLO, Esperanto for ”Good Tool”). From the 1920s the focus is mainly on building affordable and reliable two-stroke engines for a wide range of applications. Mope ...

Harley-Davidson 1921 Model “F” 989 cc IOE V-twin frame & engine # 21F3331 1909 marks the appearance of Harley-Davidson’s first v-twin, though it’s not until the adoption of mechanically operated inlet valves in 1911 (replacing the ‘atmospheric’ type inherited from the single) that production really takes off. This ‘F-head’ (inlet-over-exhaust) engine will remain in production for the next 19 years. Year by year the models are further developed and in 1921 a larger-capacity 1212 cc engine becomes ...

Indian 1919 “NE-19 PowerPlus” 998 cc side valve V- twin frame & engine # 83M774 The real landmark year for Indian was 1907 when the company introduced the first of its mighty V-twins, the rear cylinder of the early models continuing to form part of the frame until 1909. In that year the loop frame was adopted and continued development and innovation saw the development of the overhead valve, four-valves-per-cylinder racers in 1911. The hugely popular PowerPlus, a 61 cu.in. (998cc) flathead V-twi ...

Rover 1912 499 cc side valve with Armstrong 3-speed hub gear frame # S32715 engine # 1923 The Rover safety bicycle creates a breakthrough in bicycle design at the end of the 19th century. In November 1903 the company presents its first motorcycle, which is much ahead of its time: a well-designed side valve engine with mechanically operated valves, spray carburettor, strong frame with double front down tubes and excellent finish. It creates a lot of interest and a thousand or so are sold in 1904. ...

Martinsyde 1921 6 HP “ Series D” 678 cc exhaust-over-inlet V-twin frame # NO1080 engine # H1050 The British firm of Martinsyde was founded in 1908 when Helmuth Paul Martin and George Harris Handasyde went into partnership to build aircraft. By the end of WWI Martinsyde was Britain’s third largest aircraft manufacturer, occupying sites at Brooklands and Woking. Faced with a sharp downturn in demand for its products, the firm turned to motorcycle production at the war’s end, having acquired the ri ...

Automoto 1902ca Tricycle 398ca cc AIV single engine # SF656 Automoto was one of the pioneer French makes: at the end of the 19th century a group of bicycle parts manufacturers in St. Etienne merged into one company that got the name Automoto. Soon production of complete cycles, motorised tricycles and automobiles was taken up, next to various other products such as washing machines, hunting weapons and sundry agricultural machinery. During the 1914-1918 war the company focussed on munitions manu ...

BMW 1928 R63 734cc OHV transverse twin frame # 21327 engine # 75357 In 1928 BMW presented two new 500s, the side valve R52 and the overhead valve R57. The company also provided engines in the 750 cc class with the same cycle parts: the 745 cc side valve model R 62 with bore x stroke of 78 mm and the 734cc ohv R 63 with bore x stroke of 83×68 mm. The R63 was with its 24 hp a spirited performer on the road but it was also raced by the works alongside its 500 cc stablemates. Like the latter, it pio ...

Harley-Davidson 1941 Model U Military Police 1209cc V-twin frame & engine # 41U4127 For 1937 the HD engineers redesigned the Big Twin range: frame and cycle parts of the newly introduced OHV ‘Knucklehead’ were used as the basis for the new 1209cc and 1303 cc models U and UH. An important new feature was the introduction (finally!) of dry sump lubrication. The “U” was the 5.0:1 low-compression type; the standard compression was 5:1. Power output of the U was 32.5 hp @ 4200rpm and its top speed wa ...

Moto-Rêve 1910ca “Model A” 1¾ HP 248 cc automatic inlet valve single frame # 76293 engine # 20087 The Moto-Rêve (“motorcycle-dream“) was made in Geneva, Switzerland, and had many features in common with its main competitor in that city, Motosacoche. The first model was presented to the public in May 1906. A finely engineered little twin, that within a few yearsbecame well known in many European countries. Around 1909 the twin was supplemented with a 1 ¾ HP single with bore x stroke of 61 x 85 mm ...

Zenith 1914 “Gradua” 3 ½ HP 494 cc JAP side valve singe frame # 2957 engine # 14547 Zenith machines were manufactured from 1904 till 1950, in a variety of factories in or around London. From the early days proprietary engines were used, such as Fafnir, Green-Precision, JAP, Bradshaw and Villiers. The latter engines were used in most models from the thirties. In pre- WW1 days Zenith machines gained many successes; driving force was chief Engineer Freddy Barnes, who was responsible for the famous ...