Oldtimers

Gilera 1947ca Saturno 499 cc ohv single frame & engine # 264002 The Gilera Saturno was shown for the first time at the Milan show in 1938, the single unit engine designed by Guiseppe Salmaggi being a departure from the norm of the day; besides having clean lines most components were easily removable without taking the engine out of the frame. The main production ran from 1946 till 1958. In that period only about 6000 Saturnos were produced. Through the years of production four types were availab ...

Sunbeam 1939 “High Camshaft” Standard model B 25 498 cc OHV frame # 925 engine# B 25 E637 In the mid-thirties Sunbeam parent company ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) decides to dispose of the hardly profitable cycle and motorcycle side. AMC buys the business in 1937, their main interests being the bicycle dealer network and the well-established famous “Sunbeam” name. Production moves from Wolverhampton to Plumstead. That’s to say, there is so much stock that it’s enough to sustain production i ...

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 ...

Matchless 1966 G15 CSR 745 cc ohv twin frame # 112612 engine # CSR112612 The G-15 CSR is launched at the Earls Court Show in late 1964 and is fitted with all the extras that café racer adepts desire: lots of chrome and polished alloy, low handlebars, swept-back exhausts, matching speedometer and rev counter, fork gaiters, rear set footrests et cetera. The 745 cc twin engine comes from the Norton Atlas and develops 49 bhp@6,400 rpm. The CSR has a top speed of about 170 km/h and weighs some 180 kg ...

Morgan Monotrace 1926 “Torpédo biplace” 499 cc water cooled side valve single chassis # 246 The idea of designing and building a vehicle that would have the benefits of both a car and a motorcycle has been appealing to engineers and manufacturers from the beginning of the 20 th century. The simplicity, economy and manoeuvrability of a motorcycle and the comfort and protection of a car, could that be combined in one vehicle? One of the people who tried to achieve this goal was German engineer Gus ...

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 ...

Indian 1947 Model 347 “Chief” 1206cc side valve V-twin Frame # 3479505 Engine # CDG 4505 B In 1940, some 39 years after the company’s founding, Indian went all-in on the skirted fender design, outfitting Scouts, Chief and Fours with the new tinware. After World War 2 only the Chief made a return – in 1947 they did make 11,849 of them – supposedly a stop-gap measure until lighter, more advanced models came online. But a series of financial and engineering missteps doomed the company and Chiefs we ...

Velocette 1959 “Venom” 499cc OHV frame # RS12636 engine # VM3139 The firm of Veloce Ltd. is formed in 1905 by Johann Goodman. It’s a family business that concentrates on sound motorcycle engineering principles. Their first machines are lightweight four strokes; after that a line of top-class 250 cc two strokes is brought out. In 1924/25 Percy Goodman designs the 350 cc overhead camshaft model K, a machine destined to win many TTs and other races, starting with the 1926 Junior TT that is won by A ...

James 1915 “ No. 6” 4¼ HP 598cc side valve combination frame # D6834 engine # 4727 The James Cycle Company became a public company in 1897. Then Harold James, the founder of the company, quietly retired from the scene. When the first James motorcycle was marketed in 1902, Harold had already passed away. The veteran James models were merely strengthened bicycles with Derby and Minerva engines. Later on FN engines were used. The firm prospered and already in 1912 countershaft gears were offered on ...

Peugeot 1903 2HP Type “C” 239 cc aiv frame # 1338 engine # 498 Although a prototype De Dion-engined Peugeot bicycle was displayed at the Paris Salon in 1898, the first motorized cycles to leave the factory were actually tricycles with De Dion & Bouton engines. The popularity of the tricycle was unchallenged at first, but by 1902 the motorized bicycle started to take the lead: at the Paris Salon in December 1901 81 motorized cycles were exhibited, of which there were only 21 tricycles or quadricy ...