Oldtimers

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 ...

AJS 1956ca “16 MS” 347 cc OHV frame # A34167 engine # 49/G3L184 SU Associated Motor Cycles announced its post-war range of AJS and Matchless heavyweight singles in June 1945. Coded Model 16M and G3L respectively, the two 350cc models shared the same 93mm stroke as their 500cc brethren, coupled to a 69mm bore, and could be distinguished by the different magneto position: forward of the cylinder in the AJS, behind it in the Matchless. Housed in a rigid frame with Teledraulic front fork, the rugged ...

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 ...

BMW 1992 K1 987 cc longitudinal DOHC four cylinder frame & engine # 6377449 Through the need to meet proposed European Union legislation on emissions regulation, BMW had started to develop an alternative technology to its traditional flat-twin engines with the introduction of the 1,000 cc BMW K100 from 1983 to 1992. The team developed a design prototype based on a liquid-cooled Peugeot car engine. In the base design of the K100, the engine was laid on its side in line with the motorcycle frame, ...

Rudge Multi 1920 499cc IOE single Frame# 769645 engine # 18785 With the introduction of the Multi Gear in 1912 Rudge was far ahead of the competition. They won the 1914 TT races with this system and Rudges were subsequently barred from certain speed events because of their “unfair head start”. The factory turned this to their advantage by using the “ barred” logo in a clever company advertising campaign. The Multi Gear system is based on the possibility to vary the diameters of both front and re ...

BMW 1948 R24 247 cc OHV single frame & engine # 200953 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 single, ...

Böhmerland 1927 “Langtouren“ 599 cc ohv single combination frame & engine # 484 Albin Hugo Liebisch was born in 1888 in the Bohemian town of Rumburk and died in Passau in 1965. During his life he created a very unusual type of motorcycle, the Čechie-Böhmerland. Liebisch was mechanically-minded and after having had a number of technical jobs he opened an engineering and repair workshop in the Bohemian village of Krásná Lípa, close to Rumburk and near the German border. In this workshop he regular ...

Benelli 1935ca type 4 TN “Turismo Normale” 493 cc OHC two-port frame # 8850 engine # 4TN.10.8850 The firm of Benelli was founded in the Italian village of Pesaro as a repair workshop by widow Teresa Benelli to provide a future for her six sons. Initially, the brothers worked in a small garage where they created their first motorcycle in 1919. That first model was not a success so it was further developed and brought on the market in 1921. This “Velomotore” was a light 124 cc two stroke and withi ...

BMW 1955 R25/3 245 cc OHV single frame & engine # 314862 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 some 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 single, the R ...

Honda 1968 CD175 174cc OHC twin frame # CD175-1016674 engine # CD175E-1018947 The Honda CD175was produced from 1967 to 1979. Described by Honda as a “great new all-rounder, at home around town or putting the highway behind you”, it was the touring model in Honda’s 175 cc motorcycle lineup that also included the sportier CB175 and the off-road CL175 version. It had an electric starter, except in the UK, turn signals, deeply valanced mudguards and mirrors. The inclined air-cooled engine was an evo ...

Fusi 1937ca “M 250 Sport ” 248 cc OHC Face Cam racing model frame # 39110 engine# 3812 C.F.S. 68×68 The firm of CF (designers Catellia and Fiorani) had started building powerful little 173 cc and 248 cc face cam OHC singles in 1928. They were very successful in racing. In 1937 the CF factory was taken over by the Fusi firm, which were the Italian FN importers. Next to the racing types with face cam engine, Fusi produced machines with J.A.P. engines that were built in Italy under licence. Fusi us ...

FN 1912 498cc AIV four cylinder frame # 37593 engine# 1365 To many enthusiasts the FN four has always been one of the most appealing machines of veteran and vintage times. Its production runs from 1905 till 1926. The earliest type has a 362 cc engine with atmospheric overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves. It’s single geared, has shaft drive and the top speed is about 60 km/hour. The FN four is an immediate success and finds customers all over the world; FN sells their machines in more th ...

BMW 1951 R25 245 cc OHV single frame & engine # 234892 BMW’s first postwar model is a 247 cc single, the R24, brought out in 1948. In 1950 an improved model is presented, the R25. The BMW development engineers have incorporated many improvements in this new model; the most important being rear suspension, a refined engine and a welded tubular frame with sidecar mounts. Among the other refinements are a centrally sprung saddle, adjustable footrests, more graceful front mudguard, aluminium front b ...

Triumph 1923 499 cc OHV four valve “ Ricardo” frame # 330308 engine 91188 PRI Triumph decided to enter the 1921 TT with an overhead valve model and Ricardo and Co. Ltd. were given the order to develop a four valve racing engine. That is to say, the engine bottom half to be used was essentially that of the side valve model SD and many cycle parts were SD too, so only cylinder and head were to be designed newly. The four valves were not arranged radially but were set two by two and the heads were ...