Royal Enfield 1937 Model JF “Bullet” 499 cc four-valve OHV single frame # 21785 engine # JF 2514The famous “Bullet” model name came into existence in the 1933 model range, presented in September 1932 and is still carried on nowadays by a 650 cc model built by Royal Enfield India at Chennai. The 1933 model year catalogue introduced ..
Indian 1913 7 HP T.T. Two-Speed Model 988 cc IOE V-twin frame & engine # 70E691 By 1913 Indian becomes the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world; the 1913 production amounts to almost 32,000 machines. There are 2,000 dealers all over the world and Indian controls some 42% of the domestic American motorcycle market..
Clément 1903 Type D Autocyclette 192 cc OHV frame # 105649 engine # 3633 In 1902 Adolphe Clément enters the field of motorized bicycles with a small engine of 126 cc capacity.This engine has an automatic inlet valve, an overhead exhaust valve and an external flywheel. The cylindrical tank with petrol and oil compartme..
Indian 1919 “N-19 PowerPlus” 998 cc side valve V- twin combination frame & engine # 71M868 For model year 1919 only minor changes are made in The PowerPlus specifications: the gearbox gets larger bearings and an oil groove in the enlarged mainshaft improves lubrication. The valve chambers are larger and the engine main and big end bea..
Automoto 1929 AL9 Grand Tourisme Luxe 348 cc side valve single frame # 51896 engine # 30122 Automoto is one of the pioneer French makes: at the end of the 19th century a group of bicycle parts manufacturers in St. Etienne merges into one company that gets the name Automoto. Soon production of complete cycles, motorised tricycles an..
NSU 1907ca 5PS 662 cc IOE V-twin frame # 159434 engine # 10558 The company started as a knitting machine manufacturer ( Neckarsulmer Strickmaschinen Union) and went into the bicycle trade in 1886. It was a logic step to move into motorcycle production and in 1901 the first motorised NSU bicycle with Zédel clip on engine was produced. Soon..
Pierce 1912 “Model 12” 644cc side valve single frame # 4425 engine # 4318The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company has the distinction of building America’s first four-cylinder motorcycle. Manufactured at the company’s factory in Buffalo, New York, the four-cylinder Pierce was launched in 1909.Although inspired by the Belgia..
DOT 1927 Super Sports 350 cc OHV JAP frame# 3204T engine # IO / I 80041 The firm’s origins are obscure: founder Harry Reed stated many times in his sales brochures that the name Dot had been seen on motorcycles since 1903. He was certainly in business at this time as a cycle frame builder and dealer in a shop on Eccles New Road, Salford, ..
Gilera 1936ca racer based on VTGS “Otto Bulloni” 499 cc ohv single frame # 214547 engine # 1003In 1935 Gilera presented its “VT” series, in which the VT stood for “Valvole in Testo”, or overhead valves. These ‘VT’ overhead-valve 500cc singles were among the best fast touring bikes that money could buy. They are commonly known as either ‘Q..