The History of Vincent HRD
Phillip Vincent was a determined man with firm ideas on how a motorcycle should perform, and more importantly, how a motorcycle should be built.
He had studied mechanical science at Cambridge University and had a poor opinion of many features of the contemporary machines.
In the 1920s, he built his first motorcycle. Like all others, it had rear suspension with a triangulated pivoted fork and the springs were mounted beneath the saddle to work against the upper frame. It had a Swiss Mag engine, a Moss gearbox, Webb forks and Enfield hubs.
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The History of Moto Guzzi
Moto-Guzzi is an Italian manufacturer that has endured from the industry’s infancy to its place today as the oldest European manufacturer in continuous motorcycle production. It is now one of seven brands owned by Piaggio.
The company was conceived by two aircraft pilots and their mechanic serving in the Corpo Aeronautico Militare during World War 1. The trio, Carlo Guzzi, Giovanni Ravelli and Giorgi Parodi envisioned creating a motorcycle company after the war. Guzzi and Parodi formed Moto Guzzi in 1921, Ravelli unfortunately died just days after the war had ended in an aircraft crash and is commemorated by the eagle’s wings that form the Moto Guzzi logo.
In the 50s, the company along with other Italian factories led the world of Grand Prix Motorcycle racing. With durable and lightweight 250cc and 350cc bikes, the firm dominated the middleweight classes. The factory won five consecutive 350cc championships between 1953 and 1957.
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History of Norton Motorcycles
1935 Norton TT Team
James Lansdowne Norton, was a remarkable man. He was born in Birmingham in 1869 and raised in a strictly religious middle class family. He was apprenticed to a toolmaker when he left school and was soon involved in making bicycle chains. Work was interrupted when he suffered a severe bout of rheumatic fever when he was 19. The attack was so bad that the doctor advised that a sea trip would be the best form of convalescence, and in 1888, he went to New York and back on one of the new Trans Atlantic liners.
The trip helped but he suffered ill health all his life which prematurely aged him and led him to be nicknamed “Pa” whilst still a TT competitor. His next milestone came in 1898, when he set up the Norton Manufacturing Company in Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham.
One of his friends was Charles Riley Garrard, a wealthy entrepreneur, who decided that the new craze was a potential money-spinner. At that time, the French were pioneers, and in 1902, Garrard concluded a deal to import Clement engines which he would build into bicycles and market as the Clement-Garrard.
Norton was soon building frames for Garrard and in November 1902 advertised the first Norton, called the Energette. It was claimed to be the “ideal doctors bike” and suitable for business, touring and racing.
In addition to building frames for Garrard, and his own Energette, Norton had been expanding the components side of the business. It was obvious that Norton had decided to diversify. The name Energette was dropped in November 1903 and this was the first hint that a larger machine was on its way.
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The History of BSA Motorcycles
BSA was founded in 1861, originally in the gun trade. They produced their first motorcycle in 1903 and their first motor car in 1907. They purchased Daimler in 1910.
World War 1 saw the company return to manufacturing arms and it greatly expanded its operations. They produced rifles, guns, shells, motorcycles and other vehicles for the war effort. After the war, BSA bought assets in Airco, however, they did not go into aviation.
By World War II, BSA had 67 factories. BSA operations were also dispersed to other companies under licence. During the war it produced over a million Lee-Enfield rifles, Sten sub machine guns and half a million Browning machine guns. Wartime demands included motorcycle production. 126,000 BSA M20 motorcycles were supplied to the armed forces.
BSA continued to expand the range of metal goods it produced. The BSA Group bought Triumph Motorcycles in 1951, making them the largest producer of motorcycles in the world. The cycle and motor cycle interests of Ariel, Sunbeam and New Hudson were also acquired.
The Group continued to expand throughout the 1950s but by 1965 competition from Japan and Europe was eroding BSA’s market share.
Reorganisation in 1971 concentrated motorcycle production at Meriden, with production of components and engines at BSA’s Small Heath. At the same time there were redundancies and the selling of assets and Barclays Bank arranged financial backing to the tune of 10 million.
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The History of Ariel Motorcycles
The name Ariel was first used on a bicycle. James Starley teamed up with William Hillman in the early 1870s and among their first innovations was the wire spoked wheel and an all-metal lightweight frame. The company was based in Bournbrook, Birmingham.
By 1872, the pair went their separate ways. James continued with his cycles, winning races and setting speed records and eventually set up a business with his sons. Eventually in the late 1880s, Ariel Cycles became part of the Rudge-Whitworth concern, which was itself an amalgamation of a number of small cycle manufacturers, most notably the Rudge Cycle Co and the Whitworth Cycle Co.
A company known as Cycle Components Manufacturing acquired Ariel in 1897, and moved it into the Dale Road works, along with its core manufacturing business.
It was from here that the first motorised Ariel (a tricycle) was launched in 1898 and later, in 1901, the first Ariel motorcycle fitted with a Minerva 211cc engine was launched.
From here, Ariel progressed to large and medium single cylinders and on occasions V-twins, using mostly bought in engines, or engines manufactured under licence. These included MAG, JAP and AKD. The singles from 1910 were based on the 482cc White and Poppe SV. This engine was originally bought in, but was then made under licence up to 1926.
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The History of Matchless Motorcycles
For a while, Matchless were the largest motorcycle maker and from the turn of the century, the Collier Brothers were involved in powered two wheelers. Both Harry and Charlie Collier believed in competition, and before World War 1, the marque was well established. The company’s premises were in Plumstead, South East London, and were well removed from the Midlands centre of the industry, but this seemed to have little effect on their prosperity.
At the start of the 1930s, the company had a range of singles much as any other manufacturer, plus a big V-twin for sidecar work. They also had the new Silver Arrow, which was kept under wraps until the last minute. The problem was that enthusiasts would clamour for advanced developments and sophistication but would never purchase it. Fortunately, Matchless continued with their line of straight forward machines which sold well and kept them solvent.
The Silver Arrow had been a focus of interest when it was first shown, and within 12 months, the company unveiled a machine with a four cylinder overhead camshaft engine at Olympia. It was called the Silver Hawk.
The 1934 range was slimmed down a little, and among the casualties was the Silver Arrow, D, D/5, D/6, D6 and D7. The mudguard beading was changed to a gold line in 1935 and a change to chrome plated wheel rims reflected the move away from the economies of the depression years. In April 1935, an important new model was announced which was to set the style and format for the range from then on. The new G3 was known as the Clubman. It had a vertical cylinder and used the trusted 69 x 93 mm dimensions to obtain 348cc. It had an OHV, a magneto tucked behind the engine and a dynamo beneath that, where it was chain driven from the crankshaft.
During the 1930s, Matchless supplied engines to Brough Superior, Calthorpe, Coventry Eagle, OEC and OK Supreme.
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The History of Brough Superior Motorcycles
The superior was the machine of legends. It was an early superbike before the term was coined and was the “Rolls Royce” of the motorcycle world.
Much of the legend came from performance by specific men and machines and from the showstoppers that George produced year after year for Olympia and Earls Court.
He also made machines he liked to ride, which may explain the gradual move from all out performance and total sports styling to high-speed sports tourers. There was no such thing as a Standard Superior as for the price charged, there was very individual attention.
It is not surprising that the Brough story is full of specials for all people. The best-known owner outside the world of motorcycling was T E Lawrence. George was a perfectionist, and as a hard rider, one of the most stringent and critical inspectors of the machines that carried his name. Many of his customers were friends and all would have their needs and wishes discussed before the machine was put in hand.
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Research update
Good morning everyone.
I thought I would keep you informed of the research that I am currently looking at and hoping to publish soon as some are in the final stages.
For the truck enthusiasts, we have Albion and Thornycroft nearing completion.
For the motorcycle enthusiasts, we have BSA, Indian, Moto Guzzi, Ariel, Brough Superior, Velocette, and Vincent HRD.
For the car enthusiasts, we have Singer Cars, Jaguar and the infamous AC Cobra.
I am trying to get these completed as quickly as possible for you all to read. If you have any suggestions on what motor you would like to see researched next, drop me an email, and I’ll add it to the top of the list.
I would also like to thank the many people around the world, who have been viewing and publishing the articles that I have written, it’s good to know that there are so many of you out there that have an interest in classic motors.
Thanks very much and I’ll be back soon with the next publication.
Dawn
The History of AJS Motorcycles
A J Stevens & Co (AJS), was founded by Harry, George, Jack and Joe Stevens on 14th November 1909.
Harry set about designing the first two machines called model ‘A’ and model ‘B’. Model ‘A’ was the cheaper machine, and was fitted with a 2.5hp single cylinder, side valve engine and a direct belt drive.
In 1920, the company decided to try to repeat the success that it had in the 1914 Isle of Man Junior TT. Harry developed a new 2.75hp overhead valve engine, and the TT machine included a 3 speed countershaft gearbox, which provided 6 speeds by engaging either of the 2 engine sprockets. It had a Thompson Bennett magneto and an Amac carburettor. The new machine did the trick, and Cyril Williams came in first.
At the end of August 1931, a loss of £89,201 was announced and the shares fell in price. The company had previously taken out a loan with the Midland Bank to finance the commercial vehicle and car business. The bank decided to foreclose on the loan and although the company managed to repay the outstanding amount, it was left with only a small amount of working capital. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders was called on 2nd October, at the Victoria Hotel. A resolution was passed for the company to go into voluntary liquidation. John Todd Lewis of Agar, Bates, Neal & Company, of Birmingham, was appointed as liquidator.
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History of Coventry Eagle Motorcycles
Coventry Eagle began in 1890 as Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek, but they changed their name to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the company. In 1898, they also began to experiment with motorised vehicles and by 1899, production of motorcycles had begun.
In the early 1920s, the line up chopped and changed depending on what engines were available at the time and the company swapped between Abingdon, JAP, King Dick and Villiers motors.
Coventry Eagle got the formula right with perhaps the most iconic bike of its time the “Flying 8″. This was a development of the JAP V-twin, and initially used the 976cc side valve motor, although a 50 degree 980cc OHV version trundled along for the 1926 season, with heavy duty Webb girder front forks, and 8 inch Royal Enfield brakes on both wheels, it weighed 395lb and it’s wheelbase was 59 inches.
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