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Tag: Motorcycle History

  • Merkel Motorcycles

    Merkel Motorcycles

    In 1902, Joseph Merkel started building one-cylinder motorcycle engines. A year later, in 1903, he began putting these engines into his own Merkel motorcycles under the Merkel Motor Co. name.

    In 1908, he started the Light Manufacturing and Foundry company and started making the “Merkel Light” motorcycle. His first two-cylinder motorcycles were sold in 1910.

    In 1911, the company was bought out by the Miami Cycle and Manufacturing Company, which produced the trademarked “Flying Merkel” with the iconic bright orange paint.

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  • Majestic Motorcycles

    Majestic Motorcycles

    In the early 1920s, Georges Roy began experimenting with building motorcycles. He wanted to build bikes without a conventional tube frame to achieve better performance at higher speeds and to give them an Art Deco look.

    In 1926, his “New Motorcycle” was completed and patented, but it was not successful. This was due to poor service and sales. That did not stop Roy, as he went back to the drawing board.
     


     In 1929, he introduced the Art Deco Majestic motorcycle. The bike had some unique features: hub-centered steering, no rear suspension, a steel-mounted rigid rear hub, enclosed mechanicals, and more. Many of these features were used to give the Majestic motorcycles an Art Deco look.
      
    In 1930, Roy sold the rights to the Majestic to a company named Delachanal, which eventually went bankrupt. So, what happened to Roy? He went back to the knitting industry, no joke; that was his profession before working on motorcycle designs.

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  • Early-Era Rover Imperial Manufacturing Video

    Early-Era Rover Imperial Manufacturing Video

    First, in 1878, John Starley began to build bicycles in Britain under the name Rover Company. Then, in 1896, Starley started the Rover Imperial brand.

    And, just like many bicycle manufacturers, the Rover Company began building motorcycles. Next, in 1902, the company’s first motorcycles were built under the Rover Imperial brand. Then, from 1903 to 1924, the company built around 10,000 motorcycles.

    Unfortunately, in 1901, Starley died, and Harry Lawson took over the business. Next, the 1902 motorcycles featured a 3.5 hp engine and many innovative parts. In 1910, John Greenwood was hired to build a 500cc bike that was shown for the first time at the Olympia show.

    Then, in 1913, the TT (Tourist Trophy) for motorcycle racing was launched. During WWI, the company began building and selling engines to the Russian Army. After the War Rover started making cars. Unfortunately, due to the lack of sales, the Rover Imperial Company went under in 1924.

    Below is a cool video on how Rover Imperial motorcycles were made – everything from engines to the completion of the motorcycles.

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  • Jefferson Motorcycle Company

    Jefferson Motorcycle Company

    Article by Revolution Motorcycle Marketing

    Perry E. Mack, an engineer, worked for Harley-Davidson in 1905. In 1910, he worked for the Steco Cyclecar Co. That same year, Mack was hired by Waverly Manufacturing. In 1911, he created a 500cc single-cylinder overhead-valve engine capable of up to 5 horsepower. This engine was named P.E.M., which utilized Mack’s initials.

    For a short period, up to 1911, he produced these motorcycles with Frank Kenzler under the name Kenzler-Waverly. In 1912, Mack left the company and joined A.O. Smith. He assisted in the design of the engines used in the Smith Motor Wheel. The company then moved to Jefferson, Wisconsin.

     


     In 1913, Mack introduced “The New Jefferson” engine. The name reflected the city where the engines and motorcycles were manufactured. Then, in 1915, the name switched to just “Jefferson.”

    Many of the Jefferson motors were used in racing machines because of their powerful overhead-valve design. The engine could produce 9 horsepower. The motors were made until 1919, when the company was dissolved. Even though the engines found success in races, by 1919, the competitive nature of the industry forced the company out of business.



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