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MC Museum Surahammar Sweden Link to the official mcmuseum website |
since 060110 Update 2010-01-10 © Björn Bellander |
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MC Museum Surahammar Sweden Link to the official mcmuseum website |
since 060110 Update 2010-01-10 © Björn Bellander |
| This presentation of motorcycles in MC-museum Surahammar Sweden doesn't show all what's inside. There are also several competition, speedway and military cycles. Further there are about 50 mopeds and early high roller cycles from the beginning of 19th century. Pictures show MC:s exhibited 2005-08. This site is not updated acc. to changes of motorcycles. More information of opening times click on link above. |
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Vincent-HRD
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 Vincent 1928-1956 Philip Conrad Vincent was sent home to England by his parents. They lived in Argentina. Here in Cambridge he finished his mechanical engineer studies. He had decided to become a motorcycle manufacturer. 1927 he was ready with his first cycle equipped with a 350 cc MAG engine. Philip went together with Frank Walker and when HRD was for sale they bought this firm. In the 1930th Vincent-HRD was a well established company. 1931 another partner entered the firm. It was Philip Irwing. This new partnership showed up a 500 cc engine with high camshaft and pushrods which were parallel with the valves. This was a new way of construction and was presented 1935. Now rapidly a series of new models were sold. Among them a 1000 cc. After some introductory problems all were solved till WWII. After the war new models came and were called A, B, C, and D series. Vincent won lots of victories and dominated the race tracks. Although people bought less motorcycles and the economy became bad. After cooperation with NSU the production ceased 1956. Vincent was sold to Harper Engineering with the promise that they should for all future time produce spare parts. See my links. |
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Heinkel
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Heinkel Kabine T153S Irish made. 1951-1965Ernst Heinkel, 1888-1958, formed his company 1922 in Rostock for producing airplanes. He had earlier worked for Albatross. Well known fighter plane during WWI. He developed several successful types of airplanes. About this you can read as much as you like on internet. After WWII when war material were forbidden to manufacture in Germany by German owned companies, he started to make two stroke engines and delivered among others to SAAB the three cylinder variant. This despite that his works had been moved and blown up by the Russians. Heinkel manufactured also mini cars and scooters 1950. The production from Heinkel of small cars and scooters characterized that they had mostly 4-stroke engines. For ex. Heinkel Tourist 1953, and Heinkel Kabine. The idea was that the unit must be as light as possibly and for this reason didn't need any big engine. Max 200 cc. The scooter was sold in large numbers, while the small car was not popular enough so he lost money on that production. In the middle of 50th Heinkel was again allowed to produce airplanes in cooperation with the Americans. F104-Starfighter. When this happened Heinkel sold the production rights of Heinkel Kabine to Ireland. That company had big difficulties to maintain the quality and their license was withdrawn. At this time the Vereigente-Flugzueg-Werke was formed, VFW, 1965, to Weserflug and Focke-Wulf, and 1980 this company was then joined with Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm. Ernst Heinkel was not popular in the Nazi party and all his works were confiscated by the Nazis. They could do that because Germany had established planned economy. By this reason he was one of the first that started with airplane production 1955 on license for an Amercan fighter F104 Starfighter. This was a short story about Heinkel. Those who want to read more search my links or on the internet. Of great interest is his book "Stormy Life". |
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Honda CB Super Sport 750 1972 |
Honda 1849 -Soichiro Honda, 1906-1991. He worked at home in his father's garage for bicycles and motorcycles. He realized, after the WWII, that people needed transportation vehicles and bought one stock of surplus mc engines. With these he built his first mc 1947 and called it Type A. (Bugatti called his first car for Type 1). 1948 he formed Honda Motor Company. When he got his partner Fujisawa, who also had the knowledge how to handle finances, they succeeded to roll the company through the difficult years after the war. In the middle of the 1950th the company started to grow and late 1959 they had a good grip of the market. He realized that big selling was due to success on the competition tracks and he made that. 1958 he put out an enormous seller, a moped with 50 cc engine. Just what Asia needed. 100000 was manufactured a month!! 1968 the CB750 four was announced. This was a mc with several new things like electric starter and disk brakes. Now Honda was controlling the market and produced one after the other several hits. Very much depending of that he never let a bad construction leave the works. He never got a bad reputation. This Honda 750 four in Surahammar MC museum is a motorcycle that made the world astonished and did completely outclass the English mc industry. |
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Yamaha 1971 |
 Yamaha 1955 - Yamaha AS 2J 1971. The original founder for this mark is Torakusu Yamaha. He founded Yamaha Corporation and lived between 1851-1906 and had specialized on music instruments. Motor cycle manufacturing was not started until 1955. As a late actor in this market, which characterized of a struggle for life between the different companies. Yamaha succeeded to get a place in front of this market mostly depending on their success in racing tracks. In the beginning Yamaha had only 2-stroke engines, but after 15 years the first four-stroke engine was started to be produced. Then Yamaha sold lots of different models. With excellent knowledge in electronic industry, music instruments, Yamaha did develop very advanced constructions for their motorcycles. Among, they made the first 2-stroke with indirect lubrication and rotation valve YPVS. They did great success with their 50 cc model, which was sold in thousands foremost in Asia. |
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Suzuki 250 cc 1971 |
 Suzuki 1952 - Suzuki was a textile company, 1909, which started to make motorcycles 1952. As all those manufacturers that survived the first years Suzuki had lots of money and support from its textile company. Founder was Michio Suzuki. The first mc on the market was a 36 cc 2 stroke one. 1954 Suzuki produced 6000 a month. This production speed together with what Honda and Yamaha produced shows what strength the Japan companies had. The need on the market was almost impossibly to satisfy. Suzuki followed the same ideology to get its name known. They started with racing competitions and good ones too. Most well known was the GS and GSX models. Suzuki and other mc companies have no interesting history, like the English, to tell about. Possible Honda has, as Honda didn't start with money from financially strong company. The truth is that all mc marks in Japan have been started with overflow money from large profits in mother company. |
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Lilac LS 18
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 Lilac LS18 1961 250 cc Lilac was manufactured in Japan during the 50th by Marusho Industri. The owner Masashi Ito made motorcycles with with 125cc to 300cc. The name Lilac means a spring flower. In the end of 50th the mc market in Japan became filled up and Masashi decided to export. He put his money on a 4-stroke shaft drive machine. His products had good reputation and an American importer in California agreed about delivery. But when 400 were sold the guarantee cost raised caused by among others a bad drilled oil channel and and a bad piston ring. The sale went down to zero and Lilac was bankruptcy. In Europe only few new cycles of this type were sold. In Sweden none. This example is assumed to be imported by a French legionary according to history. The company continued to be a subcontractor for Honda. After some years Ito tried to export motorcycles again. He copied BMW 500 and wrote a contract with an importer in America for 400 a month. In the end it was no final agreement, sales ceased and with that also the new name Marusho ST Magnum Electra. After model year 1967 and 900 cycles the manufacturing ended for good. The link I have given you is very informative. |
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Swedish
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 Triumph 1885-1983, 1990- Triumph heritage is from the beginning a German firm founded by Sigfried Bettman, who immigrated to England from the German Empire. Here he opened an import export firm 1883. This was, 1885, named Triumph Cycle Company. The factory was placed in the industry town of Coventry. He also started TWN in Germany. 1902 the first motorcycle was produced with a Belgian engine. Triumph has a very up and down history and among, it went bankruptcy during time between wars. Bettman disappeared from the board 1933 and Jacob Sangster bought the company 1936. The mark Trumpf-Adler office machine was a cooperation between Triumpf and Adler. During the period after WWII when the English taught Japan the last thing for an motorcycle, how to build a frame, the whole English motorcycle industry was outclassed. Government money was put in the industry to keep the production to continue and despite more money and joining companies the production decreased. As the last death bullet the unions didn't accept a movement of production and the company Norton-Villers-Triumph went bankruptcy 1983. The mark Triumph became in private hands and 1990 new production started 1990. |
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Norton ES2 1953 |
 Norton The man from salvation army, James Lansdown was the one who loved precision. He created Norton, 1902, cycle. The firm was founded already 1898. With this he sold part for bicycles. In the beginning he used engines from Clement or Motor Rev. When Norton with Rem Fowler won the first Isle of Man TT, James decided to construct his own engine. Well James had no good health and because of being away very much, the firm went bankruptcy and soon he died. Any way it was started, or saved, by one of his part deliveries. The time between wars was an continuing development and competition. Norton was a winning machine. The constructions from Norton were for the time advanced. Besides the cycle won Isle of Man more times than anyone else. They had no competition from other producers. During WWII Norton got a army contract and delivered over 100000 single and side car cycles. Even a model with third wheel drive. This is something one never hear of. The three wheel drive are only well known from BMW and Zündapp. After the war Norton continued their dominance, with Featherbed frame and the famous Manx models. The company also put money for selling in America with a racing team. They won most competitions and had almost HD on knee. Difficulties, strikes and Japanese import pushed Norton out of money and with government money Norton was joined to NVT (Norton Villers Triumph Group). In spite of big reductions one didn't succeed to kill Norton completely. At last the company was sold to a Canadian Company inclusive the name and later Norton Motorcycles of Canada was founded. The goal of this company was to build nostalgia machines in small series. |
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Swedish
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 Norton Atlas At the museum, every year a motorcycle is sold through a lottery. This is a thing that MCHK, the mother motorcycle club in Sweden handles. There are 6000 (2006) lots á Skr 25:-. There are no difficulties to sell them. The only bad thing for Surahammar is that we sell only 1000 of them so it is a small possibility that there will be a winner in our area. This cycle has American steering wheel, and the former owner was from county of Gotland Sweden. |
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 Flying flea In the 30th Nils Eiber had the feeling that a small lightweight airplane could be built. For this an engine was needed and in cooperation with engine firm Drott an engine was built in Eibers workshop. This was in Stockholm at Kungsholms Strand. A 2 stroke 2 cylinders, air-cooled engine, with 1150 cc was built 1935. It was sold for Skr 1050:-. Although the airplane authority did not accepted it for power in an airplane. The idea with a flying flea engine was totally wrong and the project was cancelled. Not until 1980th Sweden allowed this kind of thinking with small flying airplanes. |
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 Ducati 1923 - 1926 the Ducati family founded a company together with some other investors. Their goal was to manufacture radio components. During WWII their factory premises were destroyed both by the allied bombings and the German retreat completely. But already 1946 they presented a motorcycle with the name Ducati at the Milano exhibition. This cycle was constructed by Cucciolo. 1952 a future model was sold with electric starter and automatic gearbox, the same years when Fabio Taglioni started his work at Ducati. This man hade his own opinions how a good motorcycle should be constructed. During his time several different types with the special Ducati look were sold. Many leading competition drivers made the name known. For ex Mike Hailwood. During the 70 and 80th Ducati started to put money on super bikes, and even later. In the 80th they almost went bankruptcy but was saved bay the Cagiva group. The same that bought Husqvarna. Cagiva was also on the way to leave the market but was saved by an American group, Texas Pacific Group, in the middle of 1990. After this Ducati has made several bike successes with different designers. The bike on stand is from 1968, 250 cc, with desmodromic valves. |
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Rex 84 cc 1933 |
 Rex 1933 For this Rex with support engine information is hard to find. The motor has 84 cc. 2 hp and is stated to be driven maximum 65 km/h. Year is 1933. |
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Swedish
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Links Indian history Hall of Fame |
 Indian 1901-1953 There were three mates that came together. Hendee, Hedström and Henshaw. This was the necessary mix of persons to start with engine driven cycles. They wanted to see what such a thing was good for. They got together. Hendee wanted to build, Hedström designing and Henshaw was a helper. The three was happy with the design and started to take orders before it was on wheels. This happened in Springfield 1901. The selling went on good. Perhaps in America in those days everything were able to sell and specially motor vehicles. For a long time they ordered engines from Thor factory, but soon they realized that there were more money in manufacturing if they had their own engine. This happened 1907 when the V-twin was announced. The development went on and soon the front wheel had a plate spring. The competition team pushed everything forward. Electric starter and also electric light came before WWII. Indian should become the only bike mark that could give Harley Davidsson a match as far as up to 1953. Despite many attempts, with joining of Royale Enfield, Vincent and Matchless, to start again there were not any continued existence. The Indian mark is so loved by people that production of parts has been started for all models. Buying an old Indian is no spare part problem. |
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BSA HB23 1937 |
     BSA 1903-1990 Birmingham Small Arms produced 10000 rifles a week and 145000 machine guns before WWII. This was the result that William III in the end of 1600 century understood that he needed a war industry independent of foreign countries. Already 1903 the first bike was built, although it had an Belgian Minerva engines. These bikes were green which became the BSA color. Till WWII several different models were sold with increasing volumes. Names as Sloper, Blue Star and the M-Range. The last well known for it's use by AAA as support bike on the English roads. During WWII they delivered lots of model M20 for the defense. BSA took as war booty over the MC design apartment but didn't used it. Instead Ariel got it in their hands. After the war BSA started with a cheap machine and sold ca 500000 till 1963. This was a copy of the DKW 2-stroke bike converted to inch and mirrored. Well known are all A-models like A10, A65, Gold Star, Rocket, Spitfire and so on. The declining production from BSA forced action together with Triumph and Norton. This turned out to be a failure when the employers wanted to decide themselves. Four years later all were fired and a national company NVT started to produce spare parts for these English bikes. Some new production were aimed but with foreign engines in the end of 1990. |
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Sarolea 500 1929 |
 Sarolea 1850-1956 Sarolea was founded 1850 as a company working with parts for weapons and bicycles by Joseph Sarolea. He died 1894 but was succeded by a very energetic man who managed the firm till 1949. During the time between the wars several models were announced on the market. These had 350 to 600 cc. They returned after the war but at that time the will to fight for selling was gone and the joining with FN was established. The last type was a 2 cyl 600 cc bnamed Atlantic. Very handsome. During this time Sarolea as a mark disappeared in the middle of 1950. In Sweden there was Fleron that was the main importer with it's founder Axel Löfström. |
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Royal Enfield |
 Royal Enfield 1890- It took more than ten years for Royale Enfield to establish starting in the last tenth years of 18 hundred. All was ended in bankruptcy 1907. This is one way for other companies to procure something cheap which match the buyers own interests. This was also done by Alldays and Onions. This is a name that indicate an import company. 1910 Royal started to produce cycles with, as most did, an imported engine. In this case Motosacoche and later JAP-motors. WWI brought of course side car models with a Vickers machine gun mounted. See links. Time between wars was a consolidation period and several model were for sale. The time for depression in the 30th showed of course a declining sale although Enfield hade reserves to handle this period. Just like BSA during the 50th Royal had a cheap 2-stroke 150 cc bike. But mostly they produced 350-500 cc bikes. For WWII Enfield produced a military machine and also a lightweight model which could follow the paratroopers in their gliders. After war shows both up and downs. The most known model was the Bullet. This bike was later sold to Indian army and in this way it was preserved to the motorcycle world as a retro machine. Today you can get a newly manufactured Royal Enfield to be bought all over the world. Note that it is named only Enfield because India could not accept the name Royal. |
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Links |
 Moto Guzzi 1921 - The name was born 1920 when the Italian designer constructed a 2 cylinders 500 cc machine with overhead camshafts. Company Moto Guzzi was officially stated 1921. This was the result of the meeting between Giorgio Parodi, Giovanni Ravelli and Carlo Guzzi. In Italy success for bikes are the same as winning in competitions. This was something that became a sign for Moto Guzzi. The first appearance was not a good one but was forgotten some months later. Between 1921-1957 Moto Guzzi won 11 Tourist Trophies and 14 world championships and for this Moto Guzzi became well known all over the world. Guzzi produced not only lots of fantastical competition bikes, but even bikes to earn money on, as scooters, mopeds and ordinary bikes for the people. The original owners died 1955 and 1964. At once the company went into financially problems and was bought by DeTomaso 1973. Guzzi got new money and a 4 cyl. motor was designed. Today Moto Guzzi is owned by Piaggio but continues to be a free manufacturer. The picture shows a scooter from 1952 with 160 cc. |
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Monarch Vitesse
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 Monarch 1919-1921 Monarch Vitesse was produced by Excelsior in Birmingham as a cheap model. It was equipped with an engine from Villers as this one or Jap motors. Note the footrests. |
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Carolus
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 Carolus 1925-1930 A motorcycle was designed in Enköping Sweden by Ragnar Carlsson. It had its life during 1926 to 1930 with its own engine. The engine forerunner was a motor designed by Machine shop Ludwig Widestrand 1922. |
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FN
Links |
 FN 1902-1965 FN was a company which was established just nearby Sarolea in the Belgian town of Herstal. Here they started to manufacture, what all other firms did, bicycles and motorcycles. The bicycle from FN had the curiosity to be driven by a cardan shaft instead of a chain. This bicycle was on the market 1898. The first motorcycle came 1901. It had a 133 cc motor and was driven by a riveted leather strap for "chain". The engine capacity was successively increased from 133, to 188, 300, 347 to a four cylinders engine with 748 cc. By this reason it was called Type 700. FN is known for its unusual front spring construction which came after the WWI. They had bought it from Switzerland. 1959 they produced their own mopeds with several different names. For ex. the sport model Rocket. Together with Sarolea they designed a type S. 1967 the last moped left the production line of FN. |
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Ariel
Links |
 Ariel 1902-1970 One of the most successful marks in England. In the beginning of mc history the development went ahead like stepping in stairs. For Ariel it started with bicycles 1870. At that time James Starley invented the wire spoke wheel. This was a necessary invention for motorcycle progress. Benz used it on his first 3 wheeler 1886. Next step was the invention of rubber tire which hadn't go applicability until 1898. The wire spoke wheel was produce by Starley's company, which later became Ariel. Their first motor bicycle came 1901 as a three wheeler with DeDion engine. Ariel went of course bankruptcy as all other firms, but was saved by Charles Sangster. He got Ariel on feet again with a 2 stroke motor, 3 geared box and kick start. Charles son Jack took over and continued with Jap engines until a famous designer named Val Page was employed. He brought with him a concept for a four cylinder engine which was called Square four. This type was kept together with twins as far as to the end of 1970 when discontinuing was inevitable in spite of a possibly contract for the English defence. Ariel got constructions from BSA who had taken it as war booty. With these Ariel made their models Arrow and Leader. |
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Coventry Eagle
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 Coventry Eagle 1909-1939 As everybody else Eagle started with bicycles. They continued with a bicycle with support engine. The motor was positioned on the front wheel 1900. Then they had a 3-wheeler in true Benz spirit. Several marks tried this but the buyers didn't like it. Perhaps depending on bad roads. During WWI company was sleeping and started again 1921. Now they had gearbox and engines from JAP. A similar frame like BMW layout came 1927. Or was it the other way? This cycle which is on stand at the museum is a Flying 500 from 1932. |
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Huskvarna
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 Huskvarna 1903 - Husqvarna 1000 cc almost identical to a Indian or HD, technically from the 30th. The company started to sell bicycles and later they put in a small engine. Already 1920 they had their own 550 motor and later a 1000cc. With this they went into competitions. It was a success mostly due to the brilliant designer Folke Mannerstedt. Huskvarna won several World Championships. During the 30th they brought in line with what people wanted. Cheap 2- stroke bikes were sold. With successful models of these types Huskvarna managed till end of 50th. With the help of world known drivers like Bill Nilsson, Håkan Carlqvist and Torsten Hallman Huskvarna became a Cross machine with a high reputation. The bad luck for Huskvarna was that they had an extremely wide production program and among these product they had freezers. Eletrolux was also a freezer producer and had to invest overflow money. Huskvarna was bought and all products that didn't suit Electrolux were sold. The motorcycle part was bought by Cagiva in Italy 1986. Sorry to say all these kind of fusions are leading to that the mark disappears from market some time later. In this case Huskvarna, as a company, ended all production and lots of good engineers and workers went out of job. The end result of the fusion with Electrolux, became only a short time higher book-keeping finances for Electrolux. For some time Huskvarna only produced freezers and alike. The best ad at that time was "Do as Electrolux buy Huskvarna". Several of the designers and drivers started their own production. Husaberg! They had difficulties with money and had big problems to economically fight the Japanese dragoons. Today in the honorable workshops of Huskvarna city it is only a very nice museum. Pity, Sweden might have had a mc producer with a high standard. |
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Matchless
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 Matchless 1904- Many mc-owners become unbelievable market faithful. This is specially valid for Matchless (M), Ariel and AJS owners. These marks were joined in the end together to a company called AMC. It is obvious that in time between wars M had lots of money because they went in for expansion through buying other companies. Usually the result of this was that the originals marks kept their identity for some years. Every producer had some good constructions that M wanted to lay their hand on. Anyway M started with bicycle producing, support engines and a 3-wheeler 1904. The name Matchless was not official until 1926 after the founder H.H.Collier's dead. The first own engine came 1923. Till then they had used JAP, Blackburn and MAG engines. Most of them was twin types. Time between wars was a good one for M and 1931 they bought AJS. 1935 the first G model came. This became a term M used together with a number. In the middle of WWII they got an order for a military model, something they didn't got earlier, 1939. M put up their old prepared military type G3 which they had offered already before war. At the end of war M had producer 80000 of this one. During the 50th new types likes G9, G45 competition one, G11, G2, G12, G80. M bought Norton, James and Francis-Barnett. 1966 lack of money and a reconstruction made that the name changes to Norton-Villers. For some years M hybrids were sold before all production ceased. Later the names recovered on the nostalgia market. |
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Swedish
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Links |
 Colibri 1915 Factory owner Emil Jern in Gävle Sweden designed a auxcilary engine for bicycles. It was first called Furir and mounted on the front wheel of a common bicycle. Whole unit with its patent was sold to 2 Gävle inhabitants who started the Engine Factory Furir. Earlier their main product was pumps and 1919 the company was reconstructed and named Colibri. This became the first support engine for bicycles in Sweden and was sold in large series. See also next picture. |
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Colibri
Links |
 Colibri Colibri was also available as a frame mounted engine 1919. It had several similarities with FN from this time. 1921 a twin was manufactured. This was mounted across in the frame. The company went out of money 1923 and the remaining spare parts were sold and advertised as long as to 1928. See also former picture. |
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Links |
 Power Pack 1952- English roller drive support engine. Manufacturer Sinclair Goddard London. Was equipped with one gear and could be lifted from rear wheel contact. Prize in Sweden 1953 385:-. |
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Monark Blue Fighter
Links |
 Monark During the 50th Monark sold a whole series of bikes with the name Blue-, Stinget, Arrow, Master, Fighter and Spirit. This series were very popular. But the story about Monark started way back in the 19th century. The business genius Birger Svensson, who was a farmers son, started to buy, mount and sell bicycles. 1944 he had, at his factories, over 2000 workers. Although he died the same year. One of his most important demands was that all money had to be reinvested and that all selling were subject to confidence between seller and buyer. He didn't want to be dependent of banks. Like IKEA! The buyer had always the right to return the article. The first bike was sold already 1913 with the name Sleipner. The bicycle factory never designed their own engine. The reason was that Monark wanted to be independent of the changes in the market. They had also the philosophy that every wholesale dealer could get any name on it. For ex. Maraton, Vimpeln, Centrum or Erlan. This was of course the local name of the shop. During the 50th Monark was the biggest mc seller in Sweden with 30000 sold machines. The MCB concern was founded when they 1960 bought Nymanbolagen in Uppsala Sweden and took over the production of bicycles from Huskvarna. In the middle of 70th they stopped completely with mc production. |
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DKW
Links |
 DKW 1916- DKW was a name formed by the words "Dampf-Kraft-Wagen". It was founded 1916 by the Dane Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen who from 1920 built light 2-stroke bikes. During time between the wars DKW was the largest mc producer. After WWII the Zschopay factory was in the east zone and cycles from here were named MZ. Compare with the BMW situation. East Germany was not allowed to use the name DKW. In 1949 production started in Ingolstadt in the west zone, using the name DKW, today main place for Auto Union to produce mc and cars. In the 50th DKW designed several models which were copied on the terms of war compensation claims and were sold almost identically. For ex. the RT 125 cc was copied by BSA to a new name Bantam. Several fusions took place on the market and when those have ended, DKW as a mark came to a halt. DKW is replaced by Auto-Union with parent VAG concern 1964. The last 2-stroke engine was made 1976. |
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Harley Davidsson
Links |
 Harley Davidsson 1903 - 1953 it was on the way to be a catastrophe for HD when Norton was the name on all lips at Daytona Show. HD could not accept this so the gave their test driver, Paul Goldsmith, order to bring back record from Norton, to drive again with a 37 hp bike and raised the record for highest speed with 42 km/h. HD was though created long before by the 2 mates William Harley and Artur Davidsson. They started to produce motorcycles in Milwaukee. The two men were a good combination and already after some years they had developed a V-twin, a layout that should remain till today. They understood that in order to sell they must have several resellers and they created that. Already 1912 they had over 200 in America. The models replace each other but engine type and layout were the same. To get the name known they joined all types of competitions in America. Like dirt track and hill Climb. At these types of tracks the English bikes could not compete. There only fighter was Indian, but this mark was ceased 1953. The main engine was designed 1926 and was still in production till 1972. American Machinery Foundry bought the company 1969 and it came into finance difficulties because of the US Tariff Commission. The company went down on number of employees and become in conflict with the labors. The quality fell drastically and the cycle got the nickname "Hardly ablesome". AMF sold 1981 and HD got its good reputation back. New models were developed and with background of nostalgia HD can sell cycles with a much higher price than the Japanese bikes and yet they have full time job. |
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TWN
Links |
 TWN TWN is short of the words Triumph-Werk-Nürnberg. This was founded by Sigfried Bettman according to his investors when he in the beginning of 1900 started to produce Triumph bikes in England. His plan was that this firm should import and sell motorcycles. Read further about Triumph. |
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Laverda Links |
 Pietro Laverda was an industrial man in Italy. He started a machine workshop 1873. There they manufactured agriculture equipments, machinery for wine industry and engines. He had no ideas on motorcycles. Today the firm Larverda Harvester is still in business. Pietro who died 1930 left several sons. The where technical interested and worked with motorcycles in there home garage, Lastly they found that they could earn money on their knowledge. They started the firm Laverda 1949. In the beginning they manufactured small mc:s like 50 cc and 125 cc. During the 50th they developed more and more bigger engines and came up to over 1000 cc and also 3 cylinders engines, Laverda was famous for there good quality and almost lifelong durability. When money seased 1969 they were forced to work together with others when making new types. For example with Husqvarna for a cross cycle, Laverda went on with more and more expensive project like a V6 engine they were forced to merged with Aprilia. They were not happy with it. The 3 cylinder engine with its 180 degree crankshaft was not the least vibration free. This was not what the buyers wanted. Everything turned to an end and at last 2004 Piaggio bought the name. Everybody thought that Laverda should turn to the good old days. But no and Laverda is a name without production and is waiting for better times. |
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MV Augusta
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 Italy has always had a high industrial technology. In the beginning the industry didn't produce so much things for the public, but was forced after the WWII to make a change in this thinking. Because of stop with military productions and in order to keep their labor, things for the people like motorcycles had to be produced. This was the situation for Augusta factory. It was started by Count Giovanni Augusta 1923. The production at that time was for the air force. Sorry to say Giovanni died already 1927 and the factory was handed over to his sons and wife. At the end of WWII in order to keep labor, the sons that always had been interested in motorcycles, cycles were on the production line. Already 1945 they had a prototype ready named Vespa 98. The name Vespa was already registered by Piaggio and they kept only the name 98. During the 50th they manufactured mostly 125 to 150 cc engines in so called cafe racers. In the 60th when small cycles no longer could be sold they went over to 350cc and 4 cyl 600 cc engines. When first man Domenico Augusta died 1971 the leading group lost interest and the company soon stopped the production. The name was in the hands of the family up to 1991 when it was bought by Cagiva. This brand had earlier bought other mc names like Huskvarna. Cagiva put work on high qualified sport cycles and took part in advanced competitions. The image should be like Ferrari in the way that Augusta/Cagive produced both cycles and engines. The colors of MV Augusta were red and silver. Cagiva now put money on Augusta and Huskvarna. Sorry to say the economy was not good and MV Augusta was sold to Malaysian car maker Proton. The brand didn't come in good hands and it was bought back by an Italian consortium GEVI Spa. 2007 they had a racing cycle ready for the superbike series. This is the situation for the moment for MV August 2008. |
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Gilera
Gilera history
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 Guiseppe Gilera was born during those happy days when everything was possible. You just need to have ideas and be fond of engines. Born 1887 in the north of Italy he started already at age of 15 to practice as a mechanic trainee at Bianchi factory where they produced motorcycles. He continued also at the Swiss company Moto Rev and also at their factory. At the age of 22 he had his own small workshop and produced his first motorcycle. This was in Milano. Maybe he also met Ettore Bugatti who also had his starting career in Milano and had just the same start in life. Bugatti won a prize at the Milano fair. Gilera drove with his small racing team and won hill climbs as well as cycle racings. Investors got their eyes on Mr Gilera and they saw in him a person who could construct motorcycles on which they could earn money. A lawyer got so impressed that he introduced him for money people. This made that Gilera could open his own factory. Now it was just rolling on for Guiseppe and during the 30th he made several wining models. Later he got the opportunity to buy the so called Rondine engine from Caproni factory. This became later the famous 4 cyl engine. This was copied all over the world and specially in Japan. Several well known constructors and drivers were gathered in the Gilera team. like Geoff Duke and Taruffi. Even Colombo which designed the Ferrari V12 60° worked with him and made his engines better. The only son of Guiseppe died 1957 and because of this the leading board lost interest in the factory. There were not any new cycles coming and soon selling had stopped. The factory was put out of business. As time went on the name Gilera was bought by the giant Piaggio who put the production of Vespas at Gilera. Today you can buy a new Gilera/Piaggio. |
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page 35
Park
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 Carl Park was a workshop owner in Västerås Sweden. In this shop he manufactured motorcycles in the beginning of 1900. He bought frames from NSU Germany and cylinder parts from Belgium. Everything else he produced himself, like crankcase and valve system. It was of his own construction. The remaining parts today of this mc are manufactured 1910-20. The parish registration of Carl Park is lost, but if he really had a workshop it must be able to find him. It was an engineer Otto Eriksson which got his first employee 1916 at Carl Park in Västerås. Then Otto got work 1920 at Ljungström Steamturbines at Lidingö Stockholm. Here he was one of them who went to Argentine when Ljungström delivered a turbine locomotive. Later Otto bought a farm at Hörnsnsjöfors but still worked for Ljungström. To be in Sweden Park's business life was quite big and about hundred mc:s were sold. Swedish army used his invention for skies mounted on a mc. The bikes had NSU frame and a 2 cyl 500 cc engine giving 5 hp. No bad figures at that time. Carl Per drowned according to an unverified information during a mc test tour on the ice. Fact about Otto Eriksson from the Swedish book Hörnsjöfors Bruk och Västerfärnebo. |
| Links to
different MC-Clubs: Exchange of links. Mail bjorn.bellander(at)telia.com Motala Touring Club Calles Supersajt, Knuttebergets MC Ignite MC Classic Honda Club Svenska FJR klubben |
Harley Davidson Club
Sweden Norsk Moto Guzzi Club Vestby MC Club
Links to other museums |
