Tandon

Bike Image Description 1954 Tandon IMP Supreme

Tatran

Bike Image Description 1965 Tatran 125

Thomann

The Thomann company was taken over quite early on by Alcyon, although the Thomann marque remained in use.

Bike Image Description 1928 Thomann 100c BMA (Bicyclette à Moteur Auxiliaire) BMA's ('bicyclette moteur auxiliare) enjoyed exemption from licensing and taxation and therefore helped move the French population from cycles to motorized transport. The essential criteria of a BMA were pedals and maximum 100cc. mage kindly supplied by www.buyvintage.co.uk

Three Spires

This make appeared late in 1931 for the following year and was produced by Coventry Bicycles , who had, in the past, made the Coventry B&D and the Wee McGregor. Their bike was alightweight and powered by a 147cc Villiers engine. They failed to survive beyond the end of 1932 and no more was heard of it.

Tigrotti

Bike Image Description 1960 Tigrotti 49cc Moped

Tohatsu

Tokyo Hatsudoki Co. Ltd., a company formed in 1939, emerged from the Second World War with the majority of its manufacturing facilities intact but its largest client, the Japanese armed forces, disbanded. Like many of its rivals it turned to motorcycle production concentrating on lightweight two stroke machines. By the early sixties the company accounted for 3\% of the indigenous market and sought to expand into overseas markets using competition as a springboard. Their first road racing model was a 50cc followed rapidly by a 125cc twin, however neither model proved to be truly competitive and were followed in 1962 by a twin cylinder 50cc racer and a heavily revised 125cc twin. Success followed for the firm with Dave Simmonds achieving a large degree of success, however, just as the company was set to establish a works team, it was declared bankrupt.

Production stopped and the remaining stocks of parts, jigs and tools were sold to the Japan Racing Motorcycles Company. Dave Simmonds continued to campaign the machines with success until 1966 when he switched to Kawasaki and in the same year a small number of 125cc racers were imported by Wallingford dealer Jim Pink selling for £550. Essentially 1964 specification machines they continued to meet with success at National level.

Bike Image Description 1967 Tohatsu Road Racer

Trojan Mini-Motor

Bike Image Description Trojan Mini-Motor A Trojan mini-motor in a tradesman frame. Apparently an older restoration with a hand painted finish with a sidecar attachment and box sidecar. 1954 Trojan Mini-Motor 49cc engined cycle.

Tula

Bike Image Description 1972 Tula Muravey - Russian Commercial 3-Wheeler Scooter The Tula Muravey is a 3-Wheeler version of the Tula Tourist Scooter

Universal

Bike Image Description 1952 Universal B-50 580cc.

URMW

Romania - 1957-?

A home market product introduced late in 1957 for the following season, the URMW 150cc scooter was based on the Polish Osa built by WFM (Warszawska Frbrica Motocyklowa). Odd examples survive - for serious scooter collectors £800-£1000 is a fair price for a tidy running example.

UT

Although small, the factory of Fildern vorden Toren Stuttgarts played a significant role in the history of German motorcycle manufacture for over three decades. Low level manufacture began with a 246cc lightweight powered by the firm's own horizontal two-stroke engine. To increase market share and profile, UT enlarged its range using Bekamo, Blackburne and JAP engines. Many motorcycles were built along British lines and included fast ohv models, some of which were prepared for racing.

Like many European makers UT was badly hit by the depression and introduced Bark and Kuchen powered lightweights to its range in a successful bid for survival. Motorcycle manufacture ended with the outbreak of WWII and restarted in modest volume for the 1951 season with Ilo powered 123cc and 174cc singles, coded the KTN 125 ANF ktn 175. Two years later UT began progressively introducing plunger rear suspension, starting with the KTN175. Sales grew, encouraging the launch of the single cylinder two-stroke KTV200.

Further development led to three new swinging arm models - the single cylinder TS200 and TS250 and twin cylinder TS252. More models, including the TS175F and TS175J (Sachs power) joined the range, soon followed by the Sachs powered VS252 twin, VS100 ultra lightweight single and a moped, also with a Sachs engine. Sales slowed during late 1956 and 1957 led motorcycle manufacture to an end, though it took two years to clear unsold stock. In common with many other German lightweights, prices are stronger on the home market than in the UK.

Bike Image Description 1954 UT TS 250 Two-Stroke

Utilia

France, 1929-36. With a Paris address at rue Achille Martinet, Utilia rapidly developed an extensive range from 98cc two-stroke single speed velomotors to fast ohv 500cc singles employing a large variety of two-stroke units and side-valve and ohv four-stroke engines from A.B, Aubier-Dunne, Chaise, Duten, JAP, LMP, Madox, Staub and Train.

Vaga

Milan maker of lightweight singles, often with 175cc JAP or Blackburne engines. Also built 125cc two-stroke singles and used larger engines from JAP, Blackburne and Sturmey-Archer as well as a small number of ohc CF units.

Valenti

Italy, 1978-mid 1980s. Another Milan based maker who specialised in lightweights, often with Honda power. Tidy under 100cc examples are occasionally on offer with specialist Italian dealers priced £4000-£7000.

Vallee (Paul Vallee)

Paul Vallee's first two scooters were in rolling chassis and bodywork design near exact copies of the Lambretta A or B and then in 1952 the Lambretta LC, albeit finished in slightly different colour shades. Despite the use of Ydral 125cc engine, one can only speculate why Innocenti didn't call for the company solicitor as M Vallee of rue Sadi Carnot, Aubervilliers entered no contract with the Italian originator and certainly paid no dues as this would have hit profit margins. Perhaps Innocenti weren't bothered so long as no Paul Vallee scooters were sold in Italy or possibly they were flattered to be so openly copied.

Following his 'Italian' period Vallee designed first a three-wheeled car - its name translates to the 'Singing Cleric' - then typically French atyled BO54L and BO54GT scooters powered by 125/175cc Ydral single cylinder two-stroke engines. For much of his scooter manufacturing career Paul Vallee's scooters were distributed and sold by the SICRAF (Societe Industrielle de Construction et de Racherches Automobiles de France). Today, rare surviving Paul Vallee scooters are sought after collectors items, especially the later models finished in two-tone paintwork.

Van Veen

Holland and Germany, 1975-82. Dutchman Henk van Veen's most ambitious project was the Van Veen OCR1000, a luxurious rotary-engined superbike. Although fast and smooth, the OCR was more remarkable for being the world's most expensive roadster in the late 1970s and production was short lived.

Vampire

France, 1950-1952. Clip-on 49cc two-stroke attachment, which mounted under the pedal crank with drive to the rear wheel via a roller driven by chain from the engine mainshaft.

VAP

Manufacturer from Berlin which began production with 98cc two-stroke autocycle type machines and soon added a very neat 48cc cycle clip-on attachment. Weighing just 20lbs (9kg) the VAP clip-on mounted to a screw on extension fitted, to the left side of the cycle's rear wheel spindle. Drive was via helical pinions from crankshaft to cone clutch to effect a reduction and then by chain to a larger diameter sprocket clipped to the spokes of the cycle's rear wheel.

VAP, a relatively large volume maker, dropped the 98cc models in favour of an all 50cc range of single and dual seat mopeds. Among the leading machines of the 1960s was the 'Special Monneret' named in honour of the renowned French record breaker and Montlhery legend George Monneret. It featured a fan cooled Sachs three-speed two-stroke unit mounted in a stylish double cradle frame with racing dual seat, full width drum brakes and fly screen.

Bike Image Description 1947 VAP Autocycle 49cc. 1951 VAP4 The VAP 4 was a more powerful engine than its predecessor, the VAP 3. Unlike many cycle-attachments, it will actually propel you uphill. Hence the ads proclaiming Porquoi Pedaler (Why Pedal?), making fun of competitors, most of whose engines required pedal assistance on a gradient.

Vaterland

Germany, 1933-39. Maker of lightweights and autocycle type machines powered by up to 125cc Sachs two-stroke proprietary engines.

Velamos

Czechoslovakia, 1927-30. Two-stroke motorcycles with 250-500cc engines of own manufacture buit by Gustav Heinz, who also built the Villiers-powered Sirocco motorcycles. It's doubtful there are many - if any- surviving Velamos motorcycles. Some of the sturdier model Velamos cycles were employed by the makers of motorised clip-on cyclemotor attachments or suppliers when they wanted to build complete machines.

Velorex

Bike Image Description 1967 Threewheeler Velorex 350/16, 348cc LHD, engine motorbike JAWA 350, 2 stroke, 2 cylinders, 2 seats, 16 HP, kick and electrostarter, 4 speed ahead, 4 speed back, removeable sunroof, body covered by artifical leather. Produced 1952-1972 in Czechoslovakia

Velo Vap

Bike Image Description 1959 Velo Vap 49cc An attractive model, the Velo Vap was manufactured between 1959 and 1961 and competed with the Velosolex in France

Vesting

Bike Image Description 1957 Vesting Pesetta

Vijay

Bike Image Description 1980 Vijay Super 200cc.

Vindec Special

Bike Image Description 1912 Vindec Special onbekend, 750cc

Waddon

Bike Image Description 1982 Waddon Rotax Post Classic 250 Racer Rotax 250 in line Twin x 5 speed Motoplat ignition Delorto Carbs (PHBE 36 ZS) Marzocch forks Decarbon rear shock Brembo brakes front and rear Early x 3 spoke alloy wheels

Warrick

Three-wheeled cyclecars, such as this Warrick, were actually the first type of car to be made.

Warricks were used by department stores, builders, drapers, butchers,bakers, tyre companies, the post office, the railways, nobility for their estates ...and it's even recorded that Scotland Yard ordered four of these Warrick Motor Carriers with ‘Special Bodies.’ A total of 2000 were made, many of which were exported.

The Warrick Motor Carrier was based on the design of a rival company's Auto Carrier, and competition was fierce between John Warrick and Auto Carriers - which subsequently became the famous marque A.C.

This historic vehicle design style only lasted until the First World War, after which time motorcycle and then (four-wheeled) car design and functionality started to improve to such an extent that these primitive three-wheelers could not compete on either price or reliability. They were not really considered to be of 'historic interest' at the time, and most were broken up for scrap. Historic interest is invariably reserved for exclusive vehicles rather than commercial vehicles.

Bike Image Description 1914 Warrick Motor Carrier There’s no steering wheel or handlebars - it has tiller steering. The engine is a 700cc AC unit positioned under the driver, with hub clutch and two speed gearbox. Image kindly provided by www.BuyVintage.co.uk.

Wasp

Chassis-specialist Wasp began building off-road competition frames in 1968, the Wiltshire, England, firm's successful involvement in sidecar motocross led to production of its own 1000cc parallel twin engine in the early 1980s.

Wiatka

Bike Image Description 1974 Waitka 150

White Heather

Bike Image Description White Heather 4hp

Whitwood

This was a bike built by the OEC concern but listed separately once it passed the prototype stage. It represented another attempt to produce a car on two wheels and were sold to a very limited market.

The model was announced in July 1934 and early in 1936 the firm established with the Ministry of Transport that it was classed as a motorcycle despite its total of four wheels. The make was no longer listed at the end of the year and sales were miniscule while it was available.

Williamson

Williamson motorcycles were built between 1912-1920, mainly with 996cc water-cooled engines made exclusively for Williamson by Douglas.

Wonder

Bike Image Description 1948 Wonder

Worthy

Bike Image Description 1953 Worthy Cyclemotor with le Mistral engine Le Mistral provided engines after the war for anyone who fancied making their own cyclemotor. This French company decided to make their own and fitted this popular model of engine. Production was very limited and very little is known about them now.

Yale

Bike Image Description Yale Vintage Bike

Yankee

The Yankee Motorcycle Company was the brainchild of John Taylor of Schenectady, New York. The vision was to build a dual purpose motorcycle in the United States to not only compete with the finest European enduro type motorcycles but would be more powerful, better quality, more reliable and faster.

Bike Image Description 1972 Yankee 500 Enduro

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