T-Z Miscellaneous Classic
Motorcycles
Tandon
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1954 Tandon IMP Supreme |
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Tatran
Bike |
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Description |
1965 Tatran 125 |
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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)
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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
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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 |
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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
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Trojan Mini-Motor
Bike |
Image |
Description |
Trojan Mini-Motor
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A Trojan mini-motor in a tradesman
frame. Apparently an older restoration
with a hand painted finish with
a sidecar attachment and box sidecar.
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1954 Trojan Mini-Motor
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49cc engined cycle. |
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Tula
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1972 Tula Muravey - Russian Commercial
3-Wheeler Scooter |
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The Tula Muravey is a 3-Wheeler
version of the Tula Tourist Scooter |
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Universal
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1952 Universal B-50 |
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580cc. |
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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 |
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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 |
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49cc. |
1951 VAP4 |
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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. |
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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 |
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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 |
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Velo Vap
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1959 Velo Vap 49cc |
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An attractive model, the Velo
Vap was manufactured between 1959
and 1961 and competed with the Velosolex
in France |
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Vesting
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1957 Vesting Pesetta |
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Vijay
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1980 Vijay Super |
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200cc. |
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Vindec Special
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1912 Vindec Special onbekend,
750cc |
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Waddon
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1982 Waddon Rotax Post Classic
250 Racer |
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- 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
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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
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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.
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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 |
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White Heather
Bike |
Image |
Description |
White Heather 4hp |
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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 |
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Worthy
Bike |
Image |
Description |
1953 Worthy Cyclemotor with le
Mistral engine |
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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.
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Yale
Bike |
Image |
Description |
Yale Vintage Bike |
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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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