ABC motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer established in 1914 by Ronald Charteris in London. Several British motorcycle firms started up with the name "ABC", including Sopwith. The All British Engine Company Ltd. of London was founded in 1912 and later changed to ABC Motors Ltd.[1] With chief engineer Granville Bradshaw, Charteris built a range of engines throughout the First World War. From 1913 ABC produced motorcycle engines.[2]
In 1918, ABC made a motorcycle with a 400 cc flat-twin engine mounted with its cylinders across the frame, several years before BMW adapted the design. Bradshaw challenged BMW's use of his patented design in 1926.[3] In 1919 ABC also produced the Scootamota – an early motor scooter. The company stopped producing motorcycles after 1923 because of competition from cheaper manufacturers.[1]
Preference Share of the A.B.C. Motors (1920) Ltd., issued 7. June 1920
ABC had always had a close association with the Sopwith aircraft company. They were both at Brooklands and in 1912 a Sopwith with an ABC engine flown by Harry Hawker had won the Michelin Endurance Prize.[4] In December 1918 it was announced[5] that ABC had transferred the rights for manufacturing and selling motor cycles to Sopwith Aviation Co Ltd, allowing Granville Bradshaw of ABC Motors to focus on design. In 1919 they jointly exhibited the Sopwith 390 cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder overhead valve (OHV) machine at the annual Motor Cycle show. It aroused a lot of interest with innovative front and rear leaf springs and "expanding" brakes, wet sump lubrication, and a four-speed gearbox. It was also one of the first motorcycles with a duplex cradle frame. One thing it did not have, however, was any form of starting mechanism; the rider had to "paddle" or bump start to get the engine going.[1] The ABC 400 was made under licence by the Sopwith Aviation & Engineering Co in Kingston-upon-Thames and 2,200 were produced. Later models had improved valve gear, speedometers, and electric lighting. Sidecar outfits were also produced as optional extras.
In 1920 a new company, ABC Motors (1920) Ltd was formed to make aircraft engines, light cars, and motorcycles, all with a flat-twin engine designed by Bradshaw.[6]
Produced between 1919 and 1925, the ABC 400 had a 398 cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder overhead-valve four-stroke engine, four-speed gearbox with an H-gate and was fitted with an advanced (for the time) carburettor from Claudel-Hobson to give a top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h).
ABC 500 ccedit
French manufacturer Gnome & Rhone produced an improved 493 cc version of this machine under licence until 1925.[3] Between 1920 and 1924 they produced over 3,000 of the 'French' ABC but relatively few have survived.
ABC Skootamotaedit
The ABC Skootamota
The Bradshaw-designed Skootamota was an early scooter built by Gilbert Campling Ltd.[7] and sold as the ABC Skootamota.[8]
The Skootamota handled well and was very stable despite small wheels. The single-cylinder 123 cc engine was located above the rear wheel and drove it by chain.[7] Early Skootamotas had exhaust over intake (EOI) engines but later versions had OHV engines.[7][8] The Skootamota had external contracting band brakes on both wheels.[9] The saddle and spacious footboard provided rider comfort. The Skootamota, quickly imitated by competitors, had a top speed of just 15 mph (24 km/h). It ceased production in 1922.
Demiseedit
The shift from producing aircraft to making motorcycles was more difficult than ABC expected, and their costs – and prices – were higher than the new competitors emerging after 1920.[1] They stopped producing motorcycles after 1923, although some production continued in Germany until 1925. Another company called ABC, unconnected to Charteris or Bradshaw, produced 247 cc and 269 cc motorcycles with Villiers engines in Birmingham between 1922 and 1924.[10]
See alsoedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to ABC motorcycles.
^ ab"Bradshaw Motorcycle Engines". from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
^"The ABC Motor Cycle. A New Development", Motor Cycle magazine, 19 December 1918, p541
^Full page announcement, Motor Cycle magazine, 26 December 1918
^. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
^ abcWilson, Hugo (1995). "The A–Z of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 170. ISBN0-7513-0206-6.
^ abWilson, Hugo (1995). "The Directory of Motorcycles". The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 212. ISBN0-7513-0206-6.
^Partridge, Michael (1976), "1919 1 hp ABC Skootamota", Motorcycle Pioneers: The Men, the Machines, the Events 1860-1930, David & Charles (Publishers), p. 78, ISBN0-7153-7-209-2
^"ABC". from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 15 August 2008.
January 01, 1970
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ABC motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer established in 1914 by Ronald Charteris in London Several British motorcycle firms started up with the name ABC including Sopwith The All British Engine Company Ltd of London was founded in 1912 and later changed to ABC Motors Ltd 1 With chief engineer Granville Bradshaw Charteris built a range of engines throughout the First World War From 1913 ABC produced motorcycle engines 2 ABC Motors LtdIndustryManufacturing and engineeringFounded1919Defunct1923FateWound upHeadquartersLondonKey peopleRonald Charteris and Granville BradshawProductsMotorcycles In 1918 ABC made a motorcycle with a 400 cc flat twin engine mounted with its cylinders across the frame several years before BMW adapted the design Bradshaw challenged BMW s use of his patented design in 1926 3 In 1919 ABC also produced the Scootamota an early motor scooter The company stopped producing motorcycles after 1923 because of competition from cheaper manufacturers 1 Contents 1 Development 2 Models 2 1 ABC 400 cc 2 2 ABC 500 cc 2 3 ABC Skootamota 3 Demise 4 See also 5 ReferencesDevelopment edit nbsp Preference Share of the A B C Motors 1920 Ltd issued 7 June 1920 ABC had always had a close association with the Sopwith aircraft company They were both at Brooklands and in 1912 a Sopwith with an ABC engine flown by Harry Hawker had won the Michelin Endurance Prize 4 In December 1918 it was announced 5 that ABC had transferred the rights for manufacturing and selling motor cycles to Sopwith Aviation Co Ltd allowing Granville Bradshaw of ABC Motors to focus on design In 1919 they jointly exhibited the Sopwith 390 cc horizontally opposed twin cylinder overhead valve OHV machine at the annual Motor Cycle show It aroused a lot of interest with innovative front and rear leaf springs and expanding brakes wet sump lubrication and a four speed gearbox It was also one of the first motorcycles with a duplex cradle frame One thing it did not have however was any form of starting mechanism the rider had to paddle or bump start to get the engine going 1 The ABC 400 was made under licence by the Sopwith Aviation amp Engineering Co in Kingston upon Thames and 2 200 were produced Later models had improved valve gear speedometers and electric lighting Sidecar outfits were also produced as optional extras In 1920 a new company ABC Motors 1920 Ltd was formed to make aircraft engines light cars and motorcycles all with a flat twin engine designed by Bradshaw 6 Models editABC FIREFLY 250ccOnly one prototype was made in 1916 the original engine and gearbox where found and used to make an exact copy See here https www youtube com watch v CaFHanJ4FD0 ABC 400 cc edit nbsp 1920 ABC 400 cc Produced between 1919 and 1925 the ABC 400 had a 398 cc horizontally opposed twin cylinder overhead valve four stroke engine four speed gearbox with an H gate and was fitted with an advanced for the time carburettor from Claudel Hobson to give a top speed of 70 mph 110 km h ABC 500 cc edit French manufacturer Gnome amp Rhone produced an improved 493 cc version of this machine under licence until 1925 3 Between 1920 and 1924 they produced over 3 000 of the French ABC but relatively few have survived ABC Skootamota edit nbsp The ABC Skootamota The Bradshaw designed Skootamota was an early scooter built by Gilbert Campling Ltd 7 and sold as the ABC Skootamota 8 The Skootamota handled well and was very stable despite small wheels The single cylinder 123 cc engine was located above the rear wheel and drove it by chain 7 Early Skootamotas had exhaust over intake EOI engines but later versions had OHV engines 7 8 The Skootamota had external contracting band brakes on both wheels 9 The saddle and spacious footboard provided rider comfort The Skootamota quickly imitated by competitors had a top speed of just 15 mph 24 km h It ceased production in 1922 Demise editThe shift from producing aircraft to making motorcycles was more difficult than ABC expected and their costs and prices were higher than the new competitors emerging after 1920 1 They stopped producing motorcycles after 1923 although some production continued in Germany until 1925 Another company called ABC unconnected to Charteris or Bradshaw produced 247 cc and 269 cc motorcycles with Villiers engines in Birmingham between 1922 and 1924 10 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to ABC motorcycles ABC MotorsReferences edit a b c d De Cet Mirco 2005 Quentin Daniel ed The Complete Encyclopedia of Classic Motorcycles Rebo International ISBN 978 90 366 1497 9 ABC Motorcycles Retrieved 15 August 2008 a b Bradshaw Motorcycle Engines Archived from the original on 5 December 2008 Retrieved 22 November 2008 The ABC Motor Cycle A New Development Motor Cycle magazine 19 December 1918 p541 Full page announcement Motor Cycle magazine 26 December 1918 ABC Archived from the original on 12 October 2008 Retrieved 15 August 2008 a b c Wilson Hugo 1995 The A Z of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 170 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 a b Wilson Hugo 1995 The Directory of Motorcycles The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle London Dorling Kindersley p 212 ISBN 0 7513 0206 6 Partridge Michael 1976 1919 1 hp ABC Skootamota Motorcycle Pioneers The Men the Machines the Events 1860 1930 David amp Charles Publishers p 78 ISBN 0 7153 7 209 2 ABC Archived from the original on 3 August 2008 Retrieved 15 August 2008 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ABC motorcycles amp oldid 1167051121, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
