Pierce Motor Bicycle

[DasKapitan]

About nine years ago I toured the Gilmore Auto Museum. Welcome to the Gilmore Car Museum There was a Pierce Motor Bicycle on display that I was facinated by. I took a couple of pics of it. It was made in the early 1900's This link decribes the history of the bike. History of the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Co. - Trucks & Motorcycles I though those in this forum would be interested in seeing how they used to make em.

[Autocycler]

Very cool! I'd give my right arm for one of those bikes.

[Jemma Hawtrey]

Thats a motorcycle - not a 'bike'.

The engine is a 4 cylinder inline and a stressed member in the frame. The upper frame tube includes the fuel tank and the oil tank is mounted in the front down tube (manual press-oiler).

Top speed was somewhere around 40-45mph. 2 speed tranmissions and multi-plate clutches were fitted.

There were various machines of the same configuration. These included the Belgian FN machines, the Nimbus 4 cylinder, and the henderson (some of which were retrofitted with 6 and in one case a U8 engine).

Oddly at least 2 of those machines shared an engine issue in that cylinder 3 would overheat at excessive speeds.

FN later made single cylinder machines with water cooling - a small aircraft style radiator was fitted up to the front section of the fuel tank area.

Interestingly some of the most advanced machines were made in czechoslovakia by the concern that would later become Skoda.

The Henderson machine put out either 18 or 22hp in standard and high compression forms.

Jemma xx

[Autocycler]

It's interesting that power from the engine was conducted to the rear wheel via a drive shaft, rather than a chain....very cool.

[DasKapitan]

I always call my motorcycles bikes, plus the fact this one had a crank & pedals for human propulsion made it interesting. I do like the driveshaft.

[Venice Motor Bikes]

It looks very cool! Almost has that "Lowrider' look...

[Weedylot]

A window into the past, when a person was allowed to ride such a contraption. Excellent .

[Jemma Hawtrey]

Originally Posted by Weedylot

A window into the past, when a person was allowed to ride such a contraption. Excellent .

Now that you mention it you are exactly right.

The Pierce will just about manage 45 mph cruising - but because of the engine size I would have to have a full motorcycle licence to ride it. The only difference between my GEBE and the Pierce is 3 cylinders, x00cc and a little more weight... it doesnt really make all that much sense now I come to think about it.

I would love to get a hold of one of these, although I would go for one of the later FN's most likely with the clutch and transmission - or the rudge multispeed. I just love the look of them.

Jemma xx

[Egor]

Actually the pedals are just for starting. You put the bike up on the rear stand and start pedaling with the compression let go, when you get enough puff, you then let the compression on and it lights off, well in theory if you are lucky. In order to ride the thing like a pedal bike you would have to be pushing the engine over as you would ride along. It could be done but only for a few feet, and if you notice the gearing it is not for the road. I can ride my Whizzer for a few blocks engine off but it is not fun. Have fun, Dave

[xPosTech]

Man I love old stuff. Guess that's because I'm old and gray and lose my coffee cup between the kitchen and my desk. (So I bought one of those coffee makers with a thermal carafe I can bring to the desk. Hah! )

I knew I'd seen a fork like that somewhere. That's my fork I'm gonna build. I've got a matching pair of His n Hers 70's FreeSpirits.

His is a 27" (630mm) road bike hers is 26" (590mm). I had thought of restoring them but decided FreeSpirits weren't collectible. (Nobody collects Sears, huh?)

The two identical forks (except for length) are now spoken for.

Danke DasKapitan.

Ted