European lightweight Motorized Bicycles

[Ludwig II]

Radior, French with German engine
http://www.oldbike.eu/wordpress/?page_id=127

Czech trike with Honda engine
http://www.kola-jakr.cz/detail/trikolka-liberty-s-motorem-honda-gx-35/

1900s Dutch Otten

1902 French Perfecta engine on Peugeot cycle

ABG engined bike at a French classic vehicle show

Undated bike with Miele Zundapp engine, Germany

 

[Ludwig II]

A probable 1904 Lamaudiere, France

Undated Sheppee Cyklaid, Britain

1912 300cc Hazlewood, Britain

1902 Holdcroft, Britain

1902 Herdtle-Bruneau, France

 

[Ludwig II]

Russian fwd

Another hot Russian bike

Nice little shopper from Russia

A nightmarish British oddity from the 1950s, the Joybike

 

[Ludwig II]

Peugeot cycle with Mosquito friction driver, France
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40203027@N04/4875936264

Zundapp Combimot on a Triepad bike

The Coffryx, by Ciclotron, France

Legnano bike with Garelli Mosquito friction drive, Italy

1911 Dutch Simplex

Zundapp front wheel belt drive, Germany

 

[Ludwig II]

Czech ad for a PEMA engined bike
http://sport.hyperinzerce.cz/silnic...m-motorem-nabidka-stredni-cechy/#.UpuMhNJdVac

Polish homebrew

1920s Ruppe, Germany

German Neckerman bike with Garelli Mosquito engine

1930s 100cc BMA Hunter, France

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

A nightmarish British oddity from the 1950s, the Joybike

Looks like the sort of thing I might build in the garage during a feverish moment

 

[buba]

come on intrepid give credit where credit is due

does it do what it was built to do --i would say so

not everyone/company spends the time and money as well as having the expertise to build the beauties
it just serves a certain low cost (i imagine) market niche

feverish moments i live for them

ride safe

 

[Ludwig II]

I think, as a native of the city where it was made, I'm entitled to give an insight into the Brummie mentality. The bike was probably no worse and no better than anything else made by a small business at the time.

Unfortunately, art and styling are things that happen in other places, and are done by people of a dubious, probably effeminate, nature; and they are best viewed from behind a reinforced concrete wall of suspicion, preferably in a poor light through a narrow letterbox. And then only by persons having only one eye.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

come on intrepid give credit where credit is due

does it do what it was built to do --i would say so

not everyone/company spends the time and money as well as having the expertise to build the beauties
it just serves a certain low cost (i imagine) market niche

feverish moments i live for them

ride safe

I was actually being complementary Buba. I have an unusual sense of humor which sometimes confuses folk.

 

[Intrepid Wheelwoman]

I think, as a native of the city where it was made, I'm entitled to give an insight into the Brummie mentality. The bike was probably no worse and no better than anything else made by a small business at the time.

Unfortunately, art and styling are things that happen in other places, and are done by people of a dubious, probably effeminate, nature; and they are best viewed from behind a reinforced concrete wall of suspicion, preferably in a poor light through a narrow letterbox. And then only by persons having only one eye.

I love the older autocycles for their practical utilitarian design Ludwig. The sheetmetal was designed to do its job of keeping the rider protected from mud and splashes as well as to keep clothing away from the whirring oily bits. Whether it was pretty to look at was neither here nor there.
The Joybike has some clever mechanical ideas in the way its transmission is laid out and having three independent brakes certainly couldn't be called a bad thing. If I was offered one I certainly wouldn't say no.

 

[Ludwig II]

Here is something much more artistic.
From the Piaggio Museum, a 1909 VT Gilera
http://www.museopiaggio.it/collezionegilera/collezione_Gilera_en.html

1922 Velotouriste, France
http://www.yesterdays.nl/velotouriste-1922-series-p-1862.html

1902-06 Austrian Bree engine in a Meteor cycle.

And a nice page of Warrilow to enjoy: http://www.ozebook.com/azw/warrilow.html

1923 132cc Famo Motocyclette, German engine
http://www.moto-collection.org/moto-collection/modele.php?idfiche=9405

Modern replica of the 1905 Barter Fée, ancestor to the Douglas mototcycles, Britain http://www.icenicam.ukfsn.org/articles3/art0055.html

Derny Baby Sport

74cc Fichtel & Sachs in a German Excelsior cycle

1952 Rex, Germany

 

[Ludwig II]

1954-59 MAW, East Germany
http://www.zabytkowemotocykleirowery.pl/maw/pl

1950s Fichtel & Sachs badged as Zundapp, Germany

1903 onward Antoine, Belgium. The cardboard on the crankcase was hiding the name for a quiz.

Cyclex, from a Dutch site

1938 60cc Ilo engine Maico Wiesel

1911 Bradbury, Britain

 

[Ludwig II]

I can't remember if I posted this one before, but it's nice anyway. A 1920 Snob, Holland

 

[Otero]

The Snob & Derny are a lot like my current build; maybe I'll
put a fly wheel on it too. I've got a 7" 4 lb.
grindstone that would fit nicely. Then I could
ride around the neighborhood sharpening stuff.
....nah....at 9000 rpm I'd never be able to stop.
The Bree reminds me of a Cuban rickimbili.
Hmm...I've also got a 6" hayloft pulley about 2 1/2lb.
That might actually be practical if I stay under 7000 rpm.

 

[Ludwig II]

British Raleigh Chopper bike with Raleigh/Mobylette engine

1941 Alpino, Italy

Undated Garelli Mosquito 38B, Italy

And a later one

Strimer friction driver from Devon, England

 

[Otero]

Cute little Raleigh, makes ya wanna rub it's belly, woof.
Resurrected my $15 rikimbili. It looks like the Cyclex
& Snob's illegitimate child.

 

[Ludwig II]

Bulgarian home made (can you tell?) trike

C.1950 Jaime Colomet, Spain

1932 NSU Motorsulm on ladies bike, Germany

Alpino unit on 3 speed bicycle, Italy

 

[Otero]

Nah, looks likes a Balkan assembly line unit to me. That guy
is so obviously a master machinist. They probably hired him
away from Audi.

 

[Ludwig II]

This is a French site, and it contains bikes even the French thought were weird. Be prepared for a long read. A long, long, read.

http://moto-scooter-annee50-60.over-blog.com/

 

[silverbear]

Ludwig,
Thanks again for your taking the time and trouble to post these photos. It is interesting how many variations there are... so many different approaches to affixing a motor to a bicycle and riding off into the sunset. Placement of the engine on the last one, the Alpino, is different. Also note the gas tank placement, reminiscent of the old camel-back Indian of 1903 or so.
SB