ABC motorcycles
Encyclopedia
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.
With chief engineer Granville Bradshaw
, Charteris built a range of engines throughout the First World War. From 1913 ABC produced motorcycle engines.
In 1918, ABC made a motorcycle with a 500 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. In 1919 ABC also produced the Scootamota – an early motor scooter
. The company stopped producing motorcycles after 1923 because of competition from cheaper manufacturers.
company and 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 spring
s 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.
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.
_1920.jpg)
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-Hobsob to give a top speed of 70 mph (31.3 m/s).
Between 1920 and 1924 they produced over 3,000 of the 'French' ABC but relatively few have survived.
The Bradshaw-designed Skootamota was an early scooter
built by Gilbert Campling Ltd. Despite this, it is often referred to as the ABC Scootamota.
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. Early Skootamotas had IOE engine
s but later versions had OHV engines
. The saddle and spacious footboard provided rider comfort. The Skootamota was quickly imitated by competitors and had a top speed of just 15 mph (6.7 m/s), so ceased production in 1922.
engines in Birmingham
between 1922 and 1924.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufacturer established in 1914 by Ronald Charteris in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. 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.
With chief engineer Granville Bradshaw
Granville Bradshaw
Granville Eastwood Bradshaw OBE, AFRAeS was an English engineer and inventor who designed motorcycle and aero-engines.-History:Bradshaw was born in Preston, Lancashire in 1887 as the son of William and Annie Bradshaw. His father was a jeweler and optician.Bradshaw's early work was involved with...
, Charteris built a range of engines throughout the First World War. From 1913 ABC produced motorcycle engines.
In 1918, ABC made a motorcycle with a 500 cc flat-twin
Flat-twin
A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft. It is part of the class of flat engines, sub-type "boxer", and shares most characteristics of those engines.-Motorcycle use:...
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. In 1919 ABC also produced the Scootamota – an early motor scooter
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
. The company stopped producing motorcycles after 1923 because of competition from cheaper manufacturers.
Development
ABC had always had a close association with the Sopwith aircraftSopwith Aviation Company
The Sopwith Aviation Company was a British aircraft company that designed and manufactured aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force in the First World War, most famously the Sopwith Camel...
company and in 1919 they jointly exhibited the Sopwith 390 cc horizontally-opposed twin-cylinder overhead valve
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
(OHV) machine at the annual Motor Cycle show. It aroused a lot of interest with innovative front and rear leaf spring
Leaf spring
Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles...
s and "expanding" brakes, wet sump
Wet sump
A wet sump is a lubricating oil management design for four-stroke piston internal combustion engines which uses a built-in reservoir for oil, as opposed to an external or secondary reservoir used in a dry sump design....
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.
The ABC 400 was made under licence by the Sopwith Aviation & Engineering Co
Sopwith Aviation Company
The Sopwith Aviation Company was a British aircraft company that designed and manufactured aeroplanes mainly for the British Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force in the First World War, most famously the Sopwith Camel...
in Kingston-upon-Thames and 2,200 were produced. Later models had improved valve gear, speedometers, and electric lighting. Sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
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.
ABC 400 cc
ABC 500 cc
French manufacturer Gnome & Rhone produced an improved 493 cc version of this machine under licence until 1925.Between 1920 and 1924 they produced over 3,000 of the 'French' ABC but relatively few have survived.
ABC Scootamota
Scooter (motorcycle)
A scooter is a motorcycle with step-through frame and a platform for the operator's feet. Elements of scooter design have been present in some of the earliest motorcycles, and motorcycles identifiable as scooters have been made from 1914 or earlier...
built by Gilbert Campling Ltd. Despite this, it is often referred to as the ABC Scootamota.
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. Early Skootamotas had IOE engine
IOE engine
The intake/inlet over exhaust engine, also known as F-head and pocket valve, is a valvetrain configuration used in early four-stroke internal combustion engines...
s but later versions had OHV engines
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
. The saddle and spacious footboard provided rider comfort. The Skootamota was quickly imitated by competitors and had a top speed of just 15 mph (6.7 m/s), so ceased production in 1922.
Demise
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. They stopped producing motorcycles after 1923, although some production continued in Germany until 1925. Another company called ABC that was not connected with Charteris or Bradshaw produced 247 cc and 269 cc motorcycles with VilliersVilliers
-Places:In Canada* Villiers, Ontario, a small settlement near PeterboroughIn France* Villiers, Indre, in the Indre département* Villiers, Vienne, in the Vienne département* Villiers-Adam, in the Val-d'Oise département...
engines in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
between 1922 and 1924.