You are here: Index — Complete Motorcycle Compendium
The Complete* Motorcycle Compendium
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Aprilia RSV1000R
Aaen Racer, designed by Olav Aaen in the 1960’s. It’s unclear how many, if any, were produced
AAR Finland, Ice racers. Jawa engines
Abell USA, 190, Rollin Abell built a steam powered bicycle and patented the coaster brake around 1901
Abako Germany, 1923 – 1925
ABC England, 1913 – 1921, All British Engine Company Had a transversely-mounted flat twin engine in 1918
ABC England, 1919 – 1924 All British Cycle Co.
ABC Germany 1922 – 1924 A.B.C. Werk in Berlin
ABC USA, 1901 – 1902, The American Bicycle Co. built motorcycles as the American Cycle Manufacturing Co.
Abbotsford England and Australia, early 1900’s
Abendsonne Germany, 1930’s
Aberdale England, 1930’s – 1950’s?, Aberdale was run by the Levy bros. and bought Bown Cycles from William Bown in the late 1930’s
Abe-Star Japan
Abingdon England
ABJ England, 1949 – 1954? Started by A B Jackson from Raynal Auto
ACE Motorcycles Bill Henderson Of Henderson Motorcycles started the Ace Motor Corporation in 1920 in Philadelphia.
Achilles Czechoslovakia
Achilles Germany, mopeds 1953 – 1957, Sold to Norman Cycles Ltd in England
Ackland England
Acme England, 1902, became Rex-Acme
Acme Motorcycles Australia 1940’s Not affiliated with Acme England. Built by Bennett & Wood in Sydney, used Villiars engines. There were also two other companies in Australia that used the Acme name in the early 1900’s
ADB USA, 1993, California, American Dirt Bike Co. Rotax Engines
Ader France
Adler Germany, Adlerwerke Frankfurt until 1958
Adly Taiwan, 1978, built by Her Chee, scooters, motorcycles and ATV’s
Adma Germany, 1924 – 1926
Adriatica Italy, 1979? 1980? 250cc Grand Prix racer
Advance England
AEL England
Aeolus England, 1913, built by William Bown
Aeon Taiwan, Mopeds, scooters
AER England, 1937A.
Aermacchi Started as an airplane manufacturer in 1912. Started making motorcycles in 1950. Aermacchi set many world records and partnered up with Harley-Davidson in 1960 and took over Harley’s light weight bike production when Harley stopped their small bike line, commonly known as the “Hummer”, around 1965 or 1966. Aermacchi was bought by Cagiva in 1978
Aero Australia
AGF France, post war to about 1956
Agrale Brazil, Agrale manufactures some parts and assembles and distributes Cagiva, Husqvarna and MV Agusta under license from Cagiva who owns all three names
Agrati (Garelli) Italy, Small cc scooters
Airman USA
Airmoto Italy
Airolite England
Ajax England, The Stevens bros. built engines using the Ajax name for AJW for a short time in the 1930’s
AJP Portugal, They make motocross bikes with Casal engines
AJR England
AJS Was created by the four Stevens Brothers, who started the Stevens Motor Manufacturing Co. in 1899 to build engines and A. J. Stevens & Company in 1909 to produce motorcycles. The AJS came from Albert John (Jack) Stevens’ initials.
AJW England, 1926 – 1953?, Arthur John Wheaton Used Ajax (built by the Stevens bros), Anzani and JAP engines up to 996cc. The AJW name has been used by at least three owners up into the 1980’s
AKD England, 1926 – 1933, Abingdon King Dick Co. started as a tool maker in 1856, briefly made motorcycle engines and complete bikes and now still makes tools. The King Dick name came from the owners bulldog
Akkens England
Alba Germany, 1919 – 1924
Albertus Germany, 1922 – 1924
Alcyon France, 1904 – 1956
Alecto England
Alert England
Alfer Spain, Supermoto and enduro bikes
Algat Italy, Scooters
Alp England, 1913 – 1916, English branch of Swiss based Moto-Reve. Beta of Italy now makes a model called Alp
Alpino Italy
Alldays England, Early 1900’s – 1927?, Alldays & Onions made motorcycles, 3-wheelers and autos. Some were used by the postal service. Alldays-Matchless?
Alligator USA, The Alligator is a project that Dan Gurney has been working on since 1979. The current stage is the A4A, which has carbon-fiber bodywork, a single-sided swing arm (with in-arm shock), fuel injection and built around a Honda XR600cc single engine. The object is to have a very stable cornering machine that will go 150mph
Allon England, 1915 – 1926, Made by Alldays
Allright Germany, 1901 – 1928, they were also sold as Tiger, Roland, Vindee and VS in various markets. They used JAP, MAG, Kelcom and other engines
Allstate Sold by Sears they were made by Cushman, Puch, Gilera? and Vespa
AMAG Swiss, 1950’s
Amag Germany, 1924 – 1925 Allg. Motorfahrzeug Berlin
Amazonas Brazil, 1978 – 1990, made by Amazonas Motocicletas Especiais Ltda. Used a 1600cc VW car engine. Not a very well engineered motorcycle
Ambassador England, Bought by DMW in 1965
Ambra Germany, 1921 – 1926, The Carl Brandt Motor Company in Berlin
AMC England, Associated Motor Cycles Ltd. Is the name eventually used, until it ceased to operate in 1966, by the Group that ended up with the rights to AJS, Matchless, Norton, James, Francis Barnett, Enfield, Indian, Douglas?, Vincent? and ? They were taken over by “Manganese Bronze Bearings” who then formed NVT
AMC USA, The Allied Motors Corp. Had a 1000cc V-Twin around 1915
1918 America USA, They were replicas of a 1918 Harley-Davidson. They had a one piece frame that incorporated a non-detachable side car. They used a Harley Evo type engine with electronic ignition and disc brakes. The gas tank on the bike was used to hide the electronics. The real gas tank was under the seat of the sidecar. The builders sent Malcolm Forbes a brochure hoping he would be interested in one, his secretary sent back the brochure with a note saying “Mr. Forbes only buys new motorcycles…” They must have been made in the 1980’s as Forbes died in 1990. They were forced to stop making them because of a threatened lawsuit by Harley. About a dozen were built. The jigs and molds were later sold to Arlen Ness and he has made several since.
America USA, 1904 – 1905
American USA, 1901 – 1902, The American Cycle Manufacturing Co. was taken over by Pope. The American name was used by at least five other early builders plus at least a half a dozen later Harley clone fabricators
American USA, 1913
American Dirt Bike USA, California (ADB)
American Eagle USA, 1966 – 1970’s?, The name that Sprites, made in England, were sold under in the U.S. One model was the American Eagle 405 Talon see Sprite
American Eagle USA, Harley style clones, was founded in 1995
American Iron Horse USA, Harley style clones, S&S engines up to 113″
American King V USA, Sells kits and complete motorcycles using Chevy small block engines, up to 525 hp
American Quantum USA, Harley clones
American Rocket USA, 1950’s, Indian engine
American X USA, 1910-1930, British Excelsior’s were rebadged by the U.S. importer in Chicago because American Excelsior had the rights to the name
AMI Germany, 1921 – 1925, AMI-Auto-Motoren-Ind. Berlin
Ammon Germany, 1923 – 1925 Ammon & Co. Berlin
AMO Germany, 1920’s and again in the 1950’s
AMS Spain, 1954 – 1965
Ancilotti Spain, 1967 – 1984
Andrees Germany, 1920’s
Anker Germany, 1949 – 1953 Sold in 1952 and moved from Bielefeld to Paderborn, produced until 1958
Anthony USA
Anzani British Anzani Engine Co. a subsidiary of Anzani France, was established in 1912 in London. They made engines for airplanes, cars, motorcycles (up to 998cc), boats, and equipment. They when out of business in 1980
Anzani France, Engine builder
A.P. USA, 1901, Possibly the first “motorwheel” for bicycles
Apache USA, 1907-1911, Thor engines
Apfelbeck Speedway racers, JAP engines. Ludwig Apfelbeck
Apollo Sweden, 1950’s?, M Berlin & Co, Mopeds
Aprilia is the second largest manufacturer in Europe. The made over 290,000 scooters in 1997.
AR USA, 1997, They make street legal flattrack type bikes using Yamaha 650 engines. They were AR Streetracker but are now called Robinson Streetracker
Arbinet France, 1907 – 1934
Arco Germany, 1922 – 1931
Ardie Germany, 1919 – 1958, Early models used 305 to 350cc two strokes and changed to around 350 to 1000cc JAP engines in the twenties. After WWII they used their own two strokes and later, engines and parts from Durkopp who bought them out in 1955, but still used the Ardie name
Argeo Germany, 1924 – 1927, Argeo Fahrzeugwerk Berlin
Argyle USA, 1957 – 1961, by C&E Manufacturing, small folding scooters
Ariel was founded in England in 1898. Who hasn’t heard of an Ariel Square Four The 997cc engine is a legend. Later taken over by BSA in 1940’s and discontinued in 1965
Aristos Germany, 1923 – 1924, Aristos Motorfahrzeugwerke Berlin
Armac USA, 1905, St. Paul, MN – 1906-1913, Chicago. Singles & V-twins. Sold to AMC
Armstrong England, Armstrong manufacturing bought Cotton in 1980. In 1984 Armstrong bought the rights from the bankrupt Italian SMW company to build the SMW Tornado. The Armstrong MT 500 is used by the English, Canadian and Jordanian armies. 506cc Rotax engines
Arno England
Arrow USA, 1909 – 1914, Chicago
Arrow Canada, Arrow Custom Cycle, Harley Clones
Ascot England, 1905
Ascot Pullin England, 1928 – 1930
ASL England, early 1900’s
Aspes Italy
Astoria Italy, 1947 – 1958, Made by Virginio Fieschi with engines designed by Alfredo Bianchi
Astra Italy, 1931? 1933? – 1951, Used imported Arial engines
Atala Italy, Small cc scooters. see Rizzato
Atco USA, 1912, made by the Auto Trading Co.
ATK became the second major American motorcycle company in 1983. They build a variety of off road bikes. Rotax engines. Joined in a partnership with VOR in 2001
Atlantic Germany, autocycle early 1920’s
Atomette England, 1921 – 1922, a three wheeler with two wheels in front, Villiers engine
Auranthetic USA, Was a small electric motorcycle produced in the 1970’s
Aurora USA, Iowa, made small engines used for motor bicycles
Aurora USA, Illinois, Aurora Automatic Machine Co built their own Thor motorcycle and sold parts to other companies that assembled them and sold them as American, Emblem, Light, Rambler, Racycle, Warwick, Thor-bred, Thoroughbred, Reading-Standard,
Aussi Australia, Aussi-Also
Austin USA, 1868, Steam
Austria Austria, 1903 – 1939
Austro-Motorette Austria
Auto-Bi USA, 1901 – 1909, made by E.R. Thomas in Buffalo, NY.
Auto-Bike USA
Auto Car 1919-1924, Philadelphia, PA – 1925, Blossburg, PA – 1926, Detroit
Auto Cycle USA, Not to be confused with the generic term “autocycle” which is used to describe a lightweight motor cycle with pedals
Autocylette USA, 1921 – 1924, Autocylette Manufacturing and Sales Corp. Also sold as Pam
Autoette USA
Autoflug Germany, 1921 – 1923, Berlin
Autoglide USA
Autoglider England
Autoped USA, 1914 – 1926, Scooters, made by the Autoped Company of America then became part of the American Ever-Ready Company. Some were sold as EverReady Autoped. They were designed by Hugo Gibson and for a short time, by Joseph Merkel who had built the Flying Merkel
Auto-Fauteuil Holland, Early 1900’s
AutoMoto France, 1930’s
Avanti India, Monto Motors makes Mopeds and small motorcycles that are exported world wide. Recently started a joint venture with Renault
Avenger USA, built by American Dirt Bike
AVG USA, Makers of kit three wheelers using VW engines
AWO Germany, 1949 – 1961, AWO Simpson