British

Today in Motorcycle History

Hoskison Motorcycles

Initially named Hoskison Manufacturing Co of Digbeth, Birmingham, before changing to Hoskison Motors of Lozell's Road, Birmingham, the company produced motorcycles from 1919 to 1922.

1919 Following on from the boom in personal transport after World War I, the first Hoskison machines were due off the Digbeth production line in December that year. This lightweight was fitted with a 292cc Union two-stroke engine, driving a two-speed Burman gearbox by chain, then by belt to the rear wheel. Designed for quick and ready assembly, the rest of the machine followed accepted lines and the works was expected to turn out 2,000 motorcycles per year.

1920 Throughout that year the company kept to their one-model strategy.

1921 The firm changed direction and their name and were now based in Lozell's Road, as Hoskison Motors. They dropped the two-stroke altogether and replaced it with two models with Blackburne side-valve engines of 348cc and 499cc. Both had two-speed Burman gearboxes, belt final-drive and B and B carburettor. There was a sidecar version of the solo and so a wide range of prospective purchasers was covered by a minimum of models.

1922 By the spring of that year the marque was no longer listed.


Source: Graces Guide

Hoskison-1920-TMC.jpg
Hoskison 1920

Wide dome guards, a spring seat-pillar, and a Best and Lloyd mechanical pump are features of this Hoskison Show model.

Olympia Show 1920

Hoskison. (Stand 51.)

  • 4 h.p. Blackburne; 85x88 mm. (499 c.c.); single-cylinder four-stroke; side-by-side valves; mechanical lubrication; B. and B. carburetter; chain-driven magneto; three-speed sliding dog gear; chain and belt drive; 26x2¼ in. tyres.

The Hoskison Motors, Ltd., 72, Lozells Road, Birmingham.

Particular attention has been paid by this firm to the subject of mudguards, as all three types are provided with guards which are more than usually wide, the result being that the engine and frame should keep remarkably clean if the machine is used in winter or during bad weather. A wedge-shaped tank, viewed from the side, gives this machine an unusually rakish outline. One model has a 4 h.p. Blackburne engine with the usual outside fly-wheel and a detachable head held down by long bolts, but with a plunger pump to circulate oil through a sight feed lubricator; the drive is by chain to the gear box, and by belt to the rear wheel.

The tank is of a new shape and larger than hitherto. On a 2¾ h.p. model, also with a Blackburne engine, disc wheels are fitted, and advantage has been taken of this fact to arrange a V rim for the front wheel brake, so that the shoes for the front and rear wheel brakes are practically the same in size, and therefore the retarding effect is uniform. For the better comfort of the rider, the seat is held, not on the usual pillar, but on a Flexa vertical leaf spring, additional coil springs being introduced between the side of the frame to which this leaf spring is attached. A second 2¾ h.p. model is of sporting type as regards general design, and is shown with footrests instead of the footboards of the previous machine. A Union engined two-stroke also forms a part of the exhibit and is on conventional lines, except for the seat-pillar and mudguard, which are of the same pattern as those used for the larger model. Sectioned gear boxes are shown on the stand, so that the operation of the clutch, the dogs which alter the gear ratio, and the kick starter may be studied.

Olympia Show, 1920
The Motor Cycle, December 2nd, 1920. Page 724


Note.
An advertisement appeared with the marque's name incorrectly spelled in The Motorcycle of 1922 which reads: "2 ¾ h.p. Hoskinson-Blackburne Sporting Combination, 4 1920, lamps, speedometer, horn, tax paid, insured, any trial; real bargain, £75. Gwennap, Stafford."