French Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

VBF-Cyclorev Mopeds and Motorcycles

Cyclorev-VBF, based in St Etienne, built mopeds and motorcycles.

The VBF company was established in 1908 at 16 Rue Fontainebleau, St Etienne by Cachard, Accou and Arnoux as a bicycle manufacturer.

George Ballandras became the manager in 1939.

From 1948 built two-wheelers using Sabb, Vap and Le Poulain engines. Some of their mopeds were branded as Cyclorev.

1952 - An Ambassador CB3 with 3-speed Sabb 125cc was offered, along with Poulain-powered mopeds, of which almost 1000 were produced that year.

An advertisement from 1954 gave the manufacturer as G. Ballandras of Saint-Etienne, and the brand names as "Ambassador" for motorcycles and "Cyclorev" for cyclomoteurs. There were 8 Ambassador models with engines from Aubier-Dunne, Villiers and A.M.C. The Cyclorev was offered with 49cc Vap and Mistral engines, 1 and 2 speed.

For the years 1952 to 1954 they built a total of some 5000 motorised two-wheelers.

In 1955, Cyclorev-VBF merged with several other companies to form Cocymo.

Sources: Motos dans la Loire, et al.

23-Aug-21
dr.fausto at freenet.de
1952.01.13
Ist es möglich eine Zweitschrift der Fahrzeug Papiere zu bekommen und wie?
Es handelt sich um eine VBF Typ CB 2
Sebastian Faust
Germany Frankfurt
Trans: Is it possible to get a duplicate of the vehicle papers and how? It is a VBF type CB 2

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