British

Today in Motorcycle History

Leo Ripault and Co

Ripault-1909-Wikig.jpg
Ripault 1909 Air-cooled Engine

This is almost certainly a Keller-Dorian engine.

KD was a motorcycle assembled between late 1907 and 1909 by Leo Ripault and Co of Poland Street, Oxford Street, London.

The device was a bicycle attachment that fitted within the main frame to drive the rear wheel by belt, tensioned by a jockey-pulley. It differed from the original in that it had front suspension which preceded the Earles variety by several decades.

Two engine sizes were available at either 1.5 h.p. or 2 h.p.

The make was listed for two years.

The firm manufactured Oleo spark plugs in 1902, and went on to produce all manner of electrical equipment for the automotive and aviation industries over the following decades. It was still active in 1963, with some 1300 employees.

Ripault was also involved in aviation (Petre monoplane, 1910).

See also K.D. by Keller-Dorian

L. Ripault
(Stand 179).

The K.D. motor bicycle. This is a lightweight motor cycle attachment for attaching to ordinary bicycles. We illustrated the engine in our report of the Paris Show. The principal novelty in connection with the engine is the fitting of the valves one within the other, the inlet being concentric with the exhaust. Battery ignition is employed, and the total weight of machine is about 75 lbs.


1907 Stanley Show
The Motor Cycle, November 1907

Source: Graces Guide



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