ABC Motorcycles

ABC Motorcycles

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ABC at the Mulhouse Museum, France
ABC at the Mulhouse Museum, France

ABC France
ABC France


Made in Great Britain & France
from 1913 to 1925

A Brief History of the Marques

England, France and Germany built motorcycles branded "ABC". There were at least three British firms producing ABC motorcycles including machines designed by Granville Bradshaw. The best known were produced by Sopwith between 1919 and 1922 and although of quite advanced design proved unreliable and eventually caused the company's downfall. A derivation of the Sopwith machine was built under licence at a Gnome & Rhone factory in France with rather more success.

The All British Engine Company, Ltd. of London, United Kingdom was founded in 1912. Later, the name was changed to A.B.C. Motors, Ltd. The company owner was Ronald Charteris and the chief engineer was Granville Bradshaw. They built a variety of A.B.C. engine types until the end of WWI. See ABC History

ABC France
Société Française des Moteurs ABC, Paris. 1920-1924
The Paris-based company was part of the Gnome & Rhône Group which produced the ABC marque under licence from Sopwith. The French ABC employed different engine displacements of 398cc and 498 cc. The designer of this model was the Englishman Bartlett.

ABC France

Ateliers Balestibeau of rue Michel-de-Montaigne, Castillon-sur-Dordogne, Gascony, built an A.B.C. motocyclette prior to the first war. See ABC 1905

There is a comprehensive article on the French ABC at moto-collection.org.

ABC Motorcycles at ScienceandSociety.co.uk

ABC GmbH, Berlin. 1922-1925 see ABC GmbH


04-Aug-2019
ndhaero at hotmail.com
ABC 1921
Hello, I noticed your links to forums. I was wondering if you could add the ABC Forum to your list? The websites address is: abcroadmotors.co.uk. It doesn't have a huge amount of members, but they are a very passionate lot, organising rides, and re-manufacturing parts.
Many thanks,
Nicholas Hill

Fri, 22 Sep 2017
r.neal at btinternet.com
A.B.C. 003 "Midge" engine. 1951/1952

There appears to be no information whatsoever available on the above engine in any A.B.C. information that I have yet come across. The above engine was a 6hp twin cylinder, horizontally opposed two -stroke and was used to power the Auster B3 Target Drone, also referred to by the Air Ministry as Pilot Target Aircraft No2 Mk1. The engine was built by A.B.C. during 1951/1952 after the Vickers take-over. I have in my possession photographs and technical information available for same, the latter being obtained from the Air Ministry archives at Kew; should you be interested. Ron Neal (Technical Adviser International Auster Club)
Ron Neal
East Goscote Leicester LE7 3WS United Kingdom



Tue Nov 18 2014
gmsc1 at cox.net
Skootamota Badge
Campling Skootamota
Do you have any interest in a badge for a skootamota?
California


Mon Nov 19 2012
lawrence.larsen<at>comcast.net
ABC with Indian single
ABC single
Hi
Hope to find info re ABC motorcycles use of singles made by Indian.
USA


Tue Aug 12 2008
robert.emerton at ntlworlddot com
ABC scootamota
I am trying to find out how many scootamota's there are left as i have been left one by my father and i can't find to much about them.
Luton, UK


ABC 1914 Spain
ABC 1914 Spain

Tue Mar 13 2007
jrsague at yahoo.es

ABC 1.914
Please contact me with bev harvey in New Zealand. I am a owner of ABC and have information, but I cannot contact by e-mail
Barcelona, Spain


Wed Mar 07 2007
bev harvey at xtra.co.nz [bounced]
ABC 500 CC
I have just acquired an ABC motor cycle frame number 1038.I have been told it is the only in the world according to the ABC register in England, can you verify this fact and also the year it was made.Were they made with kick starts?Many thanks Harvey West.
New Zaeland
........
I am trying to find out any information on a 1915 ABC motorcycle I recently purchased. I believe by reading the manual about the footrests it is a model A.The frame no. Is 1038 engine no.895 I have had some info. From Juan R .Sague in Spain he could tell me that by the numbers that it is one of 3 known to be around ,he has one Bob Thomas in Isle of Man,has one and the one I have just bought.I would appreciate any info. You can pass on.


Sun Apr 09 2006
jouni.pekonen at jippii.fi
I will need detailed information
ABC transverse flat twin 1921
How original the bike in picture is? Are those engine and frame numbers originally matching ones?
Finland

Images of a Bradshaw ABC were included but could not be published for copyright reasons. Ed.



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