Australian Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

Wyatt Motorcycles

Wyatt
Manufactured by Wyatt Motoria, Grenfell Street, Adelaide.

Motorcycles were produced from 1909 or earlier until 1918, using JAP and Dalm engines. They also sold Wyatt sidecars.

"City agents Norton Motor Cycles." 1909

WYATT MOTORIA'S NEW PREMISES

The above is a reproduction of a front view of the Wyatt Motoria's new premises in Grenfell street. The frontage is a 40 ft. one, and the depth is approximately 100 ft., with a back entrance from Twin street in addition to the garage entrance. The garage and workshop occupy the largest portion of the space, although an accessory department ihas been arranged and a set of offices fitted up in the left-hand front comer of the premises. It is probably the largest exclusively motor cycle house in the Commonwealth.

There are over 40 machines on view for sale, and several sidecars. The workshop is up-to-date in every respect.

Saturday Mail (SA) Sat 13 May 1916 (Trove)

Over 40 motorcycles were sold in October 1917:
Wyatt Villiers to Mr. Syvret, Semaphore
Wyatt sidecar to Mr. Rogers, Semaphore
Wyatt sidecar to Mr. Spear, Magiil
Wyatt sidecar to Mr. Hawber, city
Wyatt Jap and sidecar to Mr. Thomas, Franklin street
Wyatt Jap and sidecar to Mr. Oke, Norwood
Wyatt Jap and sidecar to Mr. Reed, Anstrai Gardens
Wyatt two-stroke to Mr. Spencer, Glen Osmond
Wyatt sidecar to Mr. Wohlfish, Mount Mary
Wyatt Jap to Mr. Smith. Norwood.
In addition to Wyatt motorcycles listed above, they sold Dayton, Triumph, New Hudson, Norton, Douglas, Royal Exchange, Hazlewood, NSU and others. Many of these were no doubt secondhand.
The Mail (Adelaide, SA) Sat 3 Nov 1917

There were many Wyatt machines registered in SA in 1920, for instance:
10871.—C. J. Todd, Glengylc street, Woodville, 6 (h.p.) Wyatt J.A.P. - June 1920
16890.—M. S. Hawker, Jun Andrew street, 6 (h.p.) Wyatt J.A.P. - June 1920

In 1925 Wyatt was South Australian distributor for Francis-Barnett and AJS.

Advertisements mentioning Wyatt became scarce in the early 30s, and none appear after 1932.

In February 1936 the Adelaide Advertiser reported, "Mr. Borgelt began work with the old Wyatt Motoria in 1909, under Messrs. L. Blake and W. Todd. In 1915 he opened a business in Maylands." (See Swastika).

Sources: Simon Fleming, Trove NLA, et al

A "Wyatt-Minerva" of pre-WWI vintage was auctioned by Bonhams in 2016. It is not known if this is from the South Australian firm. In need of considerable TLC, this machine had previously belonged to Bert Fruin, a keen road-racer who built 50cc racing machines.

If you have a query or information about this Australian motorcycle please contact us