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European Motorcycles

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Motorcycle Marque Disambiguation

Makes and models from different manufacturers with the same or similar names

Acme

  1. Acme & Rex-Acme 1902-1922 (UK)
  2. Acme 1904 (AU)
  3. Acme 1939-1949 (Sydney)

First appearing in English in 1560 the word Acme is from Greek, akmḗ, meaning "highest point, culmination".

Advance

  1. Advance 1906 (Queensland)
  2. Advance 1905~06(South Australia)
  3. Advance 1906-1912 (UK)

Ajax

  1. Ajax Motor Manufacturers of Coventry 1923-1924
  2. Ajax of Italy - these were rebranded Astoria machines fitted with AJS engines, 1930s
  3. Ajax of Belgium in the 1950s, engines from Sachs and NSU.
  4. Ajax Motor Vehicle Co. New York City, New York USA 1901-1903
  5. Ajax Cyclecars, Briscoe Freres, Neuilly, Billancourt 1913-1914
  6. Ajax Motors Co. Seattle, Washington USA 1914-1915
  7. Ajax Motors Co. Racine, Wisconsin USA 1925-1926
  8. Ajax. Dr. G. Aigner Switzerland 1906-1910 (Autos)

Alba

  1. Alba 1919-1924 (DE)
  2. Alba by Nassetti 1953~57 (IT)
  3. L'Alba 1924-1926 Milano
  4. Alba 1913 - 1928 "Constructiones Metallurgiques" automobiles (FR)
  5. Alba Regia 1955, Hungary

Albatros

  1. Albatros 1904~1912
  2. L'Albatros Lyon 1904-05
  3. Albatros St Etienne
  4. Albatros 1922-1924 Great Britain (Cars)
  5. Albatross Motor Car Company 1939 USA
  6. Moto-Guzzi Albatros 1939 Italy
  7. Albatross 1950s scooters, Dayton of London
  8. Albatros St Etienne 1952~55

Alpha

  1. Alpha 1904 (Adelaide AUS)
  2. Alfer 1980-2011. Spain
  3. Alpha 1924-1957. Barcelona
  4. Alpha 1956-1968. Dudley, Worcestershire
  5. Alpha 1983-1990 (Trials) Perpignan, France
  6. Austria Alpha
  7. Alpha Engines 1960s UK
  8. Maico Alpha
  9. Alpha & Ros

AMO

  1. AMO 1921-1924 (Munich)
  2. AMO 1950-1954 Amo-Motoren-Gesellschaft (Berlin)
  3. Amoretto of Argentina 1950s-1960s

AMC

  1. AMC (Chicago). 1912 - 1915
  2. AMC Engines (Clermont-Ferrand) 1923-1957
  3. AMC (Greenwich). 1937 - 1966
  4. AMC (Karachi). 1990 -
  5. AMC Fita 1953-1964
  6. AMC (Valencia). 1952
  7. AMC-TECH. 1994 -

Aquila
In English, Eagle.

  1. Aquila Italiana 1906 Automobiles (Italy)
  2. Aquila 1926~c1935 (Italy) Cavani of Bolgna
  3. Aquila 1953-55 (Rome)
  4. Aquila Rossa 1926-27 (FIAM, Italy)
  5. Aquila 1950s (France)

Armstrong

  1. Armstrong CCM 1971-2024
  2. Armstrong 1902
  3. Armstrong 1913-1915
  4. Armstrong and Co 1914 (Tricycles)
  5. Armstrong Forks, 1950s, later built by Norman

Aster

  1. Aster Motorcycle Engines of France. These engines were also sold by companies in Italy and Great Britain.
    Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster, 11 Rue des Chaumettes, Saint-Denis, Paris.
  2. Aster Engineering Co, Wembley. Built French Aster engines under licence, later designing their own which were also named Aster.
  3. Aster Societá Italiana Motori, Turin, 1906-1908. Sold French Aster engines, and built Aster cars under licence.
  4. Aster of Spain 1954 to 1957
  5. Aster Cars, Madrid 2000-2003

Astoria

  1. Astoria 1934-1936 (Italy)
  2. Astoria 1947-1958 (Italy)
  3. Astoria 1923-1925 (Germany)

Astra

  1. Astra (Italy) 1931 to 1951 (or 1953)
  2. Astra (Germany) 1923 to 1925
  3. Astra Sidecars, Erwin Gens, Berlin, 1931

Atlantis / Atlantic

  1. Atlantic Berlin (DE)
  2. Atlantic Brackwede (DE)
  3. Atlantik Bamberg (DE)
  4. Atlantis Kiel (DE)
  5. Derbi Atlantis (ES)

Atlas

  1. Atlas Puteax (1900-1902)
  2. Atlas Babycar
  3. Atlas Coventry (1912-1914)
  4. Atlas by Aston of Birmingham (1922-1925)
  5. Atlas Leipzig-Gohlis (1923~1929)

B&B

  1. Bennett & Barkell (B&B)
  2. B&B (Rossmoyne USA)
  3. B&B carburettors.

Bambi

  1. Bambi 3-wheeler 1960s Argentina (Fulda)
  2. DMW Bambi scooter
  3. Beta 1971 49cc Bambi
  4. CF 1971 Bambi
  5. Bambi 3-wheeler by Aleu
  6. Rivara Bamby Cross
  7. HMW Bambi scooter

Bianchi

  1. Bianchi, Alfredo - Designer with Aermacchi
  2. Bianchi, Edoardo - Builder of Bianchi motorcycles

Bison

  1. Bison 1922-1925, Austria
  2. Bison 1970s MX, Sweden
  3. NSU Bison 2000 (DE)
  4. Radior Bison 1954 (FR)

Blitz

  1. Blitz 57 was renamed to Rolifix in 1957 (DE)
  2. Blitz 1925-1926 Germany, see Aufbau
  3. Blitz-Karren by Borgward 1925-1926 (DE)
  4. Motomel Blitz, Argentina
  5. Blitz 1965-, Spain

Blue Bell

  1. Blue Bell by Wagener (South Australia), aka Bluebell
  2. Blue Bell (Shepparton, Victoria)

Bluebird

  1. Bluebird (or Blue Bird) Victoria, AU
  2. Bluebird 1920s (Wolverhampton UK)
  3. Bluebird by Geer of Missouri
  4. Bluebird bicycle built in Perth WA by Boans Ltd.

BMP

  1. BMP 1920-1925, Societè Brevetti Malasagna di Pinerolo
  2. BMP 1930s-1965, BMP Buraglini, Menicucci, Perugia

Butler

  1. Butler, Edward 1884-1897 (UK)
  2. Butler, Chris 1963-1966 (UK)
  3. Butler, Henry Whiston Street Works, Derby, 1902-1903 (UK)
  4. Butler, Portéous 1899 (France)
  5. Butler & Smith 1950s BMW & NSU dealer (USA)

Carbine

  1. Carbine (Victoria)
  2. Carbine 1910~1914 (Sydney)

A post on a bicycle forum suggests that perhaps Carbine of Victoria sold the name to the Sydney firm.

Centaur

  1. Centaur 1901-1914 (UK)
  2. Centauro 1967 (ES)
  3. Centauro 1952 (ES) Open-wheeler racing car with 250cc Derbi engine
  4. Centaure (FR)
  5. Centaur 1924-25 (DE)


Champion

  1. Champion (Tas)
  2. Champion (Saint Louis)
  3. Champion (Tokyo)
  4. Champion Trike

Clement

  1. Clément 1901, France
  2. Clément-Gladiator
  3. Clement 1922-1924, Great Britain
  4. Clement-Garrard 1902-1905

Colibri
Colibri = Hummingbird

  1. Colibri (Austria) scooters 1952-1954
  2. Colibri (Belgium) 1951-1952
  3. Colibri (Italy) 1923
  4. Colibri (Spain) bicycle engines 1948-1953
  5. Colibri (Spain) scooters 2016-2022
  6. Colibri (Sweden) 1919-1923
  7. Kolibri (Germany) 1923-1930
  8. Kolibri (Munich) 1951-
  9. Colibri mopeds by Tomos (Yugoslavia)
  10. Stanguellini Colibri 1963 - 250cc Guzzi-powered 4-wheel streamliner (Italy)
  11. Colibri autos by NAW, 1908-1912 (DE)


Colombo

  1. Colombo
  2. Colombo-O.C.M.A
  3. MC Moto Colombo Motorcycles

Comet

  1. Comet 1904-05, (GB)
  2. Comet 1952 (IT)
  3. New Comet by A. H. Haden (GB)
  4. Comet Yorkshire (GB)
  5. Comet Sweden
  6. Comet Flexiflyer Speedway
  7. Komet 1902-1905 Kirschner & Co. of Dresden (DE)
  8. Komet by Haussherr 1902-1912, Berlin (DE)
  9. Komet Autofabrik, Automobiles, 1922-1924 Leising/Sa (DE)


Condor

  1. Condor by Karstadt Germany, 1970s
  2. Condor Courfaivre, Switzerland, 1901~1978
  3. Condor of Deanshanger UK, 1902
  4. Condor Germany 1953-1955
  5. Moto Guzzi Condor 1938-1940
  6. Lube Condor
  7. Demm Condor moped 1979
  8. AGV Condor (Netherlands)
  9. Condor (Taiwan)
  10. Kondor cars, Kondor-Fahrrad-Werke AG, Germany 1900-1902

Corona

  1. Corona 1901-04 (UK)
  2. Corona 1902~1924 (Germany)
  3. Corona by Meteor Manufacturing Co, 1920s

David

  1. David Microcars (Spain)
  2. David by Casalini (Italy)

Davis

  1. Davis (AUS)
  2. Davis (Los Angeles)
  3. Davis 1911 GB
  4. Davis Brothers 1924 GB

De Luxe

  1. De Luxe of Birmingham (UK)
  2. De Luxe by Healing (AUS)

Diamant

  1. Diamant (Sweden)
  2. La Francais Diamant (France)
  3. Elite-Diamantwerke AG 1920s (Germany)
  4. Diamond (UK)

Diana

  1. Diana 1953 (Portugal)
  2. Diana (Italy)
  3. Durkopp Diana
  4. Ducati Diana
  5. Lady Diana Spagthorpe

Dreadnought

  1. Dreadnought (UK) 1902
  2. Dreadnought (UK) 1915
  3. Sears Dreadnought (USA)
  4. Clincher Dreadnought tyres

Elite

  1. Elite Sport 1950s (France)
  2. Elite 1931 (Belgium)
  3. Elite-Diamantwerke AG 1920s (Germany)

Elliott

  1. Elliott & Co 1904 (GB)
  2. Elliott 1912-1935 (Payneham, SA)
  3. Elliott (Paddington NSW)
  4. Dunford and Elliot Birmingham, see Dunelt
  5. Lake and Elliot 1904 (Essex UK)

A rider by the name of Elliot featured in cyling reports from 1903, apparently riding a pacing motorcycle.
N.B. Both Australian marques are spelled Elliott.

Empire

  1. Empire (St. Marys NSW)
  2. Empire (Adelaide)
  3. Empire (Melbourne)
  4. Empire 1912 (London)

EMW

  1. EMW 1952- Eisenacher Motorenwerk (East Germany)
  2. E.M.W. (Leipzig) 1925~1930
  3. EMWE 1924-1925 (DE)
  4. EMW - Eilenburger Motoren-Werk AG. Built cars 1909 to 1914
  5. N.B. Eisenacher Motoren Werk was formerly a BMW factory. Post WWII, BMWs were manufactured in Eisenach and were renamed EMW. Eisenach was part of the GDR after 1949.

Evans
Evans was an American two-stroke which was imported and licenced for manufacture by a number of European firms.

  1. Evans by Stock (Germany)
  2. Evans (Italy)
  3. Evans by Géo Dupuy (France)
  4. Coren & David, Orange (Vaucluse)
  5. Amstea Evans Berlin 1921-1924
  6. Evans-Pondorf Berlin 1924-1925
  7. Evans of Finland
  8. Henri Tasté in Liège and Verviers, Belgium, 1919-c.1924
  9. Evans Gallery


Excelsior

  1. Excelsior 1896-1965 (GB)
  2. Excelsior (USA)
  3. Excelsior-Bruneau 1904~07 (France)
  4. Excelsior 1902-39 (Brandenburg)
  5. Excelsior 1923-24 (Munich)
  6. Motorwagenfabrik Excelsior, 1896 (Switzerland)

Fama

  1. Fama, Argentina
  2. Fama by Blomme-Lecompte, Belgium
  3. Fama, Germany
  4. Fama, 1936-1940, Netherlands

Firefly

  1. Firefly Trials (UK) 1965-1970
  2. Vincent Firefly
  3. Firefly (AU)

FMB

  1. FMB Telaimotor Bologna
  2. FBM 1951-57 (Fabbrica Bolognese Motocicli), engine manufacturer, Morini Minarelli
  3. MFB, possibly related to FBM Telaimotor

Flink

  1. Flink (Sweden)
  2. Flink by BFW 1920-1922
  3. Flink Hilfsmotor 1950s

Fulgor

  1. Fulgor (Italy) 1922-1926
  2. Fulgor (France) 1900s

Fulgur
Fulgur is Latin for "Lightning"

  1. Fulgur Trailers (France) 1930s
  2. Fulgur Engines (France) 1900s
  3. Fulgor by Ing. A. Neumann & Co., Vienna 1924-1938

Gauthier

  1. Gautier-Wehrlé 1894
  2. Gauthier 1902
  3. Gauthier, A. c.1905
  4. Gauthier (Boudet) 1972-1980, Villefranche-de-Rouergue

Gloria

  1. Gloria 1912 - probably by Lurquin et Coudert (FR)
  2. Gloria by Triumph 1932-33 (UK)
  3. Gloria 1948-1955 (Italy)
  4. Gloria Intramotor 1976-78 (Italy)

Gnom

  1. Gnom 1921-1923, motorcycle. Germany.
  2. Gnom (JFG) 1949-1950, 3-wheel microcar. Germany.
  3. A Gnom three-wheel microcar was built in the mid-60s by Vladimir Kozlov in the Soviet Bloc. It was very space-age.
  4. Lada released a microcar named Gnom in the 1990s. Russia.

GP

  1. GP (Guzzi & Parodi) 1921
  2. GP (Griffoni & Piccini) 1927

Harris

  1. Harris 1970s-2024
  2. Harris Matchless 1987-1993
  3. Harris of Coventry (1910)

Hercules

  1. Hercules 1908~1927 (Melbourne)
  2. Hercules (Derby)
  3. Hercules by Curtiss of Hammondsport, NY, 1903
  4. Hercules 1903, H. Butler (GB)
  5. Hercules 1912~1960 (Birmingham)
  6. Hercules 1904-1950s (Germany)

Heros

  1. Heros 1923-1924 (Berlin)
  2. Heros (H&R) 1921-1929 (Saxony)
  3. Heros by Dohle 1950s

HMW

  1. HMW 1923-28 (Germany)
  2. HMW (National) Germany 1950s
  3. HMW Austria

Ideal

  1. Ideal Sidecars
  2. Ideal-Express by Pachtmann & Schitz, Dresden
  3. Ideal fahrradmotor Winterbach bei Stuttgart
  4. Iresa Ideal 1957 (ES)
  5. Beau-Ideal 1900s (GB)
  6. L'Idéal engines by Bonin (FR)

Invicta

  1. Invicta Arthur Barnett 1913-1919 (UK)
  2. Invicta of Clapham 1902-1906 (UK)
  3. Invicta 1951-1956, Bologna
  4. Invicta cyclecar, Leamington UK, around 1912
  5. Mondial Invicta 49cc, ca 1952
  6. Invicta, Turin, Italy, 1906

Imperia

  1. Imperia 1923-1925, Austria
  2. Imperia of Belgium 1903-1907, 1950s-1968. Factory closed in 1958, but mopeds were built with the Imperia badge until 1968.
  3. Imperia of France. Manufacturer of sidecars. (Unverified)

Imperial

  1. Autoped by Imperial (UK)
  2. New Imperial 1901-1939
  3. Imperial 1901-1903 Norman Downs, Birmingham
  4. Imperial Cyclecars 1913 (UK)
  5. Imperial (PDC) 1902 Brixton Hill, London
  6. Imperial Metro 1914-15 (UK)
  7. Imperial Swift 1904 (UK)


Iris

  1. Iris (Sydney) 1922~1928
  2. Iris (Brescia) 1952-1953
  3. Iris of London 1902-1904
  4. Iris Sidecars 1920s
  5. Iris by Morelle Paris 1902
  6. Iris by Haustgen Paris, 1902-1904
  7. Some Rizzato models had seats branded Iris



Ixion

  1. Ixion of France, 1901~1905. Ixion engines were sold to other manufacturers including Komet of Germany and Allvelo in Sweden, and were built under license by Gillet Herstal, GEM of Denmark and others.
  2. Ixion by Primus 1902-04. The Ixion built at Loughborough Junction, London was almost certainly built under license from Ixion of France.
  3. Ixion of Birmingham. Manufactured 1910 to 1923 in Birmingham, and later in Smethwick, Staffordshire.
  4. Ixion by New Hudson, 1930. In 1930, the Ixion brand reappeared as rebadged 250cc New Hudson sidevalves which they were having trouble moving in the very difficult market conditions. Using the Ixion marque enabled New Hudson to sell their stock at much more competitive prices. A forum post gives somewhat different information, "After 1923, New Hudson bought the Ixion name, and used it as a '2nd brand' to sell old stock models and engines into Europe. The Swedish Rex used a New Hudson engine with the Ixion badge on it."
  5. Ixion, Australia
  6. B.H. Davies (Ixion) There is no relation between any of these marques and Basil Henry Davies, the famous English motorcycle journalist whose nom de plume was Ixion.

Jackson

  1. Jackson & Kinnings 1900-1908 (UK)
  2. Jackson (Two Australian marques, one at Horsham Vic)
  3. Jackson 1902 (Horsham, Sussex GB)
  4. Jackson R.L. 1919-1920, Pangbourne, Barkshire, and later in Birmingham
  5. Jackson-Rotrax 1946~1976, Speedway (GB)

Jones

  1. Jones 1904 (Coventry)
  2. Jones 1936 by G. H. Jones, Villiers
  3. Jones, Dennis 1942-1958 250cc DOHC racer

Kayser

  1. Kaiser 1935
  2. Kayser 1899~1903
  3. Gritzner-Kayser 1901-1970s

Komet see Comet


Krause

  1. Krause Trumpf 1955-58 (DE)
  2. Krause Seitenwagen (DE)
  3. Krause 1926 (DE)
  4. Krauseco 1926-1939 (AT)
  5. Krauser (DE)

Leitch

  1. Leitch ( Melbourne )
  2. James N. Leitch (UK Cars)
  3. Leitch (NZ Cars)
  4. Leech (Ballarat Victoria)
  5. Lech (Poland)

Liberty

  1. Liberty (AUS)
  2. Liberty Engines 1913~1925 (Birmingham)
  3. Liberty (USA)

Lloyd

LMC & WA Lloyd

Your history of LMC states that LMC was founded in 1903. This is incorrect and confuses the two brothers W.A.(William Arthur) Lloyd and W.J.(Walter John) Lloyd. William Arthur Lloyd left Quadrant in 1903 and founded WA Lloyd Cycle Fittings Ltd making cycle parts and a few motorcycles under the WA Lloyd brand as you correctly state in your history of him. LMC was founded as Lloyd Motor Engineering in 1907 by Walter John Lloyd when he also exited Quadrant later in 1907 to make LMC motorcycles and also later the 'Overseas' marque. The confusion about the two brothers and their separate businesses goes back to a book by Erwin Tragatsch called "The Worlds Motorcycles 1894-1963" published in 1964 and repeated by Graces Guide who now have corrected the entry on their website by note.

I refer you to a definitive article written by the authoritative motorcycle historian Bob Currie and titled 'When Walter Went it Alone' and published in 'The Classic MotorCycle' magazine (pp.44-47) April 1988.

Ian Bade
Raumati Beach, New Zealand
29th March 2021

  1. Lloyd (L.M.C.) 1907-1922
  2. Lloyd, W.A. 1902-1903
  3. Lloyd by Ottmar Cramer Germany, 1923-1926
  4. Lloyd-Wagen and Lloyd Maschinenfabrik GmbH of Bremen - see also Goliath

See also Governor-Villiers and Dreadnought

Lutece, Lutetia

  1. Lutèce 1895
  2. Lutèce 1921-1926, Colombes, Paris, by SECM
  3. Lutetia engines, 1902-04, 1921-28. Echard of Neuilly-Sur-Seine
  4. Lutètia 1924, Spain

Magnet

  1. Magnet (AUS)
  2. Magnet 1901-1924 (Berlin)
  3. Magneet
  4. Antonin Magne 1950s (FR)

Mammut

  1. Mammut 1925-33 (Nuremberg)
  2. Mammut mopeds 1953-1956 (Bielefeld). Identical to mopeds sold by Meister and Phanomen
  3. Mammut-Fahrrad-Werke GmbH 1924-1929 (Bielefeld)
  4. Munch Mammut 1956-1990s

Marlow

  1. Marlow by Marloe 1920-1921, Marloe Motor Company of Bordesley, Birmingham
  2. Marlow, E.S. 1921-1922, Warwick

Martin

  1. Martin 1902-03 (Aus.)
  2. Martin (Croydon)
  3. Martin (J)
  4. Martin Conquest
  5. Martin Moulet
  6. Martin, Harry 1911~1921 (GB)
  7. Martin-Comerford 1930-39 (GB)
  8. Martin-JAP 1929-1957 (GB)
  9. Martinshaw 1923-25 (GB)
  10. Martinsyde 1919-1923 (GB)

Mars

  1. Mars 1904 UK
  2. Mars 1922-1924 UK
  3. Mars (Ma) 1903~1970s Germany
  4. Mars Stella (DE) 1950s

Massey

  1. Massey 1913 (Aus.)
  2. Massey Cycle & Motor Depot, 1913 (Benalla, Aus.)
  3. Massey Motor Co 1923-1929 (GB)
  4. Massey-Arran 1920-1924 (GB)

Matador

  1. Matador 1925-1926, C. Klose, Staßfurt, Germany
  2. Matador 1923 to 1927 Bert Houlding Preston (GB)
  3. Matador-Apparatebau (Franz Werner & Fritz Döring) 1920-1945, Marine engines, not motorcycle engines.

Meteor

  1. Meteor 1924-1926 (DE) (Two different makes)
  2. Meteor, Prague
  3. Meteor, Copenhagen. 1954~1967
  4. Meteor Manufacturing Co 1920s (UK)
  5. Meteore and Météore, (FR)
  6. There were also numerous Meteor models produced by Vincent, Cotton, Iso, Rocvale, Royal Enfield, FMC, Universal and others.


Monarch

  1. Monarch ( Footscray Vic AU )
  2. Monarch 1921 (Richmond, Vic, AU)
  3. Monarch 1912~1921, Tyseley, Birmingham
  4. Monarch 1898~ (Hartford, Conn. USA)
  5. Monarch (J)
  6. Monarch (Owego, N.Y. USA)
  7. Monark (Chicago Il. USA)
  8. Monark (Sweden)

Morris

  1. John Morris and Sons 1913-22
  2. Morris 1902-05
  3. Morris-Warne 1922
  4. Morrison 1913

MT

  1. MT 1925-1937 (AT)
  2. MT 34 (IT)
  3. MT by Muratore 1948-1953 (IT)
  4. MT three-wheelers (ES) 1955-1962, see Maquitrans

Mumford

  1. Mumford (AUS) - See also Firefly
  2. Mumford Musketeer 3-wheeler by Brian Mumford, 1971-1994 (Gloucester, UK)

Mustang

  1. Italjet Mustang
  2. Kreidler Mustang
  3. Simonini Mustang
  4. Mustang Motorcycle Corp. Glendale, Colorado. 1949~1951

National

  1. National (AUS) 1914
  2. National (Tasmania)
  3. HMW (National) (Germany)
  4. National 1907 (Norway)
  5. National (USA)

New Era

  1. New Era 1908~1924 New Era Motor Co of Lonsdale Road, West Kilburn, London, and later in Liverpool.
  2. New Era Auto Cycle Co, 1912 (USA)

OK

  1. OK 1899-1926, Humphries and Dawes, (GB)
  2. OK 1950s (Sweden)

Olympic

  1. Olympic 1955~1956 Denmark
  2. Olympic 1902~1923 Great Britain
  3. Olimpic 1953-55
  4. Olympia 1906, 1950, France
  5. Olympique 1922-1954, France
  6. Olympic mopeds by Axel Bruun, 1959-1967, Norway
  7. Royal Enfield Olympic 250, 1956

Omega Motorcycle Brands

Omega

  1. Omega 1909 (Wolverhampton)
  2. Omega 1914-1927 (W. J. Green, Coventry)
  3. Omega 1899 (FR)
  4. Omega c1910 (FR)
  5. Austro-Omega (Austria)
  6. Omega-ILO (Belgium)
  7. Omega cyclecars, Berlin 1921-1922
  8. Omega-Six autos, France 1922-1930

The Omega marque was also employed on machines made in Japan and, in 2008, China (aka Lifan).

Orion

  1. Orionette Germany (Orion) 1920s
  2. Orion France (c1908-1930)
  3. Orione Italy 1923-1933
  4. Orion Czech, established 1859

Osborn

  1. Osborn 1901-1909. John Osborn, forerunner of OEC (GB)
  2. Osborne 1908~1911, Lincoln (GB)

See also OEC Disambiguation

Panther

  1. Panther P&M 1900-1965 (UK)
  2. La Panthere (FR)
  3. Panther of Magdeburg 1903-1907 (DE)
  4. Panther (Pantherwerke) 1933-1963 (DE)

See also Panther Derivatives and Non-P&M Panthers

Patria

  1. Patria (ES)
  2. Patria-WKC (DE)

Peerless

  1. Peerless (AUS)
  2. Peerless 1913-14 (UK)
  3. Peerless 1902-1908 (UK)
  4. Peerless Cyclecars 1913 (UK)
  5. Peerless (Boston)
  6. Peerless-SD (New York)
  7. Grindlay-Peerless

Pegasus

  1. Pegasus 1980s (DE). Built by Kynast, marketed by ZEG.
  2. Pegaso 1956-1961 (IT)
  3. Pegasus by DKR, Pendeford Airport (UK)
  4. Pe´gasee´ auto by Etienne D'Arbouval. Reputedly found abandoned on the hospital steps. 1920 (FR)
  5. Pegaso auto by ENASA, 1951-1952 (ES)
  6. Aprilia Pegaso (IT)

Perfecta

  1. Perfecta 1899 (France)
  2. Perfecta (Portugal)
  3. Perfecta 1946-1950 (Switzerland)

Petrel

  1. Petrel 1903 (AUS)
  2. Petrel Motor Car Co. Milwaukee

Phoenix Motorcycle Brands

Phoenix

Phoenix logo

  1. Phoenix 1900~1928 (London)
  2. Phoenix Motor Co. 1904-1906 (Southport, UK)
  3. Phoenix 1956-1964 (Tottenham, UK)
  4. Phoenix 1960s (Leeuwarden, NL)
  5. Phönix 1935-39 (Bielefeld)
  6. Phönix by RMW 1930s (DE)
  7. Phoenix by Lenoble 1948-1954 (Belgium)
  8. Phoenix-Tricar (Belgium)
  9. Phoenix (AUS)
  10. Phoenix cars by Paul Haussauer 1981-1986 (Gloucestershire, UK)
  11. Phoenix Automotive Limited, 1998-2000 (Wiltshire, UK)
  12. Phoenix Carriage Company Limited of Birmingham, produced Alexandra electric autos 1905-1906
  13. Fénix Mopeds, 1940-1954 (ES)
  14. Fénix Cars, 1899 (ES)

Precision Motorcycle Brands

Precision

  1. Precision of Northhampton 1902-1906
  2. Precision of Birmingham 1912-1919
  3. Beardmore Precision 1920-1925
  4. Precision by Healing Australia, 1912~1923
  5. Wray-Precision 1912
  6. Lyle Precision Hampshire, 1912-1913
  7. Noble-Precision by Alfred Noble, 1912

Premier

  1. Premier 1908-1916 (UK)
  2. Premier Motor Co Birmingham. Produced the Premo Motorcycle in 1909
  3. Coventry-Premier (UK)
  4. Premier of Czechoslovia
  5. Premier of Germany

Progress

  1. Progress Cycle Co 1900-1905, Coventry
  2. Progress 1900-1905, Berlin
  3. Progress/Strolch 1950s

Puma

  1. Puma (Argentina)
  2. Puma by Giuseppe Trubiani of Villa Potenza (Macerata), 1950s
  3. Puma by Emilio Carra, Milan, 1980s
  4. Soriano Puma 1947-49, Spain
  5. Puma Trials by CCE, UK

Regina Motorcycles

Regina

Gwyneth's Regina Sperm Candles

  1. Regina of Ilford 1902-1907
  2. Regina of Lewisham 1906-07
  3. Regina of Derby 1914~1916
  4. Regina of France 1905~1909
  5. Goricke Regina
  6. Horex Regina
  7. Sarolea Regina


Reeves

  1. Reeve ( AUS )
  2. Reeves ( AUS )
  3. Frank A. Reeve Co., Montclair, New Jersey 1911
  4. Reeves Engineering Developments, Grantham, Lincolnshire
  5. The Reeves Pulley Co., Columbus, Indiana

Rex

  1. Rex of Halmstad (SE)
  2. Rex Motor Manufacturing Co 1900-1921 (UK)
  3. Rex-Acme 1902-1922 (UK)
  4. Rex of Behringersdorf 1923-1925 (DE)
  5. Rex of Munich 1948-1964 (DE)
  6. RMW of Munich 1950s-1961 (DE)
  7. Rex of Barcelona 1953-59 (ES)

Rondine Motorcycle Brands

Rondine (EN: Swallow)

  1. Rondine Melegnano 1925-1928
  2. Rondine Siccomario 1951-1954
  3. Rondine Vigevano 1967-1971
  4. Rondine Galletti 1950s, Bologna
  5. Rondine (Spain)
  6. Gilera Rondine
  7. Rondine Motor 2000-2024, Rome
  8. Sessa Rondine 1940s (Italy)
  9. Fimer of Milan built 125cc motorcycles named Rondine 1953 to 1957

Royal

British

  1. Royal Ajax 1904-06
  2. Royal Boscombe 1901-02
  3. Royal Cavendish 1907
  4. Royal Consort 1906
  5. Royal Defiance 1901-04
  6. Royal Eagle 1901-10
  7. Royal Enfield
  8. Royal George 1901-03
  9. Royal Mail 1902-03
  10. Royal Ruby 1911-1933
  11. Royal Roebuck 1902-03
  12. Royal Rydal 1903-04
  13. Royal Scot 1922-24
  14. Royal Sovereign 1903-04
  15. Royal Wellington

French

  1. Royal
  2. Royal (Objat FR) 1953
  3. Royal-Dollar
  4. Royal Fabric
  5. Royal-Moto 1925~1929
  6. Royal Moto 1970s
  7. Royal-Sport
  8. Royal-Velo 1926

Others

  1. Royal Tasman Triumph (AUS) 1917
  2. Royal (Mitte DE) 1902
  3. Royal Seittenwagen DE
  4. Royal (DE) Haussherr 1904
  5. Royal (Basel, Switzerland) 1900-1912
  6. Royal (NY, then MA, USA) 1901~1910
  7. Royal Express (NL)
  8. Royal Hispania
  9. Royal Nord (Hasselt)
  10. Royal Nord (Léopoldville)
  11. Royal Nelly (BE)
  12. Royal Prince (Italy)
  13. Royal Standard (Swiss) 1928-1932
  14. Royal Start (Belgium)

N.B. Terms referring to royalty abound in the motorcycle world, and were very popular in Australia where, to this day, the Governor General can request that the British monarch dismiss the elected leader of the country. This actually happened in 1974. In 2014 an Australian prime minister knighted Prince Philip, a bewildering act which caused much derision. Later seen by millions eating a raw, unpeeled onion on national television, Tony Abbott has some distinct similarities to King George III. Abbott, a "10 Pound Pom" (an assisted passage immigrant from England who arrived by boat), boasted frequently that he had "turned back the boats", and sent refugees to offshore detention camps where they were incarcerated indefinitely in inhumane conditions, with some being returned to the horrors they had fled. They suffered terribly, particularly the children. Many died. The UN has condemned Australia for its actions.

When Rupert Murdoch turned on him, Tony Abbott's political party performed a Brutus act and replaced him with a multi-millionaire who avoided tax by keeping much of his wealth in a Cayman Islands tax haven. Tony, a strong Brexit supporter, was deported repatriated to the United Kingdom to help with its destruction.


Rupp & Ruppe

  1. Rupp 1928-1932
  2. Ruppe 1928-1932. It is believed the firm was founded by Hugo Ruppe in 1914 as a bicycle manufacturer, Rupp Fahrzeugbau AG.
  3. Rupp USA. There was a Rupp built in the United States in the 1970s (quite a story).

Rush

  1. Rush (AUS) 1901 to 1905
  2. Rush Belgium

Saturn

  1. Saturn 1921-1927, Steudel-Werke of Germany
  2. Saturn 1925-1926 (UK)
  3. Saturn of Gamlakarleby, Finland
  4. Rocvale Saturne by Sicma, c.1975

Scootacar

  1. Scootacar by Hunslet 1958-1964
  2. Rytecraft Scootacar 1930s

Simplex Motorcycle Brands

Simplex

  1. Simplex Netherlands (Amsterdam) 1902 to 1968
  2. Simplex by Patrick Engineering (Birmingham) made from 1919 to 1922
  3. Simplex Engine Co. Coventry-Simplex Engines
  4. Simplex by Hobday 1906-1908 (UK)
  5. Simplex 1921-1925 (Berlin)
  6. Simplex (New Orleans, Louisiana) 1930s to the late 1960s, Servi-Cycle
  7. Simplex (Mulhouse, France)
  8. Simplex of Torino (Italy) built by Luigi Pellini between 1921 and 1950 using OHV engines
  9. Simplex, Australian, built from the 1930's using Villiers engines.
  10. Symplex UK


Singer

  1. Singer (St Etienne, France) 1950s-1960s
  2. Singer (UK) 1904-1914

There were two French bicycle marques named Singer, easily confused. Discussion here: velo-singer-st-etienne


Spartan

  1. Spartan UK
  2. Sparton (Wales)
  3. Sporton AU

Southern Cross

  1. Southern Cross (Sydney)
  2. Southern Cross (Toowoomba)
  3. Southern Cross (Manchester, UK)

Speedwell

  1. Speedwell (AU) 1904~1915
  2. Speedwell (Warwickshire UK) 1909

Sphinx

  1. Sphinx (AU) 1903-1912
  2. Sphinx (FR) 1899
  3. Sphinx Cyclecars 1912-1925 (FR)
  4. Sphinx Velomoteurs 1933~1939 (Paris)
  5. Sphynx (BE) 1923-1929
  6. Sphinx automobiles (DE) 1920s

Stainless

  1. Molnar by Stainless Engineering Co of Preston in Lancashire, 1997-2024
  2. Stainless of Lyon 1930s to 1950s
  3. A Stainless flat-twin engine is fitted to a Zenith in the Thomson Museum in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Embossed on the crankcase is "Stainless Motor Co Ltd / Stainless England"

Standard

  1. Standard, Germany 1922-1924, built small two strokes.
  2. Standard, Germany & Switzerland, 1925-c1955
  3. Standard, Scandinavia - Testi mopeds and motorcycles..

Stella

  1. Stella (FR) 1922-1953
  2. Stella (IT) Max Türkheimer
  3. Stella (IT) Treviso, 1970s
  4. Stella (UK) Ipswich 1960-63
  5. Stella (USA) 2019 (Made in Asia)
  6. Mars Stella (DE) 1950s
  7. Riga Stella (Latvia ) 1980s
  8. MAS Stella (IT) 1940s
  9. Stella autos (Switzerland ) 1906-1913
  10. Stela scooters by Motobic (ES)
  11. There were also Stella models from Cagiva and GD.



Talbot

  1. Talbot (Wolverhampton) 1903
  2. Talbot, H.J. (London) 1950
  3. Talbot (Paris) 1953-1958

Titan

  1. Titan Cycle 1973-1990 (San Marino)
  2. Titan 1926-1932 (Austria)
  3. Titan (Portugal)
  4. Titan Mopeds (Switzerland)
  5. Titan (Phoenix AZ)
  6. Titano - Motocarro by Rondine of Madrid, 1950s

Torpedo Motorcycle Brands

Torpedo

Torpado logo

  1. Torpedo (Tasmania) 1912 to 1939
  2. Torpedo (Victoria)
  3. Torpedo 1908-1915, F. Hopper and Co (GB)
  4. Torpedo 1903~11 (Geestemünde DE)
  5. Torpedo 1928-56 (Frankfurt)
  6. Torpedo 1903-1914 (CZ)
  7. Tourist / Torpedo 1909-1920 (Berlin)
  8. Italjet Torpedo
  9. Torpedo, Illinois USA, 1908
  10. Torpado 1950-1973 (Padua)
  11. Pennington Torpedo 1896 (GB)
  12. Bédélia Torpedo (Paris) Cyclecar 1912


Turner

  1. Turner (AUS) 1914~1919
  2. Turner (NL)
  3. Turner (Philadelphia)
  4. Turner Byvan (UK)
  5. Turner Special (UK)

Typhoon

  1. Typhoon (NL)
  2. Typhoon (Sweden)
  3. Matchless Typhoon
  4. Giulietta Typhoon
  5. Maico Typhoon (Taifun)
  6. Tonkin Typhoon

The Typhoon model name was also used by Rickman, DKW, DMW, Gilera, Piaggio and others.

Union

  1. Union Holland
  2. Union engines, British
  3. Zweirad-Union Motorrad, Germany

Vis

  1. Vis Berlin, built the Wegro 1922-1923.
  2. VIS Aktiengesellschaft 1923-1926 (Munich)
  3. VIS by Gazzi of Milan, 1920 to 1925.

Watson

  1. Watson (UK) Ashford, 1904-06
  2. Watson 1905 Adelaide AU
  3. Watson c1910 Sydney AU

Whippet

  1. Whippet 1903-1905 London
  2. Whippet 1920 by Hayward and Co. of Twickenham
  3. The legendary Spagthorpe Whippet.

Yankee

  1. Yankee Twin, built in NY USA using a 500cc Ossa-based engine, early 1970s.
  2. Yankee Peddler, moped built by FMB Telaimotor in Italy, marketed in the USA c1977-1979 possibly by Besser Marketing of Rhode Island.