Vintage French Motorcycles
Paris
Veteran French Tricycle
M. Lombard
French Boardtrack
Motorcycle and Trailer
Famous French Racer
The machines, their designers and their history.
For a more complete listing visit the French Index.
There is also a page on obscure French motorcycle brands.
BAC
Manufactured by Louis Bac, an aviation engineer with experience at Peugeot.
These were 2400cc V-twin bicycle pacers built from 1925 to 1939. Arthur Pasquier had a hand in the construction and design, and later they were sold under the Meyer brand as Meyer-Bac in the years 1932-1938. (aka Meier-Bac).
Source: wikipedia.nl
Bachelard
Roger Bachelard of Aix-les-Bains advertised cyclomoteurs, scooters and motos. His cyclomoteurs were powered by Mistral engines (probably 56A) and were most likely rebranded Aquila mopeds.
Sources: 50cc.forum-actif.eu, encycloduvelo.fr, et al.
Bailleau
Motorcycle exhibited at the Salon des Tuileries in 1899
Bourdache p430
BAGYS
Bayon and Gyss, 3, cité Magenta, Paris.
Motorcycle with a 1½ HP Bahon engine, built 1903
Bahon
Motorcycle exhibited at the Salon in 1902; supplied engines to Bagys.
Bourdache p146
Bainchet
Motorcycle exhibited at the Salon in 1902
Bourdache p146
Ballis 1952-1962
Barré
Built by G.Barré, 79 Deux-Sèvres Niort
The firm dates from 1888 and produced automobiles, motorcycles and cycles. It was acquired by Guiller Frères in 1927.
OTTW states that they built tricycles 1898-1908, and that the firm merged with Lamberton in 1923, building automobiles thenceforward.
Sources: Bourdache, forum.tontonvelo.com, OTTW
Barrellier 1919
Baud
Établissements Baud in Doubs, Franche-Comté 1950-1960
The company built mopeds which were also marketed under the brand names Betty, Elfil, Luxia and Jurasport.
Source: The Moped Archive (globalnet.co.uk)
Baudoin et Cie
Established in 1899 at 19 rue Fontainebleau, Saint Etienne, the company made spokes for wheels fitted to motorcycles, cycles and automobiles.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Bauchet 1902
Baudier
G. Baudier of Paris presented a Tricycle at the Salon des Tuileries, 1899.
In 1900 and 1901 the firm built automobiles powered by De Dion-Bouton engines, and which were similar to the Renault. A four-seater is in the Schlumpf Collection at the National Museum in Mulhouse.
Sources: Bourdache p430; Autopasion18.com
Bayle-Michon
Bayle and Michon formed a partnership in 1925 and produced motorcycles fitted with Givaudan and Moser engines. The firm was based in the Loire district.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Bazile
Located in Montbrison, Loire, during the 1950s the firm sold mopeds sourced from Automoto, VBF and possibly others under their own name. In 1958 Bazile was an agent for Manurhin and Peugeot.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
B.C.A.
28 rue des tanneries, Roanne, and 85 rue Emile Zola, Reims
Sold motorcycles under the brands Parfait, BCA and Mylor in the 1930s and 1940s. Their BCA 100 c.1930 is believed to be a rebadged Ravat.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Bellamy
Motocyclette presented at the salon in 1902, clutch and chain transmission
Bourdache p146
Belledonne
These were mopeds marketed by Ets Mathon of 16 rue de Paris, Grenoble in 1958 and were built by Mercier.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Benitaco
These were 50cc racing machines with Kreidler engines, built from at least 1974. A Benitaco ridden by Pascal Kambourian scored 4 wins in French 50cc races in 1982.
Sources: racingmemo.free.fr, et al.
Benoit Faure 1951-1956
Beringer
Gilbert and Véronique Beringer formed the Beringer Company in 1985. The firm manufactured motorcycle wheels, forks and sidecars. Post-2000, they produced products for Formula One racers, sport aviation, and sailplanes (gliders) among others.
Source: beringer-aero.com
Bernasse 1906~1914
Bernet
Built at 4 Rue Thiers, Choisy-Le-Roi near Paris, 1952-1954, these were lightweights powered by 48cc Cucciolo and other engines.
The Cucciolo engines were supplied under licence from Rocher.
Source: cyclovap.fr
Berthe 1902
Berthenod et Guigard
Founded in 1904, the firm had addresses at 35 rue Balay and 42 rue Prefecture in Saint Etienne
They built components for cycles and automobiles
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Bertaut
The firm offered two 50cc two-stroke mopeds in 1963, the Centurion and the Jupiter.
Source: OTTW
Berthier
In 1899 he built an petrol-engined bicyclette with large rear wheel, a small front wheel and a strongly triangulated frame.
Bourdache p430
Bertin Pacers 1900s
Betty see Baud
BGA
Founded in 1900 by Claude Blanchard as a manufacturer of firearms and bicycles, some five decades later Ets Blanchard-Grange entered the motorcycle trade with mopeds using Junior and Solano engines, built at 64 Rue Antoine Durafour, Saint-Etienne in 1953 and '54.
Claude Denis Blanchard became manager of the company in 1959 after the death of his father. The firm employed 10 people in 1984 making bicycles.
Sources: Motos dans la Loire, et al.
Bichrone 1902-1907
Bijou
F. Delaunay, 62 rue Rochechouart Paris advertised La Moto Bijou 175cmc, 2 speed 2-stroke in the early 1920s.
Ajasson de Grandsagne (A.G.) is associated with the company after the Great War. A Bijou sidecar is mentioned in an article on Radco from 1922.
Sources: Zhumoriste, et al
Bidalot
A famous name in the history of French motorcycling, Jean Bidalot of Urrugne began building motorcycles in 1967. These early efforts were very fast 50cc racing machines. He went on to become head designer at Pernod which ran his creations in the 125 and 250 GPs, winning six titles. In 1983 he moved to MBK and is probably best known for the Magnum XR engines. Having contracted a debilitating disease he returned to his origins where he developed a line in go-faster gear for competition motorcycles, a business continued by his sons.
Source: OTTW
Birma
Lightweights built in Lyon 1949 to 1959 using 98cc Aubier & Dunne engines.
Source: OTTW
Bisson-Berger
Two-wheel engine for tricycles - Raced at the Cote de Chanteloup in 1898
Bourdache p430
Bogey B.J.S. 1930s
B.M.F.
Bourgeois Marechal France was a motorcycle component manufacturer which also built complete motorcycles in the 1920s. Two prototypes were built (datese unknown) and the Rouen factory was apparently destroyed during the second war.
Marechal is the name of an engine associated with Fernand Laguesse in the mid-1920s.
Source: La Moto Francaise
BMP
A Paris-based automobile company established in 1911 which built motorcycles in the early 1930s using JAP and Rudge Python engines.
Source: OTTW
Boccardo
1987-1989
Louis Boccardo, with Dominique Favario and Thierry Grange, was one of the designers of the BFG. He left that company to build the MF, and later built the Boccardo, of which 5 copies were produced.
Powered by a Peugeot TU 1124cc inline four, it had a 5-speed gearbox and shaft drive. Three of these were petrol engines, and two were Peugeot TU D diesels. Marketing literature listed 3 models, the Aéro 85, Aéro 97 and Aéro Diesel. The fully faired machine's appearance was similar to the BMW R1100RT, and 97 horsepower was claimed for the petrol version.
Source: bfg.asso.fr
Boillod
Exhibited at the Paris Salon, 1900.
"Same transmission on the Boillod, but the engine, a two-cylinder, is placed behind the saddle of the pilot." The engine was mounted upside down.
Source: Bourdache p112
Boissette
303 rue du faubourg Saint Antoine, Paris
Motocyclettes, 1904~1906
Jules Beau made a photograph titled "M. Boissette sur Boissette - 1904" showing a solo machine towing a two-wheeled chair carrying a woman.
Source: Bourdache p431
Boivin 1902
Bolide
87 Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris
1899-1910. Established by Leon Lefebvre, the company had factories in Pantin which built automobiles and motorcycle engines. One source says they built motorcycles of 1½ hp but others are not sure this is so. A motorcycle of inderminate brand with a Bolide engine dated c.1900 was auctioned with the Guélon Collection
Bourdache p320
Bon Avion 1927~1929
Bonhomme 1902
Bonnefis
Audax 4½ hp engine, 1905 version of the Lamaudière-Labre (Lamaudiere-Mauger).
Bourdache p431
Bonnefond
Founded in 1912 at 32 Rue de Champagne, Saint-Etienne, construction of mopeds began in 1949. Some of these were supplied, it appears, to Benoit Faure after that firm's factory was damaged by fire. During the 1950s the firm produced mopeds powered by Mistral and Himo engines. It ceased manufacture in 1958 but continued with bicycles until 1976, when the firm was bought by Mécacycles.
Moto Revue 16th Feb 1957 lists the company as building 4,000 cyclomoteurs from 1954 to 1956. Peak production was in 1957 with 1881 units leaving the factory.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Bonnet (1906)
53 rue du Bois, Levallois Perret
1906, motocyclettes
Bourdache p431
Bonnet (1953)
Scooter built in 1953, Ets Bonnet, 78-80 Ave du Général-Leclerc, Billancourt, Seine.
Bonnet-Jumel
1903, Motocyclettes et tricars.
58, rue Claude-Villefaux, Paris, and 183 bis, rue du Faubourg Poissonniere, Paris
Source: Bourdache p431
Bonneville 1897-1900
Bordes
Motorcycle exhibited at the second Salon in December 1901
Bourdache p431
Bouchet
Built in 1904-1905, these machines ran on acetylene rather than petrol.
Source: Tragatsch p93
Source: Bourdache p431
Bouilly 1899
Boulet 1902
Bourcard
Built in 1903 by J.J. Bourcard in Colmar, Alsace on the German Border
The machine consisted of two motorcycles side by side - one bike has the rider, and the other the engine in order to isolate the rider from vibration.
Bourdache p431
Bourdiaux
Vertical in-line twin with common combustion chamber, one valve each for inlet and exhaust, built for racing 1900-1901. Used by Demeester.
Source: Bourdache p136
Bourgoin
Tricycle with De Dion-Bouton Engine of 1899.
Source: Bourdache p431
Boveil
Established as Boveil and Bory in 1904, later that year the name changed to Boveil-Dorier.
The company produced motorcycles powered by Givaudan engines from 1904 at 3 rue Bourgneuf in Saint Etienne.
Torpille motorcycles were built until 1907 when the company closed.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Braud
In 1924 built a motorcycle powered by a Massardier 1¼ h.p. engine.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Breuil 1902
Brierre 1898-1903
Briest
109 rue de Rennes, Nantes
The Briest brothers ran a motor bicycle in the 1895 Paris-Bordeaux-Paris.
Source: Bourdache p44
Brissard Fils
11 rue du Colonel Oudot, Paris
Engine used in the contest of the Locomotion Automobile in 1899. It is not clear whether the engines were used in motorcycles.
Source: Bourdache p432
Brooklyn
Moto Revue N°523 of 18th March 1933 has an article on the Brooklyn 250 cc SV JAP
Source: La Moto Francaise
Brousset
Light motorcycle engine presented at the 1902 Salon
Bourdache p432
Brunet
27 to 31 rue des Archives, Paris
Albert Brunet built cycles and motorcycles exhibited at the 1908 Paris Salon. A later advertisement gave the dates 1909-1911 for cycles and motocyclettes Etoile, mentioning La "Moto-Becane".
Source: Bourdache p432, Zhumoriste.
Brunner 1948~1950
Buard 1907
Moto à vapeur (steam-powered) motorcycle photographed by FM Dumas at Musées de Châtellerault.
Designed by Paul Buard in the workshop of Leon Serpollet, Paris 1905. It did not enter commercial production and was one of the last steam motorcycles built.
Bufflier
2, Rue Claude-Rampon, 2 Lyon 1933
31, Cours Emile-ZoIa, 31, Lyon-Villeurbanne. 1951
Built sidecars, and in conjunction with Mors Speed sold scooters designed by M. Bufflier.
Bugatti 1940s
Burton
Built in the 1950s using AMC 4T engines. Primitive telescopic forks, plunger rear.
ID plate reads Burton, Type BGL, Serie 54.
La Moto Francaise
Butler Trimoteurs
In 1899 Portéous Butler established a workshop France to build tricycles of English manufacture with Automoto engines. Because of their colours, his version was named (or nicknamed?) Rouge et Noir
Bourdache p9, p13.
There are several Butler marques so confusion is possible - see Disambiguation
Rarer French Marques
