Veteran French Motorcycles
Chapleur Collection
Chapleur Collection
Chapleur Collection
Chapleur Collection
Chapleur Collection
Motorcycle Combination
This page lists brands for which we currently have only an historical precis. There is also a page on really obscure French brands.
For a more complete listing visit the French Index.
E Fontaine
Built at 3 rue Lesueur in Le Havre in 1906 by M. E. Fontaine, the motorcycle has a 401cc engine. Following its sale by Yesterdays in 2004 it was restored between 2005 and 2007. It is believed to be unique.
Sources: bonhams.com, yesterdays.nl
Easy Watts
69 avenue du Maine, Paris. Showrooms in Paris and Rennes.
Scooters and electric motorcycles.
Website: easy-watts.com
FB: fb.com//easywattsmotorcycles
E.C.H.M.
Manufactured around 1933 by the Gardette firm in the Villefranche sur Saone region.
A 1933 model exists with a 100cc Stainless engine, with an AYA clutch in the rear wheel hub. It is fitted with an AMAC T41 carburetor, has 2 speeds, and has a MEA B 1 magneto. The seat is from Lamplugh.
The dealer plate on the front guard is by P. Felide, Le Coteau (Loire).
Source: amicidellemotobicisottocanna.blogspot.com
eccity motocycles
ZI de l'Argile 4, Lot 760 - 460 avenue de la Quiera, 06370 Mouans Sartoux, France.
Website: eccity-motocycles.com
Founded in March 2011 and based in Grasse in the Alpes Maritimes, eccity motocycles designs, assembles and markets 125cc-equivalent electric scooters.
Écureuil
Joël Guilet designed the ERS for the Paris-Dakar in which it raced from 1987 to 1989. Using a BMW air-cooled twin housed in a a carbon-fibre frame which weighed a mere 6kg, it had a 64 litre tank which damped fuel movement with a foam bladder.
Source: François-Marie Dumas
Edmond Gustave Henry
In 1914 a Frenchman built a pivoting sidecar with a parallelogram chassis, which allowed the passenger compartment to remain almost horizontal whilst the motorcycle leaned into the corner.
That year he registered a patent described thus: "Cycles with handlebars, equipped with three or more main road wheels with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends." See https://patents.google.com/patent/FR467858A/fr
Source: Motorrad-Gespanne No. 44
Electric Motion 2012-2025
Elstra
Manufactured by Electricité de Strasbourg, 1 rue du 22 Novembre, 67007 Strasbourg. This was an electic two-seater three-wheeled van with a maximum speed of 60 km/h.
Source: e-periodica.ch
E.M.A. engines
Ets E M A, 192 Avenue du Maine, Paris 14°
Built 48ccc engines 1950-51
Source: La Moto Francaise
EM
Manufactured by Electric Motion, 86, rue de la Pépinière, 34670 Saint Brès.
Website: em-motorcycles.com
FB: fb.com/electricmotionofficiel
Established in 2009, the first machines appeared in 2001.
2024 models include: Epure FACTOR-e, Pure Race, Escape R, Escape X, Escape XR.
Émeraude (Emeraude)
1902 6 Rue de Rennes, Nantes
Later at 20 rue de Versailles in Nantes
Manufacturer: G. Fournier
In 1907, Monluc de Lariviere and Sauzereau, manufacturers, motorcycle with 2hp engine
Bourdache p434
Epsom
Built by Ets Teyssot, 1950s
20, Rue Du Placieux Nancy (M. et M.)
Some models used Comet engines by Le Poulain, others Sachs or AMC.
Etoile
1909-1939
Moteurs et Motocycles Etoile, 27-31 rue des Archives, Paris, built lightweights using 98cc two-stroke engines from Aubier Dunne and others up to 198cc in the 1930s. In 1909-1911 they advertised La "Moto-Becane" and evidence suggests that their "Etoile" engines were in fact rebadged Mirus units.
See also Brunet.
Sources: Tragatsch p129, wikipedia.nl, Bourdache.
Essence Motocycles
"Design, engineer, build and market... electric motorcycles"
Website: essencemotocycles.com (Many pages 404, November 2024)
FB: fb.com/essencemotocycles (Last updated January 2020)
eTricks
12 route de Megecoste, Brassac les Mines (63570)
Website: etricks.fr
FB: fb.com/etricksinnovation
Electric motorcycles and scooters
Eurocka
16-18 Rue Henri Gautier 93000 Bobigny
Website: scooter-eurocka.com
FB: fb.com (Last post Feb 2023)
Electric scooters, manufactured in China. Trading since 2006.
Evol Mobilités
Sarl EVOL was created in 2003 by Jean Araillet. The firm produces a range of electric reduced-mobility tricycles and scooters.
28 Av. du Onze Novembre 1918, 31470 Sainte-Foy-de-Peyrolières, France
Website: evol-mobilites.com
Excelsior-Bruneau 1907
Exshaw
Manufactured by J. H. Exshaw & Co., 31, Boulevard J.-J. Bosc, Bordeaux. Early 1920s.
50x50 mm two-stroke engine mounted on a bicycle's rear carrier. A 1 hp version drove the rear wheel by belt, and a 1½ hp unit used a chain.
Sources: cyclememory.org, The Motor Cycle - Paris Salon, 1922.
Eyrant
Motocyclette with 2 ¼hp engine, 1904
Bourdache p434
Rarer French Marques
