Vintage French Motorcycles
Paris
Veteran French Tricycle
M. Lombard
French Boardtrack
Motorcycle and Trailer
Famous French Racer
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.
H Errard
20 Rue Réaumu, Paris (Sales)
Established in the early 1930s as a bicycle manufacturer, having taken over from ZAS cycles around 1924. By 1955 the firm's factory at 3 Rue Palissy, St Etienne, had a workforce of 110 people when they merged with the Cocymo group. Their motorcycles were marketed under the Métropole brand from 1945 until 1959. During those years they were one of the "constructeurs réunis", with Piat and Randoin.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
H2K
Manufactured by H2 Motronics
7 bis rue du 13E de ligne
58000 Nevers, France
Website: h2-k.com
Key objectives: the development of a highly compact fuel cell hydrogen powertrain, with the best possible efficiency.
H. Mathevet
42 Rue du 11 novembre, St Etienne
In the late 1920s and early 30s the firm built frames for bicycles and motorcycles. It appears that they built the Wéthy brand of bicycles and light motorcycles.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Hallot
1904
Ets Giron,
38 rue Vanneau, Paris
Built motorcycles with using Z.L. V-twin and single cylinder engines
Bourdache p436
Hammond et Mouter
Hammond et Monnier were bicycle dealers who presented a machine at the 1902 Paris Salon. They sold the firm to the Duc d'Uzes around 1907. It is unclear whether they built motocyclettes, but as their main trade was bicycles this seems likely.
A 1920 catalogue from J. Hammond, Mouter Ce of 9, Rue Descombes, Paris, lists a considerable variety of bicycle parts.
Sources: Bourdache p146; contemporary advertising.
Hanzer Frères
4 rue Baudin, Petit-Ivry (seine)
The firm produced vehicles from 1899 to 1902. Following their tricycle of 1899, all powered machines had four wheels and were fitted with De Dion and Aster engines.
They also built bicycles.
In 1902 Durey-Sohy of Paris bought Hanzer and continued production until 1903.
Sources: Bourdache p436; de.wikipedia.org.
Harding-JAP 1912-1914
Harrissard
G. HARRISSARD et Cie, Constructeurs. 33, Rue G.-H.-Marsaud GENNEVILLIERS (Seine)
Harrissard engines were fitted to CP Roleo, and employed by Durandal. There is an article in la Revue du Motocyclettiste N°101, Découverte: Les moteurs Harrissard.
Harwill
Manufactured by Huber et Bailleul, 43 et 45, rue Jules-Ferry, Bagnolet (Seine)
At least two models were available in 1925, the Modele L and the Modele S. They had two-stroke engines of 150cc (56x60mm) and 175cc (62x69mm).
Sources: Period literature
Hasty
1930-1934
Based in Aix-en-Provence, the firm built BMA lightweights using Aubier-Dunne engines of 98cc.
Sources: wikipedia.nl, Tragatsch p159
HB Sidecars
Manufactured by H.B. des Ets Pierre Humblot 72-79-81, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques - PARIS-14° 1950-1951. Also advertised as general agent/importer for Puch.
Paris Salon de l'Automobile, Octobre 1948
H.B. SIDECARS
Ets Pierre Humblot de Paris
LES SIDECARS H.B.
Créés récemment, mais dérivés de prototypes depuis longtemps éprouvés, les sidecars H. B. des Etablissements Humblot sont bien dans la tradition française par l'élégance de leur ligne.
Présentés pour la première fois au Salon de Genève, ils y ont connu un succès immédiat.
Les Etablissements Humblot, qui fabriquent le sidecar H. B., se sont surtout attachés à une production luxueuse jusque dans les moindres détails pour habiller un châssis, robuste, bien conçu et d'ailleurs invisible, ce qui n'est pas un des moindres attraits de cet équipage. Même la suspension, tout spécialement mise au point pour le maximum de confort, est dissimulée dans une partie du large coffre arrière. Les derniers modèles H B. sont équipés d'une nouvelle suspension, le parallélogramme que nous avions décrit antérieurement a fait place à deux fourches télescopiques; cellesci sont également situées à l'intérieur du coffre, mais elles occupent beaucoup moins de place tout en procurant un confort encore accru.
On sait d'autre part que les Etablissements Humblot ne bornent pas leur activité à leurs sidecars, mais qu'ils sont également agents généraux pour la France de la motocyclette suisse « Condor » dont un certain nombre de 600 cmc. sont actuellement utilisés par la Police parisienne, mais sur le stand c'est une 750 cmc. à soupapes latérales qui est exposée.
Created recently, but derived from long-proven prototypes, the H.B. sidecars from Etablissements Humblot are very much in the French tradition thanks to the elegance of their lines. Presented for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show, they enjoyed immediate success.
Etablissements Humblot, which manufactures the H.B. sidecar, has focused particularly on a luxurious production down to the smallest details to adorn a chassis that is robust, well-designed, and, moreover, invisible, which is one of the most appealing aspects of this combination. Even the suspension, specially developed for maximum comfort, is concealed in part of the large rear trunk.
The latest H.B. models are equipped with a new suspension; the parallelogram we described earlier has been replaced by two telescopic forks; These are also located inside the trunk, but they take up much less space while providing even greater comfort.
It is also known that the Humblot company does not limit its activities to its sidecars, but that it is also the general agent for France for the Swiss motorcycle "Condor," of which a number of 600cc motorcycles are currently used by the Paris Police, but on the stand it is a 750cc side-valve motorcycle that is on display.
1948 Paris Salon, Motocycles. Courtesy Memoire du Cycle.
Helvetia
1898-1900
Built in Combs-la-Ville Paris, an "Elektromobile".
Developed by Jaques Fischer-Hinnen, production was to have taken place in Switzerland, but economic constraints prevented this..
Sources: morger.net; auto-einbau.de.
Hémy Engines 1948~1951
Henri Vallée 1905
Henriod C.E. 1898-1902
Hernis
Ateliers de construction mécanique d'Asnières,
47 quai d'Asnières, Asnières (seine)
1897. Petrol engines for automobiles and motorcycles from 1 to 8hp
Bourdache p436
H-KER
Electric motorcycles built 2013-2014.
Website: hker-moto.com ✝
FB: fb.com/@HKerMoto (Last post March 2014)
H.L.B.
Paris representative, 83 rue Lafayette
Manufacturer of arms and bicycles in Saint-Etienne. Motorcycle 330 cc with magneto ignition. Related to Deronzière and Rupta.
Produced a ¾ hp engine adaptable to bicycles
Bourdache p436
Holley
G.Holley & Cie
73 Bis, Avenue De La Grande Armée
A poster from c.1901 gives a Paris address for Holley. However, there is no evidence that the American company, famed for its carburettors, had an establishment in France. They were, however, US distributors for Longuemare.
George M. Holley took first place in America's inaugural Motorcycle Endurance Contest in 1902, and also set a series of world speed records for motorcycles at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
Source: theholleyfoundation.org.
HRD
Previously HRD of Varese, Italy, the marque was bought by the Mazères Aviation group and moved to France around 1997. In 2001 the factory was purchased by the Spanish firm Sherco, and is now the company headquarters for this truly European marque which also boasts strong German connections.
Source: ladepeche.fr
Huco
The St Etienne firm sold re-branded Ravat motorcycles in the 1950s. The Huco Type 154/4 is very similar to the Ravat 154 and has a type R9 4-speed engine, and a 1957 Type H52 has a 100cc Sachs engine.
There appears to have been a connection with Paul Huffschmitt of Strasbourg.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Hunter 1920s
Rarer French Marques
