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.
RA
A 350cc motorcycle was built by Robert Antoine in Roanne (Loire) in 1951 and registered the following year. It was powered by a Peugeot p117 engine.
Sources: Motos dans la Loire, OTTW
Racing
Messner and Breton of 78 rue des Archives, Paris
1906. Built motocyclettes using Quentin or possibly C.D. engines.
Bourdache p440
Radia see Jeunet
Radiola
1933-1939
Built 98cc two-stroke bicycle attachment engines.
Sources: Tragatsch p257
Radium
Motorcycles. Chollet, elder, manufacturer in Paris, 1907
Bourdache p440
Randoin
A cycle manufacturer since 1926, they began building mopeds in 1951 using Poulain engines, and between then and 1957 constructed some 3,500 machines at 65 Rue Désiré Claude in St Etienne. Some of these were built for Raphaël Géminiani.
Moto Revue 16th Feb 1957 lists the company as building 2,900 cyclomoteurs from 1955 to 1956.
In 1954 they became associated with H. Errard, along with Piat and Métropole
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Raphael Géminiani 1952~1964
Rapid
Constructed 1955. Auxiliary bicycle engines available with two speeds on order.
Source: Wikipedia NL
Rasser 1922
Raster
A tricar built in 1955 using a Sabb 125cc engine which did not proceed past prototype stage.
Source: OTTW
Realier-Dumas
This motor tandem was built in 1902 by m. Andre Realier-Dumas, a painter and sculptor and woodcarver. The frame and front fork are entirely made of wood. The engine is a 2¾ h.p. De Dion, which is held to the frame by iron straps.
Source: The Motor Cycle - April 15th, 1903
Regence
Built in Marseilles - A photograph shows a lightweight rigid two-stroke sans pedales with styling very similar to many others. Probably early 50s.
La Moto Francaise
Régina 1905~1909
Reine des Champs
Manufactured by R. WALLUT & Cie. 168, Boulevard de la Villette, PARIS. Established 1st Dec 1903
Catalogue for 1907 lists Bicylettes, Tri-cars & Motocyclettes.
Source: Period literature, Villefranchoises
Renaux 1898
Renouard
Built a 3hp motocyclette in 1904
Bourdache p440
Renov
Address: 10 Rue du treuil in St Etienne
In the 1950s they built mopeds powered by 49cc Poulain engines. Closed in 1959.
Source: Motos dans la Loire
Rexor
A cycle brand established by Louis Messner active in the 1920s and 30s, an image shows the address as 55, Rue du Chemin Vert, Paris and advertises Cycles & Autombiles. They built a BMA motorcycle in 1935, the Type 11. In 1960 they advertised Rexor cyclomoteurs giving their address as 32 Rue du Chemin Vert Paris XI°.
Source: encycloduvelo.fr, tontonvelo.com, period advertising.
Reyonnah
Manufactured by Robert Hannoyer of Paris from 1951 to 1954 using 175cc AMC four-stroke engines, these microcars were built in a variety of forms. With the appearance of a three-wheeler, the minicars actually had two wheels close together at the rear, and the front wheels could be brought closer together by raising the machine's nose, allowing allow entry to narrow laneways.
The Reyonnah caused quite a stir when first displayed at the 1950 Paris Auto Show but as no manufacturer could be found to take up the design, only about 16 were created.
The name Reyonnah is an anagram of Hannoyer.
Sources: Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum; automania.be; silodrome.com.
Ridel Motocylette 1899
Rigal
Victor Rigal rode a Rigal-Deckert in the 1904 Coupe Internationale du Motocycle-Club de France (M.C.F.)
Sources: Bourdache (numerous mentions), racecarstory.netsons.org
Rivierre 1896
Rivolier 1905-1938
Robert Ducheron
Manufactured at 123 Avenue Parmentier, Paris (XI)
Built custom bicycles which won the Tour de France in 1954.
Powered models include 49cc P2C Le Poulain engine, Type P3V, Type V3V VAP, Type 3VM SABB 100cc, Type P85 2C Tandem a Moteur.
The Veloscoot'R of 1950 was also produced by the Ducheron workshops.
Source: moto-scooter-annee50-60.over-blog.com
Robert Oubron
Marketed as Oubron, Robert Oubron, sometimes R. Oubron.
Robert Oubron (b. April 18, 1913) was a cycling world champion in many of the years from 1936 to 1946.
Early in the 1950s he opened a shop in Paris selling bicycles and mopeds, some of which were rebadged under his own name, including the Eriac from Rocher and probably Genial-Lucifer.
Sources: moto-scooter-annee50-60.over-blog.com, et al
Robust
Established around 1911 by M. Robert, the company built cycles. It was bought by Louis Berger, who in the 1950s with his sons built mopeds using engines from Poulain, Martinet, Himo, Mistral, Vap and Lavalette until 1960. The Berger firm employed 4 or 5 workers at 151 Rue Antoine Durafour in St Etienne.
Sources: Motos dans la Loire, encycloduvelo.fr
ROC
1992-94
Built by Serge Rosset in Annemasse. Rosset had previously managed the ELF and Yamaha France Grand Prix teams, and in 1992 worked with Harris to produce the Yamaha production racing frames. In 1994 he built his own V4 racing bike which he named the Moto Française GP 1.
Source: Wikipedia NL
Rocher
M. Rocher
Rochester
10, Grande-Rue, Pré-St-Gervais (Seine)
Listed as competing in several races in 1927 and 1928, won the 250cc class of the French Tourist Trophy race on May 10th, 1928.
Three models were offered in 1927, a 2-speed belt drive, a 3-speed belt drive, and a 3 speed chain drive.
Source: motocyclettesaustral.es.tl
Rocquet
Bicycle auxiliary engine built in 1904
Bourdache p441
Roés
1932-34
Built light motorcycles using 98cc and 123cc two-stroke engines.
Sources: Tragatsch p262
Roland
With its factory in Albert (Somme), the company produced machines using 1.75hp Rochet engines built under licence in 1906 and 1907.
Sources: OTTW, Bourdache pp 323, 324.
Romain 1898-1899
Roman
8. bis chemin du Port, Grigny (A.-et-O.)
In the mid 1950s offered models 125 & 175 Standard, Luxe and Sport AMC, 250 Luxe AMC, Cyclemoteur Standard and Luxe moteur Martinet.
Source: Period literature
Roulante
Built lightweight two-stroke motorcycles of 98cc and 123cc from 1929 to 1935
Source: OTTW
Rousset
Rousset J. industrial,
131 bld Murat, Paris
Motor-bicycle exhibited at the 1896 show
Bourdache p441
Roux (Imbert & Roux)
Edmond Roux and Henri Imbert registered the design for l'auto-roue Roux (The Roux Motor Wheel) in 1900, with an an addition in 1903. It is discussed in an article in "La Vie Automobile" of 1904, and it appears only one was built, powered by a single-cylinder four-stroke De Dion-Bouton engine mounted integral with the front wheel. The design had a number of flaws.
Source: Period literature.
Rovlante
1929-35
Built light motorcycles using 98cc and 123cc two-stroke engines
Sources: Tragatsch p263
Royal
The Simon brothers of Objat were bicycle builders who marketed motorcycles built by Barbier under the Royal label in the 1950s.
Source: OTTW
Royal-Codrix
Built by Codridex Et Fils in Angouléme. Two are known to have survived, one of which has a SER Veloto 65cc engine. A 1954 issue of La Revue des Agents shows it fitted with a Junior engine.
The firm manufactured guns in Jonzac, 60km from Angouléme, in 1927.
Sources: 50cc.forum-actif.eu, period literature, et al
Royal Savoy
Manufactured in Albertville (and possibly later at Chambéry) from 1948 into the 1950s. These were bicycles with auxilliary motors and mopeds powered by Myster, Le Poulain and probably other similar engines.
Royal Sport
Manufactured by Devaux et Cie, 241 bis Avenue Daumesnil, Paris. 1929 - 1931
Built motorcycles using engines from Aubier & Dunn, JAP and Koehler-Escoffier
Source: OTTW
Royal-Velo
Mr. Rogouclun (Eugène) Paris, established 1926, for the production of "automobiles, motocyclettes et bicyclettes"
Ruche
1952-54
Built lightweights using 123cc and 173cc two-stroke engines
Sources: wikipedia.nl, Tragatsch p265
Rullier
The Rullier company revealed their Scot scooter at the Paris Salon of 1953. Powered by a 70cc Lavalette engine, the diminutive 3-speed machine weighed a mere 37kg.
Source: Amis Terriens
Rupalley
1896. Rouxel et Cie, builder of a motorised bicycle engine placed along the rear wheel which is driven by gearing or friction. Ran in the 1895 Paris-Dieppe with a De Dion engine.
This is possibly George Ruppaley, cycle builder of Wagram.
Bourdache p56; encycloduvelo.fr
Rarer French Marques
