Manufactured: Cykelfabriken Monark AB, Sweden, 1927-1975
From 1913-1926 the motorcycles were branded "Esse" before changing to the Monark name after the parent company became Monark Crescentbolagen (MCB).
Birger Svensson, born in 1883 to a farming family, was quite gifted and an excellent student. Whilst still a teenager, he began selling for a mail-order company and before long was earning more than three times the wage of a good farm-hand.
At the age of 19 he opened a small store in his rural village, and by 1904 was selling farming equipment, tools and bicycles. Business went well, he employed an off-sider, and by the time he had sold 300 bicycles he began assembling his own.
The first motorcycle was built in 1913. 1
When Svensson died in late 1944 his companies had over 2.000 employees.
The 1930 Monark M10 used a Blackburne engine, and the Monark M560 Blue arrow used a JLO. Several mopeds from the 1970s used Franco Morini engines.
Early post-war lightweights used Villiers engines, and at least one (1948 M70) apparently used Puch. Several from this era used the JB engine, and a few used Husqvarna.
According to another source, Monark built the predecessor of the Bantam as the M70 and M71. The project began in March 1948 using the BSA-built copy of DKW's RT125 engine, the design of which had been obtained as part of the war reparations. (The BSA factory had been extensively damaged in 1940 and 1941 by German air raids). Initially the engines went solely to Monark, and it was not until late in 1948 that BSA produced the Bantam D1. (bsafiles.se)
Electric 3-wheelers were built during World War II with motorcycle front ends and two rear wheels.
The M112 of 1957-58 used an Ardie BD201, and CZ engines were fitted to 1950-52 M200 models. Sachs engines were fitted to racing models of the early 1970s (50cc RoadRacing) and to moped-like stepthroughs of the 1980s.
The 1970s saw the introduction of motocross machines which were exported to the United States and distributed initially by Rockford Motors of Illinois and later by John Olson of Inter-Trends in California and Illinois. Racing success was sparse but the machines were quite popular until the advent of the Honda CR125, after which sales in the US dropped off. Production of MX machines halted in 1976.
Monark models include:
1929 Blackburne 350 SV
1930 M10
1948 M70
1950-52 M200 (CZ)
1952 Blue Arrow 250cc JLO Twin
1957-58 M112 (Ardie BD201)
1959-61 500MX BSA-Albin
1959 Monark 500 Cross-Replica
1960s Monark Monza ILO TS50 (possibly a rebadged Goricke Supersport)
1971 Monark 125MX
1972 Monark Enduro 125 Sachs 21hp
Monark sold their motorcycles under many other brand names including Jagaren, Erlan, Stanley, Maraton, WICI, Wano, Centrum, Konsums, The James and Kärnan. Some of these were marketed by other companies.
Other related Swedish marques include Albin-Monark, Crescent, Vimpel and MCB.
Notes:
The first motorcycles were possibly built in 1908.
Sources: Konditori, bsafiles.se, classicmotor.se
Considerably more information here: Monark Archive
I'm desperately searching for a caplock pack. Erik Linding can not help me at this time. Do you know where I can turn to get one made? Or get a packing kit for the ILO M2-125 (250cc) engine?
Thanks in advance
Tomas
Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
Sat Feb 04 2017
johndavis at hotmail.se
part needed -headlamp
monark m77
Hi, can anyone help ! need a headlight for a monark m77, i have the body but need the reflectaor, bulb holder , glass and rim , please help
malmo
Thu Dec 29 2016
hakan.wasen at outlook.com
Burman gearbox
Burman S
What model of Burman box can this be. Fitted at swedish Monark Blackburne 1929 3500 sv. One gear (photo2 is wrong) and need another one or another gearbox. The gear shifter is located on the front side
Sweden
vey few existing today, perhaps only 5 to 9.
See Monark Gallery for more images
and also Burman Gearboxes
Wed Jun 01 2016
kurre_hill at yahoo.com
Monark blue top fighter
Hej, har for mej att Monark blue top fighter hade en model med mindre hjul 16 eller 17 tum. har jag ratt dar? Hade sjalv en '54 utan bakfjadring. och var svart avundsjuk pa den fjadrande modellen. Hondan pa bilden har jag nu. Fantastisk liten bike cb 125e. ingen kickstart.
Brisbane
Translation:
Monark blue top fighter
Hi, for me to Monark blue top fighter had a model with smaller wheels 16 or 17 inches. I right there? Himself had a '54 with no rear suspension. and was jealous of the black springy model. Honda in the picture I have now. Amazing little bike cb 125e. No kickstart.
Wed Mar 11 2015
hakan.wasen at outlook.com
Blackburne
Monark Blackburne Nr 3 1929
I would like a forum topic Blackburne engines. A lot of classic motorcykles are using Blackburne engines,Cotton,Rex-Acme, Nearacar, french Motobecane swedish Monark etc. By creating a topic for Blackburne we, Blackburne engines owners
can easier look for spares "engine friends etc".
Sweden
Mon Jan 05 2015
aron.hormann at yahoo.com
Monark motor cycle with pedels
Monark ( on chain guard ). Not sure at this time
Motor is gone says monark on chain guard fram is nice black org.paint with red pinstripe.does have pedals and single spring springer front end.what year iam I looking at.Can send photos and frame numbers.not looking to sell just info
please. Aron.
Iowa ou
Sun Jun 23 2013
jcbotero60<at>hotmail.com
Monark Jlo, 250 c.c.
photos 1.948
I need the original pictures for restauration the my moto
cali- combia
This is my Monark JLO, 1948.
My idea the original colour is bleu ????.
The motor is working good and electrical sytem is the other bike.
I need your apretation about this.
I have other bike,175 c.c. and it have two scape pipe, is black colour,I think the model is 1.954???
Do you speak francaises??
Thu Feb 21 2013
lucydifonzo<at>gmail.com
verification on year and model Monark
MCB Monark Enduro / T-Model?
Please help me figure out if this is a 1970 Enduro T. Thank you
FL, USA
Mon May 28 2012
chrs-bghmn<at> yahoo.com
monark albin mc 42
looking for manual spares anything
california
Wed Jun 06 2012
damian<at>atna.se
monark from '51
monark unknown
hello all
i'd love some help in identifying the bike in the picture. it has a dkw 250 motor and 4-speed trans. is this an unusual combination? a custom perhaps?
any info much appreciated!
regards
damian
stockholm, sweden
Sun Dec 18 2011
johan.slotte<at>pp.kpnet.fi
Monark Monza
Hi, I have this 50cc Monark Monza with the ILO TS50 engine. I believe it is a Göricke Supersport assembled in Finland by Finnish Monark Company in early sixties
Finland
Sat May 01 2010
lechleitner.jm<at>vtxmail.ch
Monark Motorcyckels
Monark 500 cross Replica 1959
Monark cross 500cc
Replica type "Sten Lundin 1959"
Monark Motorcyckels
Monark Albin 1942 Army M-42 Monark Albin 1942 Army M-42
Monark Albin 1942 M-42
500cc
Sat Nov 21 2009
larry at sbcglobaldot com
Sachs engines
Monark all
Small point but under the brands the engines were used omitted Monark
Tue Jun 02 2009
cb at citrusmomdot com
parts
monark mx 125
Looking for air box swingarm tank etc
CA
Sun Feb 15 2009
mmalaske at aoldot com
1952 Monark 125cc
Monark 125cc
I need stock tail light assembly complete and any other parts if possible. Thank You
U.S.A., Minnesota
Fri Dec 05 2008
emerson at industry.com.br
Monark in Brazil
Monark You help me
I got this bike here in Brazil and need someone to help me find out the year it was built and maybe send me some pics that can help me to work on it. Thank you! Emerson Schmidlin
Brazil
Fri Jan 18 2008
tore.hansson at glocalnet.net
Ilo 250 cc one-cylinder engine
Monark/Ilo M500 Erlan
Hello I have a motorcycle with a 250cc 2-stroke one-cylinder Ilo engine It has a 65mm piston in rather bad shape and I can not find a new piston Do you where to look? Thanks and best regards Tore
Bromölla
Fri Sep 07 2007
per.hilding at semidiesel.se
Oil in gearbox?
Monark 1254
What oil should I us in the gearbox? It´s a Franco Morini S5 gyromat.
SWEDEN
Fri Apr 06 2007
k-l at netatonce.net
Workshop manual or just data
Monark M10 1930 Blackburne engine
Please can some one help me with a Workshop manual (a copy or something)
Sweden
Mon Feb 26 2007
skolesps at eunet.yu
Parts & catalogues for Monark M560 Blue arrow
Monark M560 JLO M 2-125
I need any catalogues and sam specific parts. Please help!
Belgrade, Serbia
Tue Aug 22 2006
carlrholm at yahoo.com.au
Monark pins and patches?
1940s 2-stroke
Hi, I've recently become the proud owner of a Monark, and I'm looking for pins and/or patches featuring the Monark name. Any clue as to where I might track something down?
Bonn, Germany
There are a few sites which deal with Monark here
http://bikelinks.com/directory/Classic_Motorcycles/A_to_Z/M/
One of these may be helpful. Ed.
April 7, 2001
Monark Swedish, 1913-1926 sold as "Esse" then changed to the Monark name 1927-1975 -- flattracker1 at homedot com
If you have a query or information about Monark motorcycles please contact us
