A Brief History of the Marque
Made in Scotland 1902-1926
The Victoria motorcycle was built in Dennistoun, Glasgow and was Scotland's leading make for many years. The design was typically English as were most of the components including engines from Precision prior to WWI, and then Villiers, JAP, Blackburne and Coventry-Victor in capacities ranging from 127cc to 688cc. These were mounted in Scottish frames of excellent quality.
In 1914 the firm produced 9 different models from 2 to 4¾ h.p.
Surviving examples:
Brian Hatton's 1914 3¾ hp Victoria motorcycle, SP1470. There is an excellent article in Bike magazine of June 1992 on this machine.
The Edinburgh Museum displays a 1921 model Victoria which is fitted with a 3½ h.p. 450cc J.A.P. engine. It has a Sturmey-Archer 3-speed gearbox and the primary drive is by chain and clutch, the secondary by belt and pulley. The machine has long swept back handlebars and an exhaust system consisting of a short pipe leading to a can silencer under the front of the engine. The registration number is SA4706.
Another Victoria is on display at West Otago Vintage Machinery Museum in New Zealand.
More on the 12 known surviving machines including those above at http://www.bawdeswell.net/victoria/
One of the few representatives of Scotland - the 2½ hp two-stroke Victoria
VICTORIA.
As last year, competitive prices will be a strong feature of the Victoria exhibit, which is, incidentally, one of the few representatives from beyond the Tweed. Lightweights, medium weight singles, and a Coventry Victor- engined flat twin are the chief models. Well-known components are embodied, Villiers, Blackburne, and J.A.P. engines being fitted to the singles. Sturmey-Archer three-speed gear boxes are used on the heavier sidecar machines, and it is worthy of note that a single-geared direct belt drive model, with a 4 h.p. J.A.P. engine, is listed.
A Scottish Light-weight.
ONE of the few motor cycles made North of the Tweed is the Victoria, a product of the old-established Victoria Motor and Cycle Co., Ltd., of Glasgow. At last year's show this firm staged a 4 h.p. sidecar outfit at £125, which was, at that time, easily the cheapest outfit on the market. This year the leading Victoria model will be a two-stroke lightweight, embodying the well-known Villiers engine with flywheel magneto, and priced at £39 18s. for the single-speed model, £45 for the plain two-speed, and £50 with two-speed gear, clutch, and kick-starter.
More on the history of Victoria Motorcycles of Glasgow
Also made in Scotland was the New Gerard marque.
There was no relationship between Victoria of Scotland and the German marque of the same name, nor to Victoria Motor Works, automobile makers of Godalming, Surrey.
