Wanderer

The first motorcycle design was pretty good, so the years following produced little change. In 1922, a 3 speed gearbox was mounted in the engine of the 616 cc V2. The model had no rear suspension.

Megola

The twenties were very interesting times in the development of vehicles, and also of motorcycles. The most important was technical development rather than marketing. One of the most remarkable designs comes from Friz Cockerel, who designed a motorcycle between 1921 and 1925 which has the engine in the front wheel. This was the Megola, of which about 2000 were sold.

Laverda

In the seventies Laverda contributed to the increasing popularity of Italian motorcycles by selling a 750, 1000 and a 1200 cc motorcycle. The brothers Piero and Massimo Laverda where very ambitious, despite their financial problems. They instructed Giulio Alfieri, the designer of the famous V12 Maserati engine, to make a very complicated engine for a Laverda race model.

Koehler Escoffier

This motorcycle is known as one of the most beautiful French racing machines of all time. Only 13 of this type were built between 1927 and 1935. The model in the picture is from the racing motorist Georges Monneret and is a unique sample.

125 cc RC 149 Grand Prix

In the sixties, the Japanese manufacturers became more popular in Europe. In the world championships of the 125 cc class there was a big technological battle.

Moto Guzzi

The engineers of Moto Guzzi have been some of the most creative in the motorcycle industry. The 500 cc V8 Grand Prix, designed by Giulio Carnaco, is evidence of this.

Gilera Rondine

The Gilera Rondine was designed by Taruffi, and was very advanced for its time. The model was an inspiration for the next generation of Italian motorcycles, and for the Japanese.

Czechoslovakia

Already in the beginning of the 20th century Czechoslovakia was playing an important role in the European motor industry with many original ideas. In 1905, Laurent Klement (later Skoda) had a four cylinder chain-driven motorbike. The BD_Praga from 1927 was the first motorbike with DOHC, 39 years before Honda had one. A Czech motorcycle was in 1923 the first with an electrical starte

Arlen Ness,

The Californian motorspecialist Arlen Ness, the best Harley-Davidson tuner, had only one dream: to built worlds biggest dragster. After five years this dream came true.

AJS motor 2009

The legendary British trademark AJS was started in 1909 by machine manufacturer Joe Stevens in Wolverhampton. In the thirties, AJS was one of the companies which knew the right way to build multi-cylinder engines. The age of single cylinder motorcycles seemed to have passed, for racers as well as touring models.