General Information

Serial #

AX 5350

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

TUBULAR STEEL FRAME/ METAL PARTS/ CHROMED WHEEL RIMS/ RUBBER TIRES, SEAT, HAND GRIPS/ SYNTHETIC PARTS

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

202.0 cm

Width

72.5 cm

Height

96.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Motorcycle vehicles

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

EXCELSIOR

Country

England

State/Province

Unknown

City

Birmingham

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Excelsior, based in Coventry, was a British bicycle, motorcycle and car maker. They were Britain’s first motorcycle manufacturer, starting production of their own ‘motor-bicycle’ in 1896. Initially they had premises at Lower Ford Street, Coventry, and 287-295 Stoney Stanton Road, Hillfields, Coventry, Warwickshire before moving to Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham in 1921. Originally a bicycle company making penny-farthings in 1874 under their original name: Bayliss, Thomas and Co, they later sold bicycles under the names of Excelsior and Eureka and changed the company name to Excelsior Motor Co. in 1910. In the early years of motor-bicycle manufacture they used Minerva, De Dion, MMC and possibly a Condor 850 cc single but went on to produce a wide range of machines with engines from most major manufacturers.

Function

GENERAL TRANSPORTATION

Technical

After the Second World War, the Excelsior range consisted of two-stroke engines only. The first two models - the Autobyk and Universal - used Villiers power units. When the 1947 models were announced in August 1946, the Villiers-powered Autobyk had been given the model number 47/V1 and a new model had been added to the range: the Super-Autobyk, at first given the model number 47/S2 but re-designated 47/G2 in November. This did not use the Villiers power unit but had Excelsior’s own 98cc ‘Goblin’ engine incorporating a two-speed gearbox. Excelsior’s engine was equipped with an Amal 359/001B carburettor and Miller FWX flywheel magneto that also powered a 9W direct lighting set. The recommended petrol to oil ratio was 20:1 and the tank could hold 11 pints of fuel. A useful feature incorporated into the Autobyk at this time was that the carrier, rear numberplate and part of the rear mudguard could be easily removed in one piece to give access to the rear wheel. A new spring fork was introduced with the 1947 models; this had fork blades each made of a single Reynolds 531 tube and used four rubber bands to provide the springing.The Super-Autobyk was the only British production autocycle to feature a 2-speed gearbox.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

IN CAST RAISED LETTERS ON ENGINE CASE LEFT IS: `EXCELSIOR/ GOBLIN MK 11', & ON RIGHT SIDE IS: `EXCELSIOR MOTOR CO. LTD'/ BRASS PLATE ON FRONT FENDER READS: `SUPPLIED BY/ GRANT & IRWIN/ PHONE 173/ DUMFRIES'/ `Excelsior' STAMPED INTO ALL 4 STEEL FRONT FORKS SUPPORTS/ IN CAST FAISED RIGURES ON HANDLE BAR FRONT FORK COUPLING PIECE IS: `PBM 1032'/ PLATE ON SEAT REAR READS: `DUNLOP/ F45/ 100'

Missing

N/A

Finish

FRAME, FUEL TANK, FRONT & REAR FENDERS, REAR LUGGAGE RACK, CHAIN GUARD ALL PAINTED DULL RED IN A RUST INHIBITING PAINT/ HANDLE BARS, SEAT SPRINGS PAINTED BLACK/ BLACK SEAT & HANDGRIPS/ CYLINDER HEAD PAINTED BLACK

Decoration

N/A