The Historical past of Coventry-Eagle Bikes

[ad_1]

Coventry Eagle started in 1890 as Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek, however they modified their title to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the corporate.  In 1898, additionally they started to experiment with motorized autos and by 1899, manufacturing of bikes had begun.

The bikes had been hand constructed and completed rigorously, and proved dependable.  By World Battle 1, the vary had expanded and included a Villiers powered two velocity 269cc light-weight, a 3.5hp single, and a 3 velocity 5hp V-twin. 

Manufacturing was hampered in the course of the warfare, however in 1919 manufacturing resumed, and thru the steering of Mayo, started to construct machines of large attraction.

Within the early Twenties, the road up chopped and adjusted relying on what engines had been out there on the time and the corporate swapped between Abingdon, JAP, King Dick and Villiers motors.

In 1925, the 2 stroke engine was enlarged to an Aza 175cc with an Albion two velocity gearbox.  However then two strokes had been dropped altogether for a few seasons as the corporate focused on a variety of 4 strokes in single and twin kinds and even with sidecar outfits.

In 1928, the coverage of 4 strokes solely ended with the arrival of the dual port, tremendous sport Villiers engines in 147cc, 172cc and 172cc twin port, tremendous sports activities kinds.  The corporate additionally started to make use of forks from pressed sheet metal, and though this was frequent in Europe, Coventry Eagle had been the primary main British firm to make use of this technique, a transfer that proved to be very profitable for the subsequent decade.

Coventry Eagle acquired the components proper with maybe probably the most iconic bike of its time the ‘Flying 8’.  This was a improvement of the JAP V-twin, and initially used the 976cc facet valve motor, though a 50° 980cc OHV model trundled alongside for the 1926 season, with heavy responsibility Webb girder entrance forks, and eight inch Royal Enfield brakes on each wheels, it weighed 395lb and it is wheelbase was 59 inches.

The Flying 8 had a spherical and tapered gas tank, and bore a hanging resemblance to the Brough Superior of the identical interval.  This isn’t stunning as George Brough and Percy Mayo spent a while collectively in the direction of the tip of World Battle 1 discussing the kind of motorbike they want to manufacture when the hostilities had been over and so they discovered their tastes had been remarkably related.  It had a assured high velocity of 80mph and when it was geared up with a Jardine gearbox, it didn’t come low cost and the OHV Flying 8 was the second most costly motorbike in the marketplace on the time.

By 1928, the Flying 8 was geared up with magazine dyno electrical lighting, ghost silencers and a steering damper, and this model was thought of one of the good-looking British bikes in the marketplace.

When the world financial system crashed within the Thirties, Coventry Eagle was compelled to alter tack and so they focused on the 2 stroke “bread and butter” lightweights.  The final OHV Flying 8 left the manufacturing facility in 1930 and the ultimate facet valve mannequin the next yr.  Coventry Eagle continued constructing bikes till the outbreak of World Battle 2, and listed a spread for 1940, however only a few had been constructed after the hostilities began.

In 1931, twins had been dropped and the manufacturing of two strokes continued for some years.  Most of the fashions had been trendy and distinctive with giant exhaust programs, as on the ‘Silent Excellent’.  Essentially the most primary mannequin was the 98cc ‘Marvel’.  Different fashions had been the ‘Surprise’ and ‘Eclipse’ and most had been in a pressed metal body.

The ‘Pullman’ arrived in 1935 with a brand new sort of pressed metal body with enclosure of the mechanics and rear wheel.  The rear suspension was managed by leaf springs operating alongside the body sides.

In 1937, the 4 stroke single returned, utilizing Matchless engines in three sizes.  These, plus a wide range of two strokes ran on to the tip of the last decade.

In 1940 manufacturing, drastically lower due to the warfare, quickly ceased – by no means to be resumed.

[ad_2]

AUTOPOST by BEDEWY