MOTORCYCLE 74

2010/11/10

1955 - 1984

Moto Aspes was founded in 1955, in a factory on the outskirts of Gallarate (Varese). For thirteen years he devoted himself to the production of bicycles, then motorcycles with Minarelli engines. In 1969, the company produced some of their first off-road motorcycles, including the Cross 69 Special, which was the first moped bikes to be fitted as standard with a Ceriani tele-hydraulics front suspension. In the 1970's they built some of the fastest bikes available.
At the Milan Show in 1971, they presented a 125 prototype bikes with Sachs engines with the final versions, produced in 1972, using the Apache, with a Maico engine. In 1973, they begin shipping the first 125 cc models a regular cross named the Hopi. The engine was a two-stroke with four transfer ports. The cross version had 20 hp at 8500 rpm and weighed 85 kg, while the regular version achieves the same power at 8000 rpm and weighed 96 kg. In 1974, the Hopi became fed regularly laminated and the model had the particularity of a double inlet, obtained in part through a reed valve on the sump and, in part, through the motion of the piston. The power was 20 hp at 9600 rpm with a displacement of 123.6 cc. In 1976 began the production of the Juma model and a 125 Sport, first in France and then in Italy. The engine was built by Aspes and was a two stroke single cylinder with a 123.15 cc displacement and a six-speed gearbox. In 1977, the range was completed by some inexpensive 50cc mopeds, the Navaho, with a Minarelli Compact System motor. In 1978, they added the Sioux 50, a single speed automatic with a friction motor, and the Mini Sioux, with the same engine Minarelli V1 kick-start starter. In the years following the marked started to decline and in 1982 , while continuing to operate until 1984, with existing models and with a new series, like the Shark 125, TK 125 Enduro and 50 cc mopeds like the Folk and Carrera and the original Mototopo.

TEXT: wheelsofitaly.com

Photos: Motorcycle 74

Aspes Club Italia: deltasas.it

Aspes Club Swiss: aspeshopi.ch

Wheels of Italy Encyclopedia: wheelsofitaly.com

2010/11/05

Sidecar applications

Francis-Barnett

Photo: Frank Melling: motorcycle-usa.com

Francis-Barnett was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1919, by Gordon Inglesby Francis and Arthur Barnett, and based in Lower Ford Street, Coventry, England,
The company developed a triangulated frame using straight tubes which could be bolted together using basic tools.
Most of their light motorcycles used Villiers and later AMC two-stroke engines. In the 1930s the company developed the 250 cc Cruiser, one of the first motorcycles to have a faired engine, protecting the rider from oil and dirt.
Francis Barnett was taken over by Associated Motor Cycles in 1947 and combined with James in 1957. The combined firm remained in business until 1966.
A number of models were named after birds including the Falcon, Hawk, Kestrel, Merlin, Plover and Snipe. Info: wikipedia - Francis-Barnett