RHONY'X

500 GX - 1930

French assembly

The Rhony'x marque was given its name because its factory at Lyon was close to the River Rhône. Founded in 1924, the company assembled a wide range of machines, making its own frames and fitting them with such power units as LMP, Stainless and Chaise.

Large Range

In 1930, the company offered a large ten-model range, from 185 and 247cc two-strokes to 350 and 500 four-strokes with overhead- or side-valves. The engines used were mainly British JAP or French Chaise units, the latter being fitted in the 350 and 500cc top-of-the-range overhead-camshaft models.

Modem but lifeless

The unit-construction Chaise engine, unveiled on the Rhony'x stand at the 1929 Paris Salon, was a magnificent piece of workmanship. Unit-construction engines were not all that common, nor were overhead-camshafts and forced-pressure lubrication. The available performance from the 500 GX was modest in view of the high price demanded: $243 in 1929 was $36 more than the 350cc Terrot and that at a time when a new Model A Ford Roadster cost $450! The Chaise engine was supplied by a factory founded by Henri Chaise, former head of manufacturing at Gnome & Rhône (1907 to 1921). The company initially specialized in little two-stroke engines. But in 1927, it launched unit-construction, overhead-camshaft four-strokes of 350 and 500cc. A unit-construction, overhead-valve 250cc then formed the basis of a new range right up to a 500cc single, sold in parallel with the overhead-cam engines.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 490cc (88x85mm) air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke

Valves: single overhead-camshaft driven by shaft and worm gear

Fuel System: carburetor

TransmJssion: 3-speed tank-shift, chain final drive

Suspension: girder forks (front); rigid (rear)

Brakes: drums with knock-out spindles (front & rear)

Wheels: 3.50x19 inch (front & rear)

Weight: 320 lb

Maximum Speed: 72 mph

Like other marques in the 1930s-Automoto and Majestic in France and La Mondiale in Belgium – Rhony'x fitted its bikes with Chaise engines.