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 Antoine - 450 3 1/2 HP
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Antoine 3 1/2 HP motocyclette motorrad motorcycle vintage classic classique scooter roller moto scooter
Photo ou archives : F-M. Dumas
4720

Capacity : 450
Model : 3 1/2 HP
Production : 1905 -
Category : (R) Street Bike

ANTOINE

3 1/2 hp ( 415cc) -1905

A Belgian pioneer

The discovery in the 1980s of a four-cylinder Antoine motorcycle designed by Paul Kelecom has tended to overshadow the other products of Victor Antoine, Fils & Cie, of Liege. But the company's reputation was established by its single-cylinder machines.

Radical Departure

In their day, the Antoine machines were regarded as being of advanced design, and the deep-cooling fins on the cylinder were described in the press as a "radical departure from accepted motorcycle practice." The interconnection of the throttle valve and the exhaust valve lifter was more markedly unorthodox, and that made the engine very flexible for the period.

Belt-Pulley Brake

The Antoine was also among the first motorcycles to use the flat face of the rear belt pulley as a braking surface, a useful feature on a marque that took part in speed contests. Perhaps the high point of the Antoine's racing career was Kinet's first place in a heat of the 1903 French 100-kilometer trials for 250cc machines, though the same rider also put up a good showing in the 185-mile Belgian "Circuit des Ardennes" race the same year, finishing a miraculous second (out of 39 entrants). On the first lap Antoine was behind the winning Peugeot of the top works rider Demester, but he ran out of gas on the second - and final - lap and ended up pushing the machine across the finish line.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 415cc (80x82.5mm) air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke

Power Rating: 3.5 hp

Valves: mechanically-operated side

Fuel System: Antoine carburettor

Transmission: V-belt direct drive

Suspension: rigid (front & rear)

Brakes: contracting belt (front); belt rin1 (rear)

Wheels: 655x55mm clincher (front & rear)

Apart from the singles - which in 1903 were offered with either automatic or mechanical intake valves at the same price - Antoine also built V-twins along similar lines.




Le fichier Moto Passion réalisé par François-Marie Dumas réunit près de deux mille photos accompagnées d'un historique très complet des machines présentées.
Il sera progressivement mis à jour ici et toute information complémentaire est la bienvenue sur info@moto-collection.org.

Cette documentation unique, qui constitue sans doute l'encyclopédie la plus exhaustive jamais écrite sur l'histoire de la moto, a été réalisée avec l'assistance de nombreux spécialistes dont principalement Didier Ganneau, Christophe Gaime, Mick Woollett, Jean Goyard, Bernard Salvat, Christian Rey, Yves Campion, Helmut Krackowizer, Michael Dregni, Michel Montange, etc. que je remercie ici.

Disponible sur demande :
- Les fiches originales sur papier
- Les photos et archives signées de mon nom en haute définition ou les documents originaux.
Me contacter sur info@moto-collection.org pour les conditions et droits d'utilisation.