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 FN - 500 M 15
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FN M 15 motocyclette motorrad motorcycle vintage classic classique scooter roller moto scooter
Photo ou archives : F-M. Dumas
8706

Capacity : 500
Model : M 15
Production : 1938 -
Category : (Off-Road) MX

FN

500cc M15 – 1938

Dedicated motocross machine

The popularity of motocross events, for which most of the entries were more or less transformed highway bikes, became so great in Belgium before WWII that the factories soon became interested in competing officially in this rapidly growing sport.

History in the Making

At first, FN took part with its 500cc M86, with which Jacques Ickx (later Belgium's most distinguished automotive historian and father of racing driver Jackie Ickx) enjoyed great success, but the machine was too heavy. So FN created its first dedicated motocross machine based on the new Series M11, which made extensive use of light alloys.

Purpose-Built

Exclusively built for competition use, the new M15 was available with either 500cc or 600cc engines, the latter being intended for sidecar use. Like the M11, the M15 had a fully-enclosed valve gear and all the roller bearings were mounted in bronze housings cast into the crankcase. The cylinders were cast in iron, aluminum or even magnesium. The cylinder heads were light-alloy castings. The elegant design of the M86's gas tank was retained, but the girder forks with compensating springs were replaced by a new fork with interchangeable links so that the fork angle could be varied to suit the different circuits. FN tested its first rear rubber-in-tension suspensions on the M15, but war broke out before this system could be put on the market. The M15 was frequently matched against tl1e rival Saroléa and Gillet marques in the off-road events that were so popular at the time, but it also took part in endurance trials.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 448cc (80x99 mm) unit-construction FN air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke

Valves: overhead

Fuel System: Amal carburetor

Transmission: 4-speed, chain final drive

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

Brakes: drum (front & rear)

Wheels: 3.00x21 inch (front); 4.00x19 inch (rear)

Weight: 298 lb

Maximum Speed: 87 mph

This is the endurance version of the formidable FN 500, which won many fine victories in this most testing of disciplines.




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.