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 Le Grimpeur - 250
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Photo ou archives : F-M. Dumas
5219

Capacity : 250
Model :
Production : 1928 -
Category : (R) Street Bike

LE GRIMPEUR

250cc -1928

Cinderella of the group

Founded in 1900, Le Grimpeur had a varied output. It used several different types and makes of engines until 1926, when the firm was taken over by Henri Dresch, anxious to expand his company quickly. Le Grimpeur stopped using the two-stroke engines that had established the reputation of its popular little machines and only fitted MAG engines, built under license by Dresch, who up to 1932 used the firm to test-market future Dresch models.

A Year in Advance

That was the reason for the launch of this Le Grimpeur, powered by a 250cc MAG-Paris engine, at the start of 1928. It was followed in 1929 by- and always one motorcycle

show ahead of the equivalent Dresch model - a superb 350cc version that optimistically claimed to be able to reach 60 mph.

Playing Second Fiddle

Le Grimpeur-Dresch also built sidecar outfits of 250, 350 and 500cc with which the company won the Championship of France in 1928. But the way of a subsidiary marque is never easy, and the 250 Le Grimpeur had a somewhat patchwork appearance with a tank mounted between the two top tubes of a splendid full double-cradle frame in smallbore tubing. It also had an extremely elegant girder fork in forged-steel which - surprise, surprise! - appeared later the same year on the Dresch (which had a modern saddle tank) and which was (equally unsurprisingly) not fitted to the 1929 350cc Le Grimpeur.

SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 248cc (64x77mm) Dresch (MAG license) air-cooled single-cylinder four-stroke

Valves: overhead intake, side exhaust

Fuel System: carburetor

Transmission: Dresch 3-speed hand-shift, chain final drive

Suspension: forged-steel girder forks (front); rigid (rear)

Brakes: drum (front & rear)

Wheels: 3.25x19 inch (front & rear)

Weight: 220 lb

Maximum Speed: 55 mph

 

This fine 250 I.e Grimpeur bas an ingenious snailcam fitting - a modern replica of the original item- on the rear wheel spindle to simplify chain tension adjustment.





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.