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1415
MOTOSACOCHE
215 cc Type A - 1904
A bike in a bag
While the rest of Europe just dreamed of putting engines on its pedal cycles, the brothers Henri and Armand Dufaux of Geneva had a bright idea to make their fortune: the "moto-sacoche" ("engine in a satchel"), a little power pack that would fit any bicycle.
Watchmakers' Precision
Having had the idea, they had to make it work. The Dufaux invention consisted of a rigid triangular framework housing the engine and all its accessories which could simply be clipped inside any standard diamond cycle frame by seven wing-nuts. It weighed only 31 lb and was just 3.25 inches wide. Henri and Armand Dufaux offered the option of a japanned steel fairing that opened out in the shape of a funnel to direct a cooling current of air over the engine.
Racing to Success
The Dufaux brothers built the engine and all its accessories themselves and their Motosacoche rapidly proved its mettle. Faced with the superhuman requirements of the reliability trials of the day, the elegant little Motosacoche won international fame. It came first in a 1901 hillclimb up the Col de Ia Faucille mountain pass. The ultimate development of this original Motosacoche was the invention in 1907 of a magneto to replace the coil-and-battery ignition, which had a high rate of wear.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 215cc (62x75mm) air-cooled 15-degree-inclined single-cylinder four-stroke; total loss lubrication
Power Rating: 1.25 hp @ 1100 rpm
Valves: automatic inlet, side exhaust
Fuel System: Dufaux carburetor
Transmission: direct, by leather belt
Suspension: leading link (front); rigid (rear)
Brakes: rim (front and rear)
Wheels: wire clincher
Weight: 88 lb
Maximum Speed: 22-25 mph
The original Motosacoche was one of the outstanding motorcycles of the pioneer era.