Photo ou archives : D. Ganneau
2204
HOCO
142 DKW - 1924
Wooden wonder
Wood has never featured much as a constructional medium for motorcycles. German constructor Hugo Ruppe – designer of the first DKW – fitted a wooden frame to his Berlin-built Bekamo of 1923, but when their production shifted to Rumberg, Czechoslovakia in 1925, popular opinion forced him to adopt pressed steel frames.
Strong and Weather-Resistant
Technical reasons, rather than economy, prompted MFB of Hamburg to use a wooden frame on their motorcycle, exhibited at Leipzig in 1923. The wood used was ash, widely used as a framing material in aviation, automobile body and marine construction because of its strength, weather resistance and ability to absorb shocks. The design of the MFB was well thought out, with nickeled steel cappings bolted to its ash side members carrying the steering head and rear axle. Sadly, the MFB marque failed in 1924 and no survivor is known.
An Exact Copy
The links between MFB and Hohmeyer & Co, furniture makers of Minden (Westphalia), are unclear, though what is certain is that Hohmeyer's 1924 Hoco was an exact copy of the MFB. Various power units were projected, both two- and four-stroke, up to 250cc. The fuel tank and tool roll were housed between the ash side-members, while hand-beaten steel shields protected the rider's legs from oil splashes thrown out by the engine and ducted cooling air over the cylinder. The collapse of the German economy forced the end of Hoco in 1928.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 142cc (55x60mm) forced air-cooled DKW single-cylinder; magneto ignition
Power Rating: 2.5 hp @ 3000 rpm
Valves: two-stroke, ports in piston skin
Fuel System: carburetor
Transmission: belt drive
Suspension: leaf-sprung swinging wooden forks (front); rigid (rear)
Brakes: belt rim (rear)
Wheels: 2.25x26 inch wire (front & rear)
Weight: 132 lb
Maximum Speed: 37 mph
A rare survivor; with ash frame and forks, the Hoco was offered with a range of power units which included German DKW and British-built Villiers two-strokes, plus JAP four-strokes .