Sunday 26 February 2017

Flying Merkel V-Twin (1915) Vintage Collection Review, Wallpapers

Posted By: ygshhd 11:46 Leave a Reply

Flying Merkel V-Twin

This Flying Merkel, finished in the firm’s traditional orange paintwork, is a 1910 racer that has been restored for display in a museum in California, USA. In that year Merkel rider Fred Whittier defeated Indian star Jake de Rosier in several races over the Los Angeles Coliseum boards, at a record average speed of over 74mph (119km/h).

Joseph Merkel’s cleverly engineered V-twins were as notable for their performance as for their bright orange paintwork. Merkel began building bikes in 1902, in Milwaukee, initially with a single-cylinder engine of his own design. Like machines from several other manufacturers, the early Merkels used the frame’s front downtube as part of the exhaust system.

In 1909, Merkel’s firm was bought by the Light Motor Company, which had been producing bikes closely modelled on existing Indians. Joe Merkel moved to the Pottstown, Pennsylvania headquarters of the firm, which was renamed the Merkel-Light Motor Co, and began to improve its bikes. He invented a cantilever rear suspension system, similar to that later used by Vincent, and a compact sprung front fork arrangement that further improved the bikes’ ride and handling.

From 1910 onwards the bikes were known as Flying Merkels, and a lOOOcc V-twin was produced. The following year, the firm was bought by the Miami Cycle Company, which transferred production to its base at Middletown, Ohio. Although Merkel had no official competition department, employees who raced were sometimes given support by the factory.

Most famous of the Merkel riders was Maldwyn Jones, originally a promising racer who had been given a job testing engines in the firm’s repair department. In 1910, Jones acquired an old Merkel single-cylinder racer that had been unsuccessful because oil from its ’ported’ cylinder had made the drive belt slip. He resurrected the bike, made a shield to protect the belt from oil, and entered a big 4th July race meeting at Hamilton, Ohio, winning the 10-mile (16km) event.

Racing success

In the main, pursuit-style race, Jones faced opposition from the legendary Indian star Erwin ‘Cannonball’ Baker. Having eliminated all the other riders, the duo were neck and neck on opposite sides of the track, with neither gaining an advantage, when the Merkel ran out of fuel, leaving Baker to win. Later the same year, Jones made an impressive professional debut on a Flying Merkel single that had also been salvaged from the factory, winning three of his four events.

Merkel was one of the most innovative and bold of manufacturers, and introduced numerous technical features in following years. By 1913, the chassis had been modified with an integral seat post and oil tank, the engine’s intake valves were mechanically operated (instead of simply by air pressure), and there was the option of final drive by chain instead of belt. In 1915 a kickstarter was fitted. The V-twin roadster was available in either 885 or lOOOcc capacity, with optional two-speed transmission. The larger motor produced 9bhp and had a top speed of about 60mph (97km/h).

Maldwyn Jones’ racing exploits ensured that Flying Merkel maintained a high profile. For the 1913 season he had built a special half-mile machine using a Jefferson overhead-valve cylinder head plus camshafts of his own design. This gave a substantial increase in speed, especially when Jones fitted special low, braced handlebars, also his own work. During the next three seasons he won 24 of the 42 races he entered, also taking ten second and three third places.

‘If it passes you, it’s a Flying Merkel.’ boasted the firm’s advertisements, but Merkel sales did not match Jones’ results on the track. Joe Merkel had left the company in 1913, and the American motorcycle market had contracted. The firm had also introduced a disastrously unsuccessful spring powered self-starter on its 1914 touring bikes, which had resulted in large service and legal costs. Flying Merkel production was halted at the end of 1915 and never restarted.

Merkel’s 45-degree V-twin engine used intake valves that were opened automatically (by piston suction). The firm’s full involvement in racing and record setting lasted only from 1909 to 1911.

Joe Merkel designed a compact telescopic front suspension system that was later used by other makes of bike. But in the style of early American racers, the Merkel had no brakes at all.

Specification Flying Merkel V-Twin (1915)