1902 Motosacoche Motosacoche
Motosacoche 1902
Country - Swiss
Number of seats - 1
Weight - 35 kg
Speed - 40 km h
Engine type - Reciprocating internal combustion engine, gasoline, four-stroke, air cooling
Engine capacity - 0.214 l
Cyl num - 1
Power - 0.9 kW (1.2 hp) 2200 rpm min
Motosacoche was founded in 1899, by Henri and Armand Dufaux, in Geneva, Switzerland. Motosacoche was once the biggest Swiss motorcycle manufacturer, known also for its MAG (Motosacoche Acacias Genève) proprietary-engines used by other European motorcycle manufacturers.
From 1900 Motosacoche produced a bicycle auxiliary engine, in a subframe that could be installed into a conventional bicycle. This looked like an engine in a bag, hence the Motosacoche name, meaning "engine in a bag".
The brothers Dufaux devised the Motosacoche (‘motor-satchel’) as a self-contained power unit capable of being installed on any bicycle. A reinforced leather casing designed to fit inside an average cycle frame carried their own designed and manufactured engine, fuel system and exhaust. Transmission was via a jockey-wheel tensioned leather belt to a rim screwed to the rear wheel spokes. It was simple, elegant, well engineered and decades ahead of the competition. Advertising (as above) noted a ‘detachable motor unit having the form of a frame-fitted SATCHEL permitting the transformation of an ordinary road Bicycle into a MOTORISED BICYCLE. A Perfect engine for Tourists, Officers, Notaries and even for Ladies.’
Country - Swiss
Number of seats - 1
Weight - 35 kg
Speed - 40 km h
Engine type - Reciprocating internal combustion engine, gasoline, four-stroke, air cooling
Engine capacity - 0.214 l
Cyl num - 1
Power - 0.9 kW (1.2 hp) 2200 rpm min
Motosacoche was founded in 1899, by Henri and Armand Dufaux, in Geneva, Switzerland. Motosacoche was once the biggest Swiss motorcycle manufacturer, known also for its MAG (Motosacoche Acacias Genève) proprietary-engines used by other European motorcycle manufacturers.
From 1900 Motosacoche produced a bicycle auxiliary engine, in a subframe that could be installed into a conventional bicycle. This looked like an engine in a bag, hence the Motosacoche name, meaning "engine in a bag".
The brothers Dufaux devised the Motosacoche (‘motor-satchel’) as a self-contained power unit capable of being installed on any bicycle. A reinforced leather casing designed to fit inside an average cycle frame carried their own designed and manufactured engine, fuel system and exhaust. Transmission was via a jockey-wheel tensioned leather belt to a rim screwed to the rear wheel spokes. It was simple, elegant, well engineered and decades ahead of the competition. Advertising (as above) noted a ‘detachable motor unit having the form of a frame-fitted SATCHEL permitting the transformation of an ordinary road Bicycle into a MOTORISED BICYCLE. A Perfect engine for Tourists, Officers, Notaries and even for Ladies.’
