111:
102:
and the first TT race in 1907 was won by
Collier's son Charles on a 432cc Matchless Charlie with an average speed of 38.21 mph and a time of 4 hours 8 minutes 8 seconds. Harry did not finish in 1907, but won in 1909, and Charlie won again in 1910, bringing Matchless motorcycles to the attention
90:
joined him in the business it became 'H Collier & Sons'. Their competitors were experimenting with adding engines to their bicycles, so the
Colliers tried a small motor over the front wheel, then moved it to under the front down tube, then finally into the traditional diamond-shaped frame. Using
122:
V-twin powered bike in 1905 which boasted one of the earliest swing-arm rear suspensions, coupled with leading-link front forks. Matchless made mostly singles, but they also made V-twins from 496 cc to 998 cc. They made their own engines from 1912 on.
86:
Henry
Collier founded a company to make bicycles under the Matchless name in Herbert Road, Plumstead in 1878. When his two eldest sons Henry (known as Harry) and
137:
When Henry
Collier died in 1926 the company he started went on to become one of the most successful British motorcycle marques.
227:
177:
103:
of the public.. Collier's other son Harry won the Isle of Man TT in 1909. Both brothers were also successful at
237:
119:
95:
and
Puteaux engines, the Colliers added one of the first pillion seats in 1903 and chain drive in 1905.
200:
167:
242:
232:
66:(1859-1926) was one of the first British motorcycle designers, inventor and founder of the
8:
110:
173:
127:
87:
126:
Matchless was not given a contract to make motorcycles for the army during the
99:
92:
130:. Peacetime production resumed in 1919, concentrating at first on V-twins for
221:
104:
37:
146:
67:
131:
98:
The
Colliers also decided to enter their machines in the new
78:
Collier was born in
Burtonwood, Lancashire, England in 1859
219:
165:
109:
220:
57:Motorcycle designer and manufacturer
13:
14:
254:
134:use, leaving singles until 1923.
193:
159:
1:
152:
73:
68:Matchless Motorcycle Company
7:
228:British motorcycle pioneers
140:
81:
16:British motorcycle designer
10:
259:
53:
45:
30:
23:
166:Cakebread, Bill (2008).
115:
238:People from Plumstead
169:Motorcycle Apprentice
114:1914 Matchless 557 cc
113:
64:Henry Herbert Collier
25:Henry Herbert Collier
116:
61:
60:
250:
212:
211:
209:
207:
197:
191:
190:
188:
186:
163:
118:They produced a
21:
20:
258:
257:
253:
252:
251:
249:
248:
247:
218:
217:
216:
215:
205:
203:
199:
198:
194:
184:
182:
180:
164:
160:
155:
143:
128:First World War
84:
76:
41:
35:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
256:
246:
245:
240:
235:
230:
214:
213:
192:
178:
172:. p. 22.
157:
156:
154:
151:
150:
149:
142:
139:
100:Isle of Man TT
83:
80:
75:
72:
59:
58:
55:
51:
50:
47:
43:
42:
36:
32:
28:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
255:
244:
241:
239:
236:
234:
231:
229:
226:
225:
223:
202:
196:
181:
179:9781845841799
175:
171:
170:
162:
158:
148:
145:
144:
138:
135:
133:
129:
124:
121:
112:
108:
106:
101:
96:
94:
89:
79:
71:
69:
65:
56:
54:Occupation(s)
52:
48:
44:
39:
33:
29:
22:
19:
204:. Retrieved
195:
183:. Retrieved
168:
161:
136:
125:
117:
97:
85:
77:
63:
62:
40:, Lancashire
18:
243:1859 births
233:1926 deaths
201:"Matchless"
222:Categories
153:References
105:Brooklands
74:Early life
38:Burtonwood
206:5 October
185:5 October
147:Matchless
141:See also
82:Business
132:sidecar
93:De Dion
88:Charlie
176:
208:2008
187:2008
174:ISBN
49:1926
46:Died
34:1859
31:Born
120:JAP
224::
107:.
70:.
210:.
189:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_1914.jpg)