650:: the little Renault looked uncharacteristically large and the Motobecane, positioned between the Renault and a Paris bus, looked barely larger than a child’s pedal car. In fact the prototype was 2730 mm long and 1180 mm wide, which was enough to accommodate two people side by side in a fashionably boxy little body: from the side, at first glance, it was hard to tell which end was which: however, the cut-out sections on each side covered with a dark coloured fabric "door" was angled towards the front of the car.
508:), Motobécane's mid-range bikes were good value; the company kept prices reasonable by matching high-quality frames with lower-priced, but higher-quality components from Japan, at a time when competitors were putting higher-priced, lower quality French components on mid-range bikes. Motobécane bicycles included the Nomade, Mirage, Super Mirage, Super Touring, Grand Touring, Sprint, Super Sprint, Jubilee Sport, Grand Record, Le Champion, and Team Champion.
77:
570:
911:
179:
36:
480:. Motobecane is known for designing very light weight mountain bicycles. Motobecane was the first French maker to start using Japanese parts, in the late 1970s, with Japanese derailleurs and crank sets performing far above the older French designs common on mid-priced 10-speeds. The change was largely due to the influence of their U.S. importer, Ben Lawee. The frames on Motobécane's mid-to-upper bikes were typically
330:
551:. Motobécane broke ranks with most other French manufacturers in the mid-70s, using Swiss-threaded bottom brackets (also difficult to find replacement parts for now). Swiss bottom brackets were identical to French, save that the fixed cups were reverse-threaded (like English ones), making them immune to loosening by precession. For more information, see
342:
452:
they produced the single-cylinder D45 motorbike that filled a need for cheap transportation. The successor was the Z46, equipped with modern suspension. Like many
European motorcycle manufacturers, the 1960s proved difficult for Motobécane as cars became affordable. As a result, sales decreased. The
601:
The motorcycles up to the V40 version without shock absorbers. The 'bike with auxiliary engine', had a maximum speed of 25 km/h (16 mph) and were limited to 0.23 kW (0.31 bhp). After this series and from 1961, with the use of
Japanese parts and adding rear suspension, the Models
542:
In the early '80s Motobécane launched a new range of bikes under the "Profil" name. These bikes were made from 2040 tubing and this had been "Ovaled" or formed into a tear-drop shape to aid aerodynamics (supposedly one of the first bikes designed in a wind tunnel). They included some hidden cabling
637:
system. The emphasis was on weight reduction, and the vehicle weighed just over 30 kg, of which approximately 28 kg was accounted for by mechanical components and just 4 kg by the light metal lozenge style body. A single central fin on the tail-piece of the body was featured not for
499:
lugs. Unlike most French makers of the era, Motobecane used Swiss thread bottom brackets for most models. Motobécane finished their frames in beautiful and high-quality paint, a practice not often followed in the French industry. Considered the second most prestigious French bicycle (after
645:
in
December 1961 showed the results of a serious Motobécane project to fight back by developing a small “quadricycle” format automobile. One of the pictures showed the Motobécane prototype on a boulevard near the company’s plant and the Porte de Valette being overtaken by a
535:, while the Super Touring and Grand Jubilé had a single top tube sloping down towards the seat tube, but diverging into twin lateral stays just before the seat tube. Later mixte Grand Touring models also used this design. Motobécane also produced a
546:
French bicycles before 1980 often used French-threaded bottom brackets (now difficult to find replacement parts for). French bottom brackets, like
Italian ones, used right-hand threading on the fixed cups, making them subject to loosening by
661:. Power came from a 125 cc two stroke engine installed at an angle of 7 degrees from the vertical in order to keep the flat front hood/bonnet low enough for the windscreen to be foldable forwards over it in the manner of a traditional
589:
under the name Suvega. In the UK Raleigh manufactured
Mobylettes under licence from Motobecane as the "RM" series from 1960 until 1971. In the late 1960s these "Raleigh" mopeds accounted for 38% of UK moped sales. American retailer
420:
For many years
Motobecane was France's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Charles Benoit and Abel Bardin joined in 1922 and designed their first motorcycle in 1923, a 175 cc (10.7 cu in) single cylinder
628:
In 1942, responding to the disappearance of civilian fuel supplies, the directors instructed an engineer called Éric
Jaulmes to look into the possibility of producing a two-seater pedal car to compete with the
826:
457:
motorcycles also hurt sales. They continued to produce two-cylinder 125cc motorcycles throughout the 1970s. They also manufactured a small number of two-stroke, three-cylinder 350cc and 500cc bikes.
641:
During the 1950s and 1960s automobile use and ownership in France grew consistently, and much of this growth came at the expense of motorcycle producers. Long lens photographs appearing in
1275:
899:
261:
1265:
561:
The name Motobécane is also used for current bikes of
Taiwanese manufacture. These vehicles bear no relation to the older French made bicycles, other than the name.
1017:
892:
665:. The prototype's motor-cycle connections were apparent from the large spoked wheels which might not have survived on a production version of the car.
838:
877:
481:
885:
520:
1280:
653:
Although the manufacturer was unfamiliar with automobile technology, they were happy to incorporate into the design a form of the innovative
585:, in 1949; over the next 48 years, Motobécane manufactured 14 million Mobylettes. In India the same model was manufactured under licence by
376:, and other small vehicles, established in 1923. "Motobécane" is a compound of "moto", short for motorcycle; "bécane" is slang for "bike."
1255:
668:
Both a two-seater “KM2” microcar and a “KM2U” microvan were foreseen. In the event, however, neither passed beyond the prototype stage.
1010:
1285:
496:
465:
1270:
543:
through the top tube and full use of
Shimano's Adamax 600 ax components which had been designed specifically for aerodynamics.
425:-engined bike. By the 1930s Motobecane was producing a best-selling range of motorcycles. In 1933, they produced their first
141:
1003:
602:
V50 and higher were able to reach a speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) hour and with a power of 1.2 kW (1.6 bhp).
113:
548:
120:
907:
240:
222:
160:
63:
204:
654:
620:
After being acquired by Yamaha, MBK Industrie continued producing mopeds, becoming a force in French moped racing.
127:
1260:
633:. The result was a three-wheel pedal car. Pedal power reached the single rear wheel via a chain and an 8-speed
558:
In addition, French headsets are sized and threaded slightly differently from the more common
English headset.
189:
98:
94:
49:
1219:
552:
109:
1250:
461:
842:
405:
379:
Motobécane is a different corporation from Motobecane USA, which imports a wide range of bicycles from
17:
384:
437:
motorcycle in 500 and 750 cc (31 and 46 cu in). During this period, the firm entered
1173:
401:
1133:
1097:
1067:
477:
354:
200:
87:
697:
1082:
429:
machine with 250 cc (15 cu in) capacity. During the 1930s, they manufactured a
134:
1077:
974:
745:
8:
740:
430:
196:
954:
532:
434:
524:
55:
642:
595:
1138:
1118:
934:
676:
Under the name MBK Industrie, the company continues to manufacture scooters for the
658:
1168:
634:
586:
488:
449:
1204:
591:
350:
1062:
1057:
1042:
995:
536:
501:
1244:
1209:
1128:
512:
1143:
394:
492:
484:
409:
400:
In 1981, the original Motobécane filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by
1092:
464:
claiming several victories in the 125cc class and finishing second in the
939:
647:
606:
442:
438:
426:
287:
329:
1229:
1158:
722:
Strange, Al (July 5, 1978). "Moped traveler likes to see the country".
422:
373:
341:
334:
460:
For a time in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the company competed in
1087:
594:
imported Motobecane mopeds and sold them via their catalog under the
582:
528:
388:
207:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
76:
1224:
279:
569:
1188:
1027:
630:
610:
365:
260:
778:
Toutes les voitures françaises 1940 - 46 (Les années sans salon)
638:
aerodynamic reasons but in order to accommodate the rear wheel.
1178:
1163:
1123:
1113:
1052:
979:
969:
964:
959:
949:
929:
910:
677:
614:
505:
380:
283:
861:
1214:
1183:
1153:
1148:
1047:
984:
924:
578:
516:
454:
369:
346:
869:
662:
810:
Toutes les voitures françaises 1962 (Salon Paris oct 1961)
839:"Another picture of a Motobécane Microcar KM2 prototype"
609:
rode a 50V 11,500 miles on a 3-month trip that began in
564:
504:, whose more durable design they emulated, but ahead of
412:. They also made fingerbar mowers at least up to 1981.
397:
won Tour de France on Motobecane branded bike in 1973.
1276:
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1981
323:
Bicycle and related components, mopeds and motorcycles
657:
which a few years later became a defining feature of
771:
769:
767:
765:
763:
1266:
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1923
101:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
803:
801:
799:
797:
795:
793:
791:
760:
519:versions; the mixte frame Grand Touring had twin
1242:
1025:
827:A picture of a Motobécane Microcar KM2 prototype
816:. Paris: Histoire & collections: 36. 1200.
788:
784:. Paris: Histoire & collections: 47. 2003.
1011:
893:
476:Motobécane was a major manufacturer in the
64:Learn how and when to remove these messages
1018:
1004:
900:
886:
259:
241:Learn how and when to remove this message
223:Learn how and when to remove this message
161:Learn how and when to remove this message
568:
340:
328:
721:
495:molybdenum/manganese steel tubing with
408:. The French company continues to make
14:
1243:
468:125cc road racing world championship.
999:
881:
735:
733:
715:
565:Mopeds and bike with auxiliary engine
1281:French companies established in 1923
172:
99:adding citations to reliable sources
70:
29:
24:
1256:Motorcycle manufacturers of France
730:
25:
1297:
853:
45:This article has multiple issues.
1286:1981 disestablishments in France
909:
655:infinitely variable transmission
177:
75:
34:
915:French motorcycle manufacturers
726:. Peace River, Alberta, Canada.
86:needs additional citations for
53:or discuss these issues on the
27:French manufacturer of bicycles
831:
820:
690:
515:bicycles, Motobécane produced
415:
13:
1:
1271:Cycle manufacturers of France
683:
553:bottom bracket specifications
364:was a French manufacturer of
698:"Tour Look Back: Luis Ocaña"
511:In addition to the standard
462:Grand Prix motorcycle racing
453:arrival of cheap, efficient
7:
671:
471:
203:the claims made and adding
10:
1302:
1197:
1106:
1035:
920:
441:competitions and won the
385:Kinesis Industry Co. Ltd.
345:Motobécane Nomade with a
319:
309:
301:
293:
275:
267:
258:
577:Motobécane introduced a
404:and reformed in 1984 as
623:
617:, and back to Toronto.
478:French bicycle industry
598:captive import brand.
574:
358:
338:
1261:Scooter manufacturers
572:
527:, extending from the
387:under the Motobécane
355:Madison Metro Transit
349:frame mounted on the
344:
332:
573:Motobécane Mobylette
95:improve this article
1251:Moped manufacturers
870:Chapleur collection
255:
955:Peugeot Motocycles
724:The Record-Gazette
605:In 1978, Canadian
575:
435:inline-four engine
359:
339:
253:
188:possibly contains
1238:
1237:
993:
992:
613:, brought him to
327:
326:
251:
250:
243:
233:
232:
225:
190:original research
171:
170:
163:
145:
68:
16:(Redirected from
1293:
1169:Olivier brothers
1020:
1013:
1006:
997:
996:
914:
913:
902:
895:
888:
879:
878:
874:
865:
864:
862:Official website
847:
846:
841:. Archived from
835:
829:
824:
818:
817:
805:
786:
785:
773:
758:
757:
755:
754:
737:
728:
727:
719:
713:
712:
710:
709:
694:
635:cycle-style gear
587:Mopeds India Ltd
450:Second World War
445:endurance race.
383:manufactured by
263:
256:
252:
246:
239:
228:
221:
217:
214:
208:
205:inline citations
181:
180:
173:
166:
159:
155:
152:
146:
144:
103:
79:
71:
60:
38:
37:
30:
21:
1301:
1300:
1296:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1291:
1290:
1241:
1240:
1239:
1234:
1193:
1102:
1031:
1024:
994:
989:
916:
908:
906:
872:
860:
859:
856:
851:
850:
837:
836:
832:
825:
821:
808:"Automobilia".
807:
806:
789:
776:"Automobilia".
775:
774:
761:
752:
750:
741:"MBK Industrie"
739:
738:
731:
720:
716:
707:
705:
702:PezCycling News
696:
695:
691:
686:
674:
626:
592:Montgomery Ward
567:
474:
418:
315:
247:
236:
235:
234:
229:
218:
212:
209:
194:
182:
178:
167:
156:
150:
147:
104:
102:
92:
80:
39:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1299:
1289:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1236:
1235:
1233:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1201:
1199:
1195:
1194:
1192:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1139:Gnome et Rhône
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1110:
1108:
1104:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1065:
1060:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1039:
1037:
1033:
1032:
1023:
1022:
1015:
1008:
1000:
991:
990:
988:
987:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
935:Gnome et Rhône
932:
927:
921:
918:
917:
905:
904:
897:
890:
882:
876:
875:
867:
855:
854:External links
852:
849:
848:
845:on 2012-03-21.
830:
819:
787:
759:
748:motor.eu - MBK
729:
714:
688:
687:
685:
682:
673:
670:
643:L’Auto-Journal
625:
622:
566:
563:
537:tandem bicycle
523:in place of a
473:
470:
417:
414:
325:
324:
321:
317:
316:
313:
311:
307:
306:
303:
299:
298:
295:
291:
290:
277:
273:
272:
269:
265:
264:
249:
248:
231:
230:
185:
183:
176:
169:
168:
83:
81:
74:
69:
43:
42:
40:
33:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1298:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1210:Hutchinson SA
1208:
1206:
1205:Clément Tyres
1203:
1202:
1200:
1196:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1111:
1109:
1105:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1069:
1068:Louison Bobet
1066:
1064:
1061:
1059:
1056:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1040:
1038:
1034:
1030:manufacturers
1029:
1021:
1016:
1014:
1009:
1007:
1002:
1001:
998:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
922:
919:
912:
903:
898:
896:
891:
889:
884:
883:
880:
871:
868:
863:
858:
857:
844:
840:
834:
828:
823:
815:
811:
804:
802:
800:
798:
796:
794:
792:
783:
779:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
749:
747:
742:
736:
734:
725:
718:
703:
699:
693:
689:
681:
679:
669:
666:
664:
660:
656:
651:
649:
644:
639:
636:
632:
621:
618:
616:
612:
608:
603:
599:
597:
593:
588:
584:
580:
571:
562:
559:
556:
554:
550:
544:
540:
538:
534:
530:
526:
522:
521:lateral stays
518:
514:
513:diamond frame
509:
507:
503:
498:
494:
490:
486:
483:
482:double-butted
479:
469:
467:
463:
458:
456:
451:
446:
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
424:
413:
411:
410:motorscooters
407:
403:
398:
396:
392:
390:
386:
382:
377:
375:
371:
367:
363:
356:
352:
348:
343:
336:
333:A Motobécane
331:
322:
318:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
289:
285:
281:
278:
274:
270:
266:
262:
257:
245:
242:
227:
224:
216:
206:
202:
198:
192:
191:
186:This article
184:
175:
174:
165:
162:
154:
143:
140:
136:
133:
129:
126:
122:
119:
115:
112: –
111:
107:
106:Find sources:
100:
96:
90:
89:
84:This article
82:
78:
73:
72:
67:
65:
58:
57:
52:
51:
46:
41:
32:
31:
19:
1072:
944:
843:the original
833:
822:
813:
809:
781:
777:
751:. Retrieved
744:
723:
717:
706:. Retrieved
704:. 2015-07-12
701:
692:
675:
667:
652:
640:
627:
619:
604:
600:
576:
560:
557:
545:
541:
510:
493:Reynolds 531
485:lugged steel
475:
459:
447:
433:shaft-drive
431:longitudinal
419:
399:
393:
378:
361:
360:
310:Headquarters
268:Company type
237:
219:
213:October 2009
210:
187:
157:
151:October 2009
148:
138:
131:
124:
117:
110:"Motobécane"
105:
93:Please help
88:verification
85:
61:
54:
48:
47:Please help
44:
940:Monet-Goyon
873:(in French)
648:Renault 4CV
607:Walter Muma
517:mixte frame
439:road racing
427:four-stroke
416:Motorcycles
374:motorcycles
288:Motorcycles
1245:Categories
1198:Components
1159:Manufrance
1144:René Herse
1073:Motobécane
945:Motobécane
753:2023-09-24
708:2021-09-16
684:References
549:precession
487:made from
448:After the
423:two-stroke
395:Luis Ocaña
362:Motobécane
335:head badge
254:Motobécane
197:improve it
121:newspapers
50:improve it
18:Motobecane
1134:Gladiator
1093:VéloSoleX
1088:Van Rysel
596:Riverside
583:Mobylette
533:seat tube
529:head tube
389:trademark
351:bike rack
201:verifying
56:talk page
1225:Michelin
1058:Lapierre
680:market.
678:European
672:Scooters
659:DAF cars
525:top tube
472:Bicycles
455:Japanese
443:Bol d'or
366:bicycles
320:Products
280:Bicycles
276:Industry
1230:Simplex
1189:Velocar
1119:Clément
1107:Defunct
1043:Peugeot
1036:Current
1028:bicycle
1026:French
631:Vélocar
611:Toronto
531:to the
502:Peugeot
302:Defunct
294:Founded
271:Private
195:Please
135:scholar
1179:Terrot
1174:Stella
1164:Mochet
1129:Follis
1124:Corima
1114:Alcyon
1053:Gitane
980:Terrot
970:Sherco
965:Scorpa
960:Ratier
950:Midual
930:Dresch
746:Yamaha
615:Alaska
581:, the
506:Gitane
497:Nervex
402:Yamaha
381:Taiwan
370:mopeds
314:France
284:Mopeds
137:
130:
123:
116:
108:
1220:Mavic
1215:Mafac
1184:Urago
1154:Matra
1149:Hurtu
1098:Vitus
1078:Solex
1048:Cyfac
985:Voxan
975:Solex
925:CEMEC
579:moped
489:Vitus
353:of a
347:mixte
142:JSTOR
128:books
1083:Time
1063:Look
663:Jeep
624:Cars
466:1980
357:bus.
305:1981
297:1923
114:news
866:USA
491:or
406:MBK
199:by
97:by
1247::
814:19
812:.
790:^
782:26
780:.
762:^
743:.
732:^
700:.
555:.
539:.
391:.
372:,
368:,
286:,
282:,
59:.
1019:e
1012:t
1005:v
901:e
894:t
887:v
756:.
711:.
337:.
244:)
238:(
226:)
220:(
215:)
211:(
193:.
164:)
158:(
153:)
149:(
139:·
132:·
125:·
118:·
91:.
66:)
62:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
