Primus was a motorcycle produced between 1902 and 1903, by the Primus Motor Works at Loughborough Junction, London.
This machine was a primitive and very short lived. The company also produced the Ixion for an equally brief period. This was almost certainly built under license from Leon Cordonnier of Ixion in France
For information on the relationship between the various Ixion marques, see Disambiguation
1903 A complete machine was offered, fitted with a 1½ hp engine, hung from the frame top-tube to drive the rear wheel by belt.
1904 Engine power had increased to 3hp and it was vertically mounted ahead of the bottom bracket. It still had direct-belt drive and its frame was still based on a heavy-duty bicycle with unbraced forks.
114. The Primus Motor Co., London are showing three machines fitted with the two stroke motor. This motor has beer described in "Motor Cycling", but several improvements have been introduced, notably in the carburetter. The sparking mechanism is improved considerably. The machines are fitted with spring seat pillars and are of good finish throughout. This is the lightest motor-bicycle on the market, scaling only 65 lbs., and the price remarkably reasonable, viz., £27 10s. complete, or outfit £15 15s. For next season the company will have a belt driver on the market, in addition to the front driver; this will have the motor fixed on the main down tube in a vertical portion. This type of motor has no valves or timing gear, and its construction is exceedingly simple, moreover, it can be adapted to the average roadster bicycle.
1902 Stanley Show in Motor Cycling, November 26th, 1902. Page 275
Notes
Ixion of Birmingham produced machines of the same name between 1910 and 1923.
Source: Graces Guide
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