The 4½ h.p. Excelsior, designed for economical sidecar work.
4½ h.p. British Excelsior Revived.
DESPITE the general tendency for the sidecar machine to become a de luxe outfit with, in some cases, over-elaborated equipment, there are still manufacturers who appreciate the value of the market which exists for a machine at a more popular price. To render such machines a commercial proposition, many post-war luxuries, such as enclosed chain drive, dynamo lighting, hoods, screens, and detachable wheels, have to be omitted. Some, however, savour this simplicity.
Among the several machines of this type now available is the new 4½ h.p. Excelsior, which embodies an 86x112 mm. (650 c.c.) engine, with which the makers were very successful before the war, and a conventional specification includes Sturmey-Archer gear, 650x65 mm. Dunlop tyres, Hans Renold 5/8 x 3/8 in. chain, lin. Dunlop belt, C.A.V. magneto, Senspray carburetter, and Druid forks.
The price of the machine is £125, or with coachbuilt sidecar £160. The makers are Bayliss, Thomas and Co., King's Road, Tyseley, Birmingham.
The Motor Cycle August 26th, 1920. Page 247
The new Excelsior Duplex mount has a two-stroke Villiers engine and is intended for either sex.
Very noticeable is the massive taper construction of the 8 h.p. Excelsior steering head.
A powerful sidecar mount - the 8 h.p. British Excelsior with Blackburne outside flywheel engine.
BRITISH EXCELSIOR. (Stand 67.)
2¾ h.p. Blackburne; 71x88 mm. (349 c.c); single-cylinder four-stroke; side-by-side valves; drip feed lubrication; Amac carburetter; M-L chain-driven magneto; two-speed Sturmey-Archer gear; chain and belt drive; 26x2¼ in. tyres. Price £96.
Bayliss, Thomas and Co., Ltd., King's Road, Tyseley, Birmingham.
An extensive range of lightweight machines provided by this firm, as in addition to the Blackburne-engined model, with two-speed gear, clutch, and kick-starter, a similar model may be obtained with a 2½ h.p. Villiers two-stroke engine. This, again may be equipped with a plain two-speed gear box, or it may be single-geared, thus providing a range of four models on the same general lines. With footboards, curved mud shields and ample mudguards, the Excelsior should be a lightweight suitable for any weather.
2½ h.p.; 70 x 70 mm. (269 c.c.); single-cylinder two-stroke; drip feed lubrication; B. and B. carburetter; flywheel magneto; single-speed gear; belt drive; 24x2¼ in. tyres. Price £49 10s.
Considerable interest is aroused by the new semi-open frame Excelsior light-weight, as much for its simple and strong construction as for the attractive price at which it is to be marketed. The saddle position is extremely low, but this is not gained at the expense of the riding position. The machine may, if desired, be fitted with a two-speed gear, clutch, and kick starter, when the price is £66
4½ h.p.; 86x112 mm. (650 c.c.); single-cylinder fourstroke; side-by-side valves; drip feed lubrication; Amac carburetter; C.A.V. chain-driven magneto; three-speed Sturmey-Archer gear; chain and belt drive; 650x65 mm. tyres. Price £125.
The 4½ h.p. big single model is a modification of a pre-war machine that gained an enviable reputation for side-car work and hill-climbing. It is designed as a sidecar machine at moderate cost which shall be economical to run, and it is of robust construction. In particular, the strength of the steering head should be noticed. Engine lubrication is another point which has received considerable attention.
8 h.p.; 85.5x85 mm. (976 c.c.); twin-cylinder four-stroke; side-by-side valves; drip feed lubrication; Amac carburetter; chain-driven Magdyno; three-speed Sturmey-Archer gear; chain drive; 28x3in. tyres. Price £243 3s.
The 8 h.p. model, a luxurious sidecar outfit, is on the same lines as other Excelsior sidecar models, but all-chain drive is employed with interchangeable and detachable wheels, and among the many refinements should be mentioned the fitting of a Lucas Magdyno. This model may also be obtained with either the 6 h.p. J.A.P. engine or with the 10 h.p. Blackburne engine, and if desired it may be purchased as a cheaper model devoid of the ultra luxurious fittings. A new internal expanding front wheel brake is also shown, and will be added in the near future.
Olympia Show, 1920
The Motor Cycle, December 2nd, 1920.
