A Brief History of the Marque
Manufactured by A. Biboud et Cie, 44 Rue de Mortillet, Grenoble (Isere). Established c.1924. The Biboud brand was probably also used.
1928: The first machines were built using JAP engines, and were available for the 1929 season. The motorcycles had components by AYA, Webb and Staub.
1932: Introduced BMA machines with Aubier-Dunne engines of 100cc.
1934: Ultima engines were introduced, replacing JAP.
1945: Machines are powered mostly by Ydral and Sachs, with engine capacities of 125 to 250cc.
1951: Liberia mopeds with 48-98cc Sachs engines are introduced. At the 1951 Salon a scooter powererd by a 2 speed 98cc Sachs engine is displayed.
1952: Liberia with an L45 125cc Ydral engine introduced, sporting a 4 speed gearbox and dual exhausts. Fitted Cucciolo engines under licence from Rocher.
1953: Italianate styling for the new models which included machines powered by a Sachs 150cc and AMC 175 OHV engines. A total of 87 machines were produced that year.
1954: The Alouette moped/scooter with a 2 speed 98cc Sachs engine appeared at the Salon de Paris. AMC engines were no longer fitted.
1958: Liberia is facing difficulties and the price of their machines is higher than much of the competition. Production figures remain low at just over 1400 units, with 18 different models in the range. Cyclomoteurs up to 75cc and velomoteurs of 98cc to 175cc were named for French mountains - Mont Dauphin, Mont Faron, Mont Blanc, etc.
1963: The last Liberia motorcycle is produced.
The firm was also a cycle producer building as many as 35,000 bicycles annually, and in the early 1980s they became the first French company to manufacture ATVs. They also built electric bicycles, before closing in 1996.
Sources: Tragatsch, club-ydral.net, nostalgie-motos.fr, et al.
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