A Brief History of the Marque
Linx was a small Italian factory which from 1929 to 1941 produced a range of motorcycles employing engines from Blackburne, JAP, Piazza and Rudge of capacities ranging from 173cc to 598cc.
Giovanni Cerruti created the marque. The factory was located in via Massena n.5 Torino for the first three years of production, 1929 to 1931. During this period their motorcycles were constructed using mostly British components - Burman gearboxes, Blackburne side valve and ohv engines, Amal carburetors - in various displacements from the 175cc to powerful single cylinder 500 and 600cc models.
Then from 1932 they expanded the range to include engines from JAP and four-valve Rudge Python, the latter for sports bikes.
In 1933-34 they employed Rudge engines almost exclusively, including the 175cc, which was not in use in Britain, along with 350 and 500cc versions. They also fitted the Rudge 4-speed gearbox. Turismo, sport, super sport and corso models were on offer.
By 1935 the firm was experiencing pressure from the fascist regime to cease using British imports, and began using Piazza powerplants from SAMP of Torino, producing a very attractive 500 equipped with this powerful engine.
Production continued until 1940 using various types of engines including the Mercury built in Torino under licence to Matchless.
Models included:
Stefano Milani in his monumental work on Italian machinery devotes over 6 pages to the marque.
Sources: Tragatsch, Milani, motoclubstoricoconti.it.
Sat Sep 08 2007
marticelli at hotmaildot com
Linx (?) motorcycle
350 Blackburne
I have owned a rare unrestored Italian motorcycle for some time which has so far resisted identification, although I suspect it may be a Linx from the early 30s. I am Blackburne Marque Specialist in the VMCC.
Scotland
I believe Linx is the manufacturer of the saddle, but it will take a bit more information to convince me that they built the machine. Ed.
Update: it is written in a forum post (motoclub-tingavert.it) that in 1934 Linx was "selling motorcycle supplies, famous are the interchangeable hubs and the forks made with conical tubes as well as many parts in light alloy..."
...............
It is a real mystery bike. It was brought to the UK after the war by a British soldier returning from Italy and has languished unloved and untouched in a shed near Birmngham since then. A few years ago I was contacted as the engine bears a brass label as you can see, proclaiming Blackburne manufacture as I am the Blackburne marque specialist in the VMCC. However, this is not a Blackburne engine but possibly a Sturmey Archer or similar proprietary unit of the late twenties or early thirties. All the levers and minor parts are Italian, which would appear to confirm the country of origin.
I have had much contact with Italian enthusiasts ( I used to travel regularly there on space business with the European Space Agency) and have a four volume encyclopedia of Italian motorcycles from 1895-1945 by Stefano Milani which lists many Italian machines fitted with 'Blackburne' engines including Linx but none illustrated look much like my machine. Not all models are illustrated however, so this is not exactly surprising.
Any help you can offer to identify the machine would be appreciated, and I can let you have copies of the Linx entry from Milani in the unlikely event you haven't seen or don't know about this excellent work. I should also say that, in view of it not being Blackburne engined, I am prepared to sell it on to someone interested to restore it, as I have several other genuine Blackburne-engined bikes awaiting restoration or repair and this 'cuckoo' might be better owned by someone more into Italian machines than I am.
Cheers for now and thanks for the reply
Martin
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