Belgian brand Minerva hasn't featured on this blog before so here to rectify this is the below photo. I would put the date of the bike as circa 1905 - the Minerva v twin was introduced in 1905 and this one has a trembler coil rather than magneto. The bike seems to have been modified as the pedal gear has been removed and footboards fitted.
For an excellent history of Minerva motorcycles check the Minerva Motocyclettes 1900 - 1909 site.
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| c 1905 Minerva v twin. |
Attractive machine. I like the placement of the tire pump, above the top bar. Out of the way but secure and handy and if in good condition (even plated) an attractive accessory.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderous machine isn't it! Have you noticed the unusual three tone horn on the handlebars too?
DeleteAh-ha. I had noticed it was unusual somehow but didn't realize it would produce three tones. Must have sounded great. What do you make of the apparently pedal operated racheted bar that appears under the rear frame? Perhaps this somehow extends the bottom run of the frame to adjust tension on the drive belt?
DeleteI've got to confess that I cannot really work out what is going on there. Originally the bike would have had pedalling gear to start it. The font footboard mounting goes where the pedal crank would have been. There's a rear acting pedal there that one would assume is a brake but I cannot see where it goes to. There is a brake rod but the line of it does not run to the lever. I think looking at a picture of an unmodified bike that there is a small diameter contracting band brake on the rear wheel. Originally this was operated by back pedalling. On this machine the brake has been modded to lever operation.
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