Clément 1903 Autocyclette 1¾ hp Model B 142 cc OHV engine # LM465
Adolphe Clément, born in 1855, becomes an orphan at an early age. He’s very interested in things mechanical and, as an apprentice at the village blacksmith’s, manages to build a simple bicycle out of wood for his own use. When he’s 17 he leaves his village on this bicycle to seek his fortune in other parts of France. In 1876 he starts to take part in cycle races and sets up a small cycle manufacture. He decides to move to Paris and in 1880 he establishes a cycle business at the Rue Brunel under the brand name of “Clément”. This business is successful and pretty soon he has 150 labourers working on the manufacture of his bicycles. In 1889 he visits the cycle exhibition in London and witnesses a demonstration of the Dunlop pneumatic tyre. One of his companions advises him to secure the manufacturing rights for France of this new invention. Adolphe is rather hesitant, but finally agrees. The Dunlop tyres become a huge success and are sold in fantastic numbers in France: Clément soon becomes a millionaire. He forms a huge bicycle factory by combining the companies of Clément, Gladiator and Humber-France. From 1895 on he starts to focus on motorized vehicles: first tricycles, quadricycles and cars and in 1902 he enters the field of motorized bicycles with a small engine of 126 cc capacity.
This engine has an automatic inlet valve, an overhead exhaust valve and an external flywheel. The cylindrical tank with petrol and oil compartments and hand operated oil pump is fixed behind the saddle and the ignition coil and battery are stored in a leather case that is strapped to the horizontal frame tube. There are three levers on the top tube: the front one controls the ignition advance, the other two control the petrol/air mixture. The brake is applied by a handlebar lever and works on the front tyre. Mudguards are not standard: they can be ordered for an extra 10 Francs.
These very light machines – they weigh less than 30 kilos – become popular and quite a few are sold as complete machines fixed to a Clément or Gladiator cycle for a price of 775 Francs. For 500 Francs you can buy a complete engine with fittings to mount on any bicycle. In Britain the Clément-Garrard is well known at the time; in Titch Allen’s “The Second Vintage Road Test Journal” is an informative road test of a 1903 Clément-Garrard. Despite their modest capacity these little engines are surprisingly lively.
In 1903 the customers can choose between the 126 cc 1hp engine with bore x stroke of 55x53mm for 675 Francs or the 142 cc 1¾hp with bore x stroke of 60x50mm for 850 Francs. That’s also the last year of the clip-on engine, the 1904 models have the engine vertically set in the frame.
This Clément has been excellently restored some 35 years ago (!) and has since been part of a private collection. She’s an eye-catching example of a very early product of the French motorcycle industry and comes with graceful wooden mudguards, beautiful “Twentieth Century” oil lamp and period bell. The saddle is a well- sprung “Hygina” product; the saddle mount holds a little oil squirt and above the bottom bracket we find an original “Clement” tyre pump.
Meer informatie:
https://www.yesterdays.nl/product/clement-1903-autocyclette-1¾-hp-model-b-142-cc-1-cyl-ohv-3501/