The Merkel Motorcycle

These machines and their riders enabled merkel to develop a patented spring front fork that was to become the forerunner of the modern telescopic front fork.

The merkel motorcycle. The final merkel motorcycles were produced in 1917. Started out as a bicycle manufacturer but in 1903 joseph merkel also manufactured single cylinder motor cycles. By 1905 merkel had decided to engage in competition and produced several racing machines. The founder of the company joe merkel began designing engines for motorcycles in 1902 and built his own motorcycles beginning in 1903 including a one cylinder engine with a capacity of 316 cc which was also used in the contemporary indian.

Merkel was among the most innovative of the pioneer motorcycle companies. From merkel motorcycle to massive forge msoe show features local innovation milwaukee has a rich history of engineering mastery some of which is on display at msoe s grohmann museum. By 1905 merkel had decided to engage in competition and produced several racing machines. Merkel s motorcycles were to set many performance standards in the emerging american racing scene.

Merkel merkel light and most famously flying merkel. The merkel motor co. The flying merkel bicycle which had been introduced in 1912 was continued until the 1923 model year when the miami cycle manufacturing company was sold to westfield manufacturing. Production numbers were low but fortunately one managed to survive the test of time.

Let s focus on cleo today cleo was a prolific racer for merkel and indian before the war. History the merkel brand first appeared in milwaukee wisconsin in 1902 when joseph merkel set up shop producing single cylinder motorcycles. Then was a fighter pilot in wwi where he shot down numerous planes and was actually shot down himself and was a prisoner of war. Merkel was among the most innovative of the pioneer motorcycle companies.

Merkel was an early pioneer among motorcycle companies and in 1905 merkel produced several racing machines which set the performance standards in early american racing. The flying merkel was a motorcycle of the american company merkel in milwaukee which relocated later to middletown ohio. Joseph merkel only manufactured motorcycles for a mere 15 years and traded under three different names. This fork became the instrument of choice on racing machines of other.

Merkel s motorcycles were to set many performance standards in the emerging american racing scene. The flying merkel is a motorcycle remembered today as one of the most important engineering achievements of the formative years of motorcycle development.