The Golden Era of Belgian Motorcycles

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Last May, during the Vintage Montlhéry Revival, I had a chance to meet the Belgian crew from the Moto retro club of Famenne Ardenne. We took time around a Trappist beer to discover three of the best Belgian single bikes ever. A FN(Fabrique Nationale) 500 M67 type from 1930, a Gillet Herstal 550 "Compé-Client" from 1929 and a Sarolea 50, 245 type from 1929.

Enjoy !

Thanks for the beer to Vincent Derdeyn Rider of the Gillet Herstal

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Montlhéry Vintage Revival 2011 *part3*

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And now, my favorites ones, shot with Hasselblad and Kodak 160 NC

Bugatti T59

Darmont-Étoile de France (1933). The engine is an air-cooled 50º 1.100cc V2 engine. Maximum speed of this model around 110 Km/h, which is approximately 68 mph, with a 1.100cc Darmont-Spécial engine the speed was 125 Km/h (78 mph). The standard colour of the car was blue. The car was sold with two forward speeds and no reverse, three forward speeds and reverse were available as an extra.

Bugatti Brescia





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Montlhéry Vintage Revival 2011 *part2*

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Frazer-Nash BMW 328 1937

Amilcar CS 1923

Delahaye 135 MS



Graham 8 Lucenti Indianapolis Racer 1934

Bugatti Type 51 1932


Riley Special 1936

Bugatti type 43 GS 1927

Bugatti 35/51 1931

Triumph Wicksteed Supercharged 1939 (Brooklands Museum)

Zenith KTR 1924

Launched in 1937, the Triumph Speed Twin designed by Edward Turner was the most successful British motorcycle of his time. Ivan Wicksteed and friend Marius Winslow were captivated by the 500 Speed Twin at the motorcycle show in 1937. They purchased one with the intention of setting new records at Brooklands, after a serie of tunings, the Triumph broke comfortably the record of 100mph at 118,02mph.
(Brooklands museum)

Ajs Sprint racer Big Port 1938

Motosacoche 306 1927

Didier Coste

Norton Inter 1933

Gillet Herstal 500 Compé- Client 1929

Motosacoche 403 Franconi 1921

Simplex 750

Indian 8valves 1915

Franck Chatokhine

Jérome Coste

Buick Shafer 8 Indianapolis 1932



Paul D'Orleans

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