Description
Magnat Debon 1930 “NMOSS2” 500cc OHV two-port Blackburne frame # 109625 engine # GEA1776
In the year 1900 Joseph Magnat and Louis Debon founded a firm that started to produce bicycles in the town of Grenoble. In 1902 their first motorcycle was produced, equipped with a De Dion Bouton engine. In the years before the first world war the firm prospered: the machines had many novel features such a telescopic front suspension and overhead valves. Both founders died at the end of the war and in the early twenties the company got into financial problems. In 1922 the firm was taken over by the Terrot company. For a number of years the machines of Terrot and Magnat Debon kept their own identities: the Magnat Debons were mostly equipped with English Blackburne engines while some of the the Terrots had JAPs. In this way separate agencies could be kept and in the market the two makes operated as separate companies. From around 1930 the machines were practically identical, including the sturdy and reliable 70 x 90 mm side valve power source of Terrot’s own manufacture. For 1930 Magnat Debon offered two 500cc OHV models, the “NMOSS Supersport” with single exhaust and the “NMOSS2 Racing” with two-port exhaust, both powered by the well-known British Blackburne proprietary engine with bore x stroke dimensions of 81x97mm. This machine comes with full electric lighting, Amac carburettor, steering damper and aluminium exhaust dampers with Magnat Debon logo. The tyres are 4.00×19 and there’s an auxiliary hand pump on the oil tank, operated by a lever on the right-hand side of the handlebar. This sports Magnat Debon comes from a private collection, but unfortunately the owner passed away before he could finish his restauration work.