Description
Motosacoche 1926 350 cc OHV MAG “ Franconi” frame# 2650 engine# 1C14 G No. 84328
In 1899 the brothers Henri and Armand Dufaux from Geneva, Switzerland, designed a little four-stroke engine.
This compact unit could be bolted into the frame of any ordinary pushbike: The "Motosacoche" -which approximately means "engine-bag"- was born! Very soon the quality and practical utility of the invention became known even far beyond the Swiss territory.
Gradually the engines became bigger and more powerful, twin cylinders were produced and the initial idea of a motorized pedal-bike was given up. The factory built complete motorbikes under the "Motosacoche" label, but kept on selling M.A.G. (Motosacoche/ Acacias/ Genève)-engines to many well known manufacturers in France, England, Germany, Austria and Italy.
In France and Italy there were even factories producing Motosacoche motorcycles under licence.
This machine has bore x stroke dimensions of 72×85 mm and the cylinder head appears to be identical to that of the 700 cc OHV sports twin; note the typical angle of the intake port. Saddle is Lycett, gearbox Sturmey Archer and the mechanical oil pump is supplied by Best&Lloyd.
This “ Franconi” is an “over the counter” racer that was named after one of the most successful Motosacoche racing men from the 1920s, Francesco Franconi.
The machine is well fettled and very fast indeed.