1911 Racycle

[Tommo]

The attached Advance Sheet for the 1911 Racycle was recently retrieved by me from a box of papers that were destined for a fire.
I just happened to be at a chaps place while a major clean-up was taking place and a brown envelope with an American stamp on it caught my eye.
"Don't you want that" I enquired. "Take it, it's yours" was the reply.
When I extracted the Racycle leaflet from the envelope there was a very red face on the person concerned and it wasn't from the heat of the fire.
He just shrugged his shoulders and said "You better keep it, It'll be safer in your hands than in mine"
Moral of the story is check everything during clean-outs as you never know what may have accidently dropped into that box or bin.

[painterdale]

That was a close call! Looks to be in amazing shape for a document that age. Nice find.

Dale

[exeric]

I don't know how I missed this, but sure glad you saved it from the fire Peter. I think the Raycycle is one of the gems from it's era, but got over-shadowed by the Flying Merkel when it moved to Miami Cycle. There were so many excellent motorcycles in that period of time, but Henry Ford's Model T, the inevitable 3 speed transmission, WW 1, and the superiority of Indians, and Harleys made it a hard road for anyone else. If you were a teenager in 1911, and had enough hard earned money saved up, you would probably buy an Indian, or Harley; particularly if there was a dealer in your region. You'd be kind of crazy to buy a Royal Pioneer, Raycycle, Torpedo, or Jefferson if you were out in the middle of nowhere. Sure glad a few people did, and that at least one of each of those rare motorcycles survived.

[bobbyt]

In 1911 Indian was the largest producer of motorcycles in the U.S.; Excelsior was the second largest and Harley was probably third. The factory built their 10,000th machine in the first part of 1910; Harley didn’t reach that number until a little more than a year later. Harley didn’t surpass the factory until the mid-teens. Also, by late 1911 Excelsior had garnered a reputation as a performance machine, which was further enhanced by the Humiston Comet. In his scrapbooks Clymer commented on being surprised at the performance of a Harley in the mid-teens, as Excelsior were considered the fast machines.

The Indian-Harley rivalry, or competition, wasn’t really a “thing” until the twenties, really the late twenties. It became more so in the thirties and forties. When we paint an image of a point in history, we often project backwards, depicting situations or circumstances from a later period in earlier one.

Bob Turek
#769

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Tommo, that Racycle brochure needs to be part of the AMCA Virtual Library. Can anyone out there tell me what's happening on that front? I sent Lake and Rikuo brochures a year ago and haven't seen them in the library yet.

[exeric]

A member informed me that there is no complete, or true Jefferson motorcycle currently known; so I spoke out of turn when I said there was at least one in existence. The Waverly, Jefferson, P.E.M. story is interesting, complicated, mysterious and beyond my scope of knowledge. It would be great to have members post things they know about this obscure marque.

[exeric]

In 1911 Indian was the largest producer of motorcycles in the U.S.; Excelsior was the second largest and Harley was probably third. The factory built their 10,000th machine in the first part of 1910; Harley didn’t reach that number until a little more than a year later. Harley didn’t surpass the factory until the mid-teens. Also, by late 1911 Excelsior had garnered a reputation as a performance machine, which was further enhanced by the Humiston Comet. In his scrapbooks Clymer commented on being surprised at the performance of a Harley in the mid-teens, as Excelsior were considered the fast machines.

The Indian-Harley rivalry, or competition, wasn’t really a “thing” until the twenties, really the late twenties. It became more so in the thirties and forties. When we paint an image of a point in history, we often project backwards, depicting situations or circumstances from a later period in earlier one.

Bob Turek
#769

Holy cow! How could I have left out Excelsior from the Big 3? When you look at vintage motorcycle photographs from circa 1910-1916 you can see why Excelsior was such a viable player because there always seems to be an Excelsior in those group photos.

[painterdale]

I know nothing about the Jefferson marque. In fact I had never heard of them. Just figured they were one of many obscure makes I had never known about. Which is the reason I clicked these pictures. So what would this be if there are no known examples? Now I'm curious.
Dale

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[Tommo]

Steve,
If I read it right the last AMCA magazine had a report stating that the Antique Motorcycle Foundation was taking over the Virtual Library and that it was still undecided as to whether or not members will have to pay to access or download from it.
If its user pays why should I give them something that I've spent a lot of money and years collecting and then have them gain financially from it.
It's a bit like you giving your VL book away at no charge to whoever wants it.
If members still had free access to it, downloads included, I would be a lot more receptive to donating downloads from my extensive library collection but until things are a lot more certain I'll just sit on the fence.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Tommo, Jon Radermacher said in the Nov/Dec magazine 'The Foundation will convert the current Virtual Library into a professional grade, searchable archive that will store thousands of scanned copies of historic documents. Downloads of some files will be exclusively available to AMCA members.' I don't think this implies charging, but will check and report back. As he said thousands rather than the existing hundreds of documents, I hope this means a big expansion of our Virtual Library, which I see as a major resource and a feature (like judging) that sets the AMCA apart from other old bike clubs. Don't hold back from donating your rare literature - information is the single most valuable resource when you have a new bike. George Yarocki donated all of his literature collection, that early Harley stuff comes from Bruce Linsday, and we had a major donation of four cylinder literature for scanning before it went up for auction.

[Tom Wilcock]

Eric: There was a local Waverley/PEM/Jefferson in my area. He also raced a Jefferson and rode one with a sidecar on the road. Years ago I was fortunate to acquire paperwork from his dealership which includes sales brochures for Waverley and PEM, some of which are brand new. I have photos, trophies and also have what I think is the engine (or spare) from his racer with some other parts. I hope to have a running Waverley motorcycle in a couple of years.

[Tom Wilcock]

Eric: I meant to say there was a Waverley/PEM/Jefferson dealer in my area.

[exeric]

Thanks for posting the sales brochures, Tom. From the specifications, it's apparent the Waverly (etc.) was a very high quality, and advanced motorcycle. It's also worth noting how beautiful, and classy advertising literature was in those days.

[pem]

[QUOTE=painterdale;168916]I know nothing about the Jefferson marque. In fact I had never heard of them. Just figured they were one of many obscure makes I had never known about. Which is the reason I clicked these pictures. So what would this be if there are no known examples? Now I'm curious.
Dale+

Hi Dale, I've been researching Perry Mack and his motorcycle, the P.E.M. and his motorcycle motors, the Waverley Motor and the Mack Motor, since about 1990. It is a very confusing history with twists and turns. He started out in 1904/05 at Harley-Davidson where he worked and raced and won on one of their first five production motorcycles ever built. He kind of disappeared after 1906 until 1910 when Perry introduced his first overhead valve single cylinder motor the "Waverley". He used his motor in 1910 in a pre-production motorcycle called the Waverley but in reality it was just his motor in a 1909 Indian frame. He went on to build the P.E.M. motorcycle in Jefferson, WI. at his Waverley Mfg. Co. in 1912. He left the Waverley Mfg. Co., I now believe, in the fall of 1912, 6 months after the release of his P.E.M. in March and possibly he was gone from Jefferson as early as May. There is a motorcycle magazine article from May 1912 that says he might be going back to work with Harley-Davidson again. No production Waverley motorcycles were ever built or released for sale. There were ads for the Waverley motorcycle in early 1912 but the name was changed at the last minute to P.E.M. The Jefferson motorcycles were built by the Waverley Mfg. Co. in late 1912 and then from 1913 on using Perry's P.E.M. as a base. A man named Frank Kitlitschko Jr. was the new superintendent at Waverley and I believe is responsible for the Jefferson motorcycle. He is also the man behind the 1908 Comet motorcycle.

The P.E.M., according to a 1913 Jefferson Motorcycle ad, won 37 out of 47 races in 1912. Both the P.E.M. and Jefferson single racers were winning races all across America in 1012 and 1913. Shortly afterword both Harley and Indian had there own over-head valve racers.

The P.E.M. and Jefferson motorcycles used Perry's single and twin cylinder Waverley Motors. Not to be confused with Perry's single and twin cylinder 1913 Mack Motors. Perry's twin Mack Motors were used mostly in cyclecars in 1913/14. The Mack Motors clearly said "Mack" on the cases as does the Waverley say"Waverley" on their cases. One of the big differences in the two motors is how the head is attached to the cylinders and cases.

I only know of one real P.E.M. motorcycle and that was Joe Kollers. I don't know of any real Jefferson twin cylinder motorcycles. There are a number of "Fantasy" Jefferson racers out there of which some use the machined down version of the Mack twin cylinder cyclecar motor. And I did see one single cylinder Jefferson "Fantasy" motorcycle using a single cylinder Mack Motor. The only single cylinder Mack Motor in the world that I know of. There are a handful of Waverley single cylinder motors out there in reproduction Jefferson frames and I know of only two twin cylinder Waverley Motors. Both were at one time owned by John Giorno. Doc Patt had a real Waverley twin that he sold back in the day and is now in a fantasy bike on the west coast. The other twin is still with a member of this site as far as I know. I'll include some photos that I have collected over the years to confuse you more. I know of one real Jefferson gas/oil tank that I should of bought back in the 1990's at Davenport. I'll post a pic.

There isn't enough room here to thoroughly discuss Perry's motors and motorcycles or his many other exploits. I recently obtained an interview that Herb Wagner did with a man who worked with Perry at Briggs & Stratton. In this interview we really find out what Perry was like. He was a speed demon until the day he died. He didn't like to talk on a telephone. He loved guns. He never drove his Packard's to work. Always taking the bus and carrying his bag lunch. He was the last person to talk in a room full of people and didn't say much when he did. Very unconventional. And self taught.

I have enough information and scans and photos for a small book or a very, very long magazine article. I've tried to get some interest in a small book with no luck. I'm not interested in making money. I would just like to share this amazing man's story. I did write two previous articles for our magazine but both are now outdated and contain information that has changed.

I apologize if I post somebody elses's photos. I have been collecting this stuff for going on 28 years and have forgotten where I found some of this stuff.

Dick

[pem]

Here's a couple more photos. The Lake Motor was built in 1919. Direct copy of 1913 Mack Motor. No production Lake Motorcycles were ever built. There are few good photo of Jefferson v-twins.