Vernon Rogers success on a Mitchell

[Tommo]

Found this Mitchell stuff and a Merkel ad that I thought might interest some of you while researching early Norton history today.

[c.o.]

Cool stuff Tommo! It's interesting how similar those machines were. I'm wondering if that fellow was an OMB. It almost appears that he would have had to be....

[HarleyCreation]

Yeah, really cool stuff!

Vernon Rogers was employed by the Mitchell people in Racine, Wis. (Wisconsin Wheel Works) c1901-'05 when motorcycles were their main product. He was their advertising man -- their Lacy Crolius so to speak -- and was one of their "factory" riders along with Frank X. Zirbes (my first cousin twice removed), and another guy named "Beeber" I believe it was.

The 1901-'02 Mitchell also looked a LOT like the early Thomas motorcycle and there may have been some cross-fertilization, but I'm not sure which way it went: Buffalo to Racine or Racine to Buffalo. As you guys will note, the early Mitchell, Merkel (and Thomas) were all high-mounted engine machines that retained the diamond frame as did Indian and others because that was the ideal standard of the day.

However, those high mounted jobs were demons for sideslip if you got caught in a rut and were also difficult to hold at speed in turns. For that reason, both the 1903 Mitchell (Racine) and 1903 Merkel (Milwaukee) scrapped the diamond frame for low engine cradle and loop frame types. At that early date that was both a radical and advanced move, but time proved them correct. Just look at the 1905 "Model 1" Harley-Davidson for proof!

Cory, I don't know if Rogers was a OMB, but he would have been a dangerous cuss on the road. The second generation 1903 cradle-frame Mitchell was also BIG at 630cc and was known as the "Mile-a-Minute" Mitchell for its high speed potential. Like the 1901-'02, it was also direct-drive and must have been a beast to handle around town and prone to running over children and other pedestrians. In 1902 or so I believe Mitchell was the largest motorcycle producer in the country, but soon went over to automobile building at which point Indian took the lead.

In Racine the old Mitchell Motor Company complex was only torn down a few years ago. As kids we used to play on the wooden loading dock along the RR tracks by the old Mitchell works where autos and motorcycles had once been loaded and shipped out. There is also a Mitchell Middle School in Racine (which I attended), and may be the only school in the world named for a motorcycle! (Well, sort of, because earlier there was the Mitchell Wagon Co., a pioneer Racine firm and where the name orig. came from.)

The Racine museum has a c1905 Mitchell car, but not a motorcycle. But a couple of Mitchell motorcycles do exist. Two diamonds and a cradle job that I know of. Not sure if any diamond Merkels exist. Anyone know?

Mitchell is another critical but little known piece of early American motorcycle history.

[c.o.]

I thank-you Tommo for posting the Mitchell/Merkel info. It drew a great story out of Herb!!!

A "Mile-a-Minute" on that motorsickle must have felt like warp speed! No wonder "children and other pedestrians" had reason to be afraid in town!!! Riding that big displacement monster must have been one adrenalin rush after another! Of the survivors have you got to hear one run Herb?