AER (motorcycles)

Last updated

AER (motorcycles)
Private
Industry Motorcycle
FateCeased motorcycle production
Founded1937
FounderAlbert E. Reynolds
Defunct1940
Headquarters,
United Kingdom
Key people
Albert E. Reynolds
Products Motorcycles

AER was a British motorcycle manufacturer. [1] The name was from the initials of the founder, Albert E. Reynolds. Based in Liverpool and his company, AE Reynolds Ltd., ceased motorcycle production on the outbreak of the Second World War. [2]

Motorcycle Two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle

A motorcycle, often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle, is a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel, commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies.

Liverpool City and metropolitan borough in England

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in North West England, with an estimated population of 491,500. Its metropolitan area is the fifth-largest in the UK, with a population of 2.24 million in 2011. The local authority is Liverpool City Council, the most populous local government district in the metropolitan county of Merseyside and the largest in the Liverpool City Region.

Contents

History

Founded in 1937 by Albert E. Reynolds, a Scott Motorcycles dealer who began producing high quality motorcycles to his own design. [2] Reynolds had been influential in the development of a number of "de-luxe" Scott specials built between 1931 and 1934. He was disappointed that the Scott triple failed to be developed and that Scotts were not interestedin his idea for a series of 125 cc engined motorcycles he set up as an independent producer. The first AER motorcycle was a Scott engined twin-cylinder unit-construction motorcycle called the Reynolds Special. [1] It was a 340 cc twin-cylinder air-cooled two-stroke with an alloy engine and pressed-in cylinder liners. The head and block were each in one piece and the crankcase was made from four castings with air passages to cool between the cylinders. The production model was launched in 1938 and featured ignition by a flywheel magneto and a dynamo in front of the crankcase.

The Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors (Saltaire) Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England and was a well-known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry. Founded by Alfred Angas Scott in 1908 as the Scott Engineering Company in Bradford, Yorkshire, Scott motorcycles were produced until 1978.

Unit construction

Unit construction is the design of larger motorcycles where the engine and gearbox components share a single casing. This sometimes includes the design of automobile engines and was often loosely applied to motorcycles with rather different internal layouts such as the flat twin BMW models.

In 1939 Reynolds developed motorcycles with 249 cc and 350 cc Villiers engines. [1] Motor Cycling magazine tested the 250 cc AER for the 30 November 1939 issue and reported that "Its charm lay in its excellent steering and road holding which gave a supreme feeling of confidence on greasy roads and invited fast cornering." A 250 cc AER can be seen at the Museum of Liverpool. [2] Production was ended by the outbreak of the Second World War. [1] After the war Reynolds reverted to motorcycle sales and servicing. [2]

Villiers Engineering historical motorcycle manufacturer

Villiers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England.

<i>Motor Cycling</i> (magazine)

Motor Cycling was one of the first British motorcycle magazines. Launched in 1910, the front covers often had varying degree of green background, green or contrasting text and B&W illustrations or photographic images. This common theme resulted in almost a 'trademark' appearance, being called "The Green 'un", distinguishing it from its rival publication The Motor Cycle which had variation on blue background colouring with contrasting text and images.

Museum of Liverpool Museum in Liverpool, England

The Museum of Liverpool in Liverpool, England, is the newest addition to the National Museums Liverpool group having opened in 2011 replacing the former Museum of Liverpool Life. National Museums Liverpool intention is for the new venue to tell the story of Liverpool and its people, and reflect the city’s global significance. The museum is housed in a new purpose-built building on the Mann Island site at the Pier Head.

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 4 "AER". Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 31 December 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "AER motorcycle". Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 31 December 2008.

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