Toreador Engineering Co

March 1925. 500cc model.

Reg No 232 TF.

Reg No 232 TF.

Reg No 232 TF.

Reg No 232 TF.

Reg No 232 TF.

Reg No 232 TF.

Toreador Engineering Co of Ribble Bank Mills, Preston with Bert Houlding, formerly with the Matador Co, as one of the principals. See also Christopher Shorrock

Toreador were motorcycles produced from 1925 to 1928 at works at Ribble Bank Mills, Preston, Lancashire, to a design by Bert Houlding.

1925 Having previously been involved with the Matador marque, Bert Houlding continued his talent for sporting motorcycle design with the Toreador range. His first model was a rakish 495cc ohv MAG V-twin, with Burman three-speed all-chain transmission and an exhaust system coupled into a Mador silencer. This, and patented adjustable handlebars, had already been pioneered by Houlding in his Matador days.

1926 JAP engines were standardized - 344cc and 246cc ohv and 490cc sv singles, plus a 490cc ohv model with a 90mph speed guarantee. All had Burman gearboxes.

1927 There was a three model range, still with Burman gearboxes. These were a 349cc ohv oil-cooled Bradshaw model, and the 490cc JAP, in either sv or ohv forms. Superports options were available on the Bradshaw and the ohv JAP.

1928 The 344cc returned, in two-port racing trim, and 346cc ohv JAP models, plus a new 498cc ohv JAP racing machine. After this, the marque folded and the works closed.

See Also

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Sources of Information

• The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press 2004 ISBN 1 86126 674 X
• The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle by Peter Henshaw. Published 2007. ISBN 978 1 8401 3967 9