Cotton

Cotton have been producing Motorcycles since 1919.

Francis Willoughby Cotton began designing in 1913, devising a straight-tubed triangulated frame that gave excellent handling. He applied for a patent for a frame he had designed for Levis. Trained as a lawyer, he was able therefore to prevent design copy.

TT racing success in the twenties made a reputation for the company, and in its first eleven years the company turned out over 6,000 motorcycles

• 1919 The Gloucester-based Cotton firm began production of a 269cc Villiers two-stroke engine driving an Albion gearbox.

• 1922 Cotton entered three machines for the Junior TT; an unknown young Irishman by the name of Stanley Woods rode his Cotton to an impressive 5th place, despite a number of alarming mishaps during the race, including both machine and rider catching fire during refuelling.

• 1923 Woods rode again for Cotton and he scored his first of ten TT victories, despite being only 19 years old. Cotton had proved the very good roadholding and cornering qualities of his bikes and the make was to win many more races.

• From 1922 to 1925, the range was expanded and Cotton machines had many racing successes.

• 1930 A saddle tank had been added and the range of models remained extensive with engines from Villiers, Blackburne, JAP and Sturmey-Archer.

• 1931 Rudge Python joined the range and by now there was something for everyone. This served the company well during the depressed times of the 1930s.

• Post-war. Little had changed since the 1930s and few bikes were built or sold, although Cotton left the triangulated frame principle and scored successes in moto-cross and road racing.

• 1953 The company was restructured under Elizabeth Cotton as E. Cotton Motor Cycles. They were successful again in racing until Villiers closed and they lost their British engine source.

• 1954 Pat Onions and Monty Denley now had ownership of the company and they redesigned and changed the two-stoke engine.

• 1960 Scrambles models were introduced as well as a sports version.

• 1961-1963 The range expanded with modified engines and new frames.

• 1964 Fewer models were produced as the emphasis was more on sports and competition, and this set the trend for the next few years.

• 1968 Decline continued and Villiers ceased proprietary engine production, which effected many British firms.

• 1970s Kit-form trials bikes were produced and the Cotton-EMC road racer, as well as various motocross models. The company became very involved with CCM and Armstrong; those bikes eventually became Armstrong models and the Cotton name thus came to an end.

• 1991 Fluff Brown revived the Cotton name and since then replicas of the 1960s bikes have been built by AJS Motorcycles of Hampshire. This company was formed when FB-AJS took on the AJS line in 1974, and the nostalgia boom of the 1990s saw continued demand for these machines.

Sources of Information

• The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press
• [1] All Motorcycles Ever Made - Worldwide
• [2] Yesterday's Antique Motorcycles web site
• [3] Ian Chadwick's motorcycle web site