Greeves

Greeves were Motorcycles produced from 1954 to 1978. They have been produced again since 1999.

Bert Greeves began his involvement with motorcycles after building up Invacar - an invalid carriage developed to cope with the post-war needs of casualties.

• 1954 The first machines appeared, all using the Villiers 8E engine. The design of the frame and suspension made Greeves unique. The tubular frame had a cast-alloy beam and the suspension had rubber bushes.

• 1956 Models using conventional tubular frames appeared. Simultaneously, the original system of rear suspension was replaced by conventional rear units.

• 1958 The designs of competition and road models were growing farther apart, and previous suspension problems had been fixed.

• 1961 By this time the Greeves trial model had become a firm favourite and sales were excellent.

• 1963 A new era arrived for the company when it branched in road racing, following the success of a modified scrambler.

• 1966 Only trials and scrambler motorcycles were built, as all the road models were dropped. Villiers was in trouble but Greeves was able to continue.

• 1967-1971 Production continued but there was little success.

• 1972 Output became minimal.

• 1978 The company ceased.

• 1999 The name was revived with an Anglian replica trials bike - aimed at enthusiasts of the marque - by producing a classic look using modern materials and techniques.

Sources of Information

• The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press
• Miller’s Price Guide to Classic Motorcycles
• [1] Wikipedia