Francis-Barnett
From Graces Guide
Francis-Barnett were producers of motorcycles from 1920 to 1966.
The company was founded in 1919, by Gordon Francis and Arthur Barnett, at Lower Ford Street, Coventry.
- 1920 The first model was produced using a 292cc JAP engine and a two-speed gearbox - it also had foot-boards with toe guards.
- 1923 The well-known 'built-like-a-bridge' frame concept was first introduced, having been devised by Gordon Francis. Cheap to make and easy to assemble, it had seven pairs of tubes that bolted up to form a triangular frame. It used a 147cc Villiers engine which resulted in a very cheap and popular machine.
- 1924-1926 Various models were added to the range including those for Sports and Touring.
- 1927 Only two-stroke models were made during that year, plus the limited production Pullman with its unusual design whereby the cylinders and crank-shaft were set along the frame to drive the three-speed gearbox.
- 1928 The range remained the same, with the exception of the Pullman.
- 1930s The new decade brought new models and, in particular, the Cruiser. It had a new frame design and an enclosed engine. For the rest of the decade, the firm produced mainly two-strokes.
- 1940 Following World War II, the company produced only two models - the Powerbike and the Merlin.
- 1947 The company became part of the AMC group but this had no real effect for quite some time.
- 1949 The range expanded and over the next few years all the motorcycles went over to telescopic forks.
- 1952 Pivoted-fork rear suspension first appeared, as did the firm's first competition models.
- 1954 The Cruiser name was revived and used for a 224cc model.
- 1957 The company is forced (together with James) to fit the new 249cc AMC engine into the Cruiser. The design of this engine was not as reliable as the Villiers and its troubled performance affected its success. Gradually all Villiers engines used on Francis-Barnett models were replaced by AMC.
- 1962 Villiers engines are once again used in some models. That year also saw the move of production to the James factory at Greet. Various models were produced throughout the early 1960s.
- 1966 The parent company had major financial problems and this brought the end of both Francis-Barnett and James.
Sources of Information
The British Motorcycle Directory - Over 1,100 Marques from 1888 - by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth. Pub: The Crowood Press