Shaw Classic Motorcycles

1912 shaw motorcycle
shaw motorcycle 1912
lot of thesemotorcycles began as a kit similar to the well-known whizzer motorbikes. the bicycle is an early columbia model. it's history has been traced back approximately 20 years at which time it was purchased at an antique motorcycle club of america meet in california. this motorcyclewas built by shaw manufacturing company in the village of galesburg in southeastern kansas from 1903 until 1914. stanley shaw wasn't the first to offer engine kits for bicycles, but his company lasted longer than most of the other manufacturers. the shaw motorcycle attachment was widely advertised and sold throughout the country for 12 years. the shaw 240cc single cylinder engine fastened to the bicycle down tube with a belt drive to the rear wheel. specifications: engine: ioe single displacement: 240cc horsepower: 2.5 wheelbase: 48 in. weight: 85 lbs. top speed: 35 mph retail price new: $90.00 image provided by
1912 shaw side valve, 400cc
shaw side valve, 400cc 1912
manufacturer of this rarity was stanley w. shaw (1881-1982) from galesburg, usa. shaw was a successful manufacturer of light auxiliary engines in the early days of the 20th century. in 1911 he took over the kokomo motorcycle factory from kokomo, indiana. this company had produced a 300cc side valve machine which was not very successful because it was considered to be underpowered. shaw transferred the production to galesburg and enlarged the engine capacity to ca. 400 cc to overcome the said lack of power. between 1912 and 1920 about 240 of these kokomo/shaw motorcycles were sold. after 1920 shaw concentrated on the production of tractor appliances and in 1962 his business was sold to the john deere company. shaw had kept the remaining stock of shaw parts and in the seventies this stock was bought by a local collector from where the parts moved on to finally end up in holland.