Motobécane
Motobécane was a French manufacturer of bicycles, mopeds, motorcycles, and other small vehicles, established in 1923. "Motobécane" is a compound word made up of two colloquialisms stuck together. "Moto" is a slang word for motorcycle; "bécane" is slang for "bike."
In 1981, Motobécane filed for bankruptcy, and was subsequently purcahsed by Yamaha and reformed in 1984 as MBK; the French company continues to make scooters, and has no relation to Motobécane USA, which imports bicycles from Taiwan and China, manufactured to their specification under the Motobécane trademark.
Table of contents |
Motobécane Bicycles
Motobécane was a major and respected manufacturer in the French bicycle industry. The frames on Motobécane's mid-to-upper end bikes were typically double-butted lugged steel made from Vitus or Reynolds 531 CroMoly tubing with elegant Nervex lugs. Thus, they were light, sturdy, and well made. Motobécane finished their frames in exceptionally beautiful and high-quality paints, a practice not often followed in the French bicycle inductry. Motobécane's mid-range bikes were an exceptional value, because the company kept prices reasonable by matching their high-quality frames with lower-priced, but higher-quality components from Japan, at a time when their competitors were putting higher-priced, lower quality French components on their mid-range bikes. Motobécane bicycle models included the Nomade, Mirage, Super Mirage, Super Touring, Grand Touring, Sprint, Jubilee, Grand Record, Le Champion, and Team Champion.
In addition to the standard diamond frame bicycles, Motobécane produced a mixte frame version of the Grand Touring, and later, a mixte frame bicycle called the Super Touring. The mixte frame Grand Touring had the twin top tubes from the head tube to the seat tube, while the Super Touring had a single top tube sloping down towards the seat tube, but diverging into twin tubes just before joining with the seat tube. Motobécane also produced a tandem bicycle.
Vintage French bicycles, including Motobécanes, are often sought out today by experienced riders for their value as a fixed gear or track bike conversion; for others, the unequalled pleasure of riding a vintage, well-made lugged steel bike is its own reward.
Motobécane Mopeds
Motobécane introduced a moped, the Mobylette, in 1949; over the next 48 years, Motobécane manufactured 14 million Mobylettes.
Motobécane Scooters
Under the name MBK, the company contiunes to manufacture scooters for the European market.
Motobécane Motorcycles
Motobécane manufactured motorcycles from its inception in 1923 until its demise in 1981.
External links
Categories: Corporation stubs