|
|
The first American-built Excelsior motorcycles appeared in 1907. Produced by the Excelsior Supply Company of Randolph Street, Chicago, the new 3.25hp Excelsior Auto-Cycle had a vertically mounted a.i.v. engine of 26.74cu. in. (438cc). |
|
|
In 1911-1912 the company was taken over by Ignaz Schwinn, the well-known bicycle manufacturer who felt that the powered cycles and bicycles would complement each other. Schwinn remained in control until production ended in 1931. |
|
1907 |
The Excelsior Supply Company of Chicago began making 29cu. in. (475cc) single-cylinder motorcycles with its own engines. |
|
1910 |
Excelsior introduces a V-twin production motorcycle. |
| 1911 | The company was bought by bicycle maker Ignatz Schwinn, who continued production of inlet-over-exhaust singles and V-twins of up to 61cu. in. (1000cc). Excelsior quickly established itself as the smallest of the "Big Three" motorcycle makers after Indian and Harley-Davidson. |
| 1917 | Schwinn bought the Henderson marquee. |
| 1919 | The 1919 Excelsior 61 cubic inch Model 19.
|
|
PRE-1920's |
Edward Frederick
Westerman and his Excelsior.
|
| 1921 | Knut's 1921 Excelsior.
|
| 1925 | The Super-X model was launched. It was the first American 45cu. in. (737cc) V-twin. Harley-Davidson and Indian soon followed with their own forty-fives. |
| 1928 | A 1928 Excelsior 50 cubic inch dirt tracker.
|
| 1931 | With the onset of the Great Depression, Schwinn quit the motorcycle business. |
| 1990s | The rights to the Excelsior and Henderson names have been acquired by the Hanlon Manufacturing Company of Minnesota, which has announced its intention to manufacture a new line of Excelsior/Henderson machines. A sketch of a prototype model was released in 1996. |
| 2003 | 
Brother Donald on his new Harley |
 |
 |
 |
 |
