Duzmo Motorcycles was a British

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...

manufacturer. Founded in

Enfield Highway Enfield Highway is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, north London. It is roughly located in the area either side of Hertford Road (Enfield Highway) between Hoe Lane and The Ride. Etymology Enfield Highway is marked thus on the Ordnanc ...

, London in 1919 by John Wallace, engines for the early Duzmo machines were manufactured by the

Advance Motor Manufacturing Company The Advance Motor Manufacturing Company was a British motorcycle and engine manufacturer established in 1905. As well as supplying aircraft engines to the pioneering monoplane developers, Advance engines were also used by Captain Robert Scott to ...

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

. Wallace had no training as an engineer but while he was still at school he set up a workshop in his garden and built a motorcycle from parts. This experience helped him secure an apprenticeship with Collier & Sons. His father bought him a Rudge racing motorcycle and he began competing at

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

. Originally riding for

JAP ''Jap'' is an English abbreviation of the word "Japanese". Today, it is generally regarded as an ethnic slur. In the United States, some Japanese Americans have come to find the term very offensive, even when used as an abbreviation. Prior to t ...

until they found he was under age, Wallace met

Bert le Vack Herbert 'Bert' le Vack (1888 London – 16 September 1931 Berne, Switzerland) was a motorcycle world speed record holder throughout the 1920s and earned the nickname the 'Wizard of Brooklands' for his exploits at Brooklands. An expert racing ...

and both found work at Scottish car makers Arrol-Johnston designing aircraft engines for the duration of the First World War. After the war Wallace designed a racing motorcycle engine and sold the design to the Portable Tool and Engineering Company of Enfield Highway, who employed Wallace as their chief designer. Bert le Vack helped with development and between them created the Duzmo in 1920. They were keen to go into production but the Portable Tool directors decided to wind up the company. Wallace borrowed money to go it alone and built Duzmo motorcycles under his own name, with engines made for him by The Advance Motor Manufacturing Co. of

. Wallace designed the last Duzmo in 1923. It had a number of novel innovations, including an inclined engine and low seat but only one was built before Wallace ran out of money and had to sell the business to D. J. Sheppards. He returned to aircraft engine design with D. Napier & Sons and died in 1983.

Models

References

External links

Motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of England {{Motorcycle-stub