Henry Herbert Collier was one of the first British motorcycle designers, inventor and founder of the Matchless Motorcycle Company.

Early life

Collier was born in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

, Canada.

Business

Henry Collier founded a company to make bicycles under the Matchless name in Herbert Road, Plumstead in 1878. When his two eldest sons Henry (known as Harry) and

Charlie Charlie may refer to: Characters * "Charlie," the head of the Townsend Agency', from the ''Charlie's Angels'' franchise * Charlie, a character on signs for the CharlieCard, a smart card issued by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority * ...

joined him in the business it became 'H Collier & Sons'. Their competitors were experimenting with adding engines to their bicycles, so the Colliers tried a small motor over the front wheel, then moved it to under the front down tube, then finally into the traditional diamond-shaped frame. Using De Dion and Puteaux engines, the Colliers added one of the first pillion seats in 1903 and chain drive in 1905. The Colliers also decided to enter their machines in the new

Isle of Man TT The Isle of Man TT or Tourist Trophy races are an annual motorcycle racing event run on the Isle of Man in May/June of most years since its inaugural race in 1907. The event is often called one of the most dangerous racing events in the world ...

and the first TT race in 1907 was won by Collier's son Charles on a 432cc Matchless Charlie with an average speed of 38.21 mph and a time of 4 hours 8 minutes 8 seconds. Harry did not finish in 1907, but won in 1909, and Charlie won again in 1910, bringing Matchless motorcycles to the attention of the public.. Collier's other son Harry won the Isle of Man TT in 1909. Both brothers were also successful 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 ...

They produced a

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 ...

V-twin powered bike in 1905 which boasted one of the earliest swing-arm rear suspensions, coupled with leading-link front forks. Matchless made mostly singles, but they also made V-twins from 496 cc to 998 cc. They made their own engines from 1912 on. Matchless was not given a contract to make motorcycles for the army during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. Peacetime production resumed in 1919, concentrating at first on V-twins for

sidecar A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, making the whole a three-wheeled vehicle. A motorcycle with a sidecar is sometimes called a ''combination'', an ''outfit'', a ''rig'' or a ''hack''. ...

use, leaving singles until 1923. When Henry Collier died in 1926 the company he started went on to become one of the most successful British motorcycle marques.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, Henry Herbert British motorcycle pioneers 1926 deaths People from Plumstead 1859 births

Early life

Business

See also

References