Osborn Engineering Company

Osborn Engineering Company was a British manufacturer of motorcycles, which sold its machines under the OEC brand name.

The company was founded by John Osborn in 1901, producing Minerva engined bikes. Later machines used a variety of engines from companies such as Blackburne, and JAP. In 1927 OEC intoduced its first bike with the duplex steering system. The most famous model produced by the firm was the OEC Commander introduced in 1938, with a 500cc single cylinder Matchless engine and duplex steering.

During the Second World War, OEC ceased motorcycle production to concentrate on war work. In 1949 the company commenced production of the Atlanta, a lightweight machine with a choice of 122cc or 197cc Villiers engines, followed in 1951 by the Apollo, with a 248cc side-valve Brockhouse engine. Neither of these postwar machines was successful and the company ceased production in 1954.

References

• The History of British Bikes by Roland Brown (ISBN 0752531530)