Condor works

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The Condor-Werke AG is a Swiss company from Courfaivre in Delémont , which was founded 1893rd For a long time it was active as a manufacturer of motorcycles and bicycles . In 1995 the last bicycles were made. The company still exists today and builds aerospace parts and components for CNC machines .

Two-wheeler history

founding

The Swiss motorcycle brand Condor was founded in Courfaivre ( Delsberg ) in 1893 by the Frenchman Edouard Scheffer as a machine tool factory for watchmaker's tools . An empty building was rented near the train station next to the Sorne River . The Scheffer Frères factory (Scheffer brothers) was established there in 1893 with his brother Jules . In the beginning no motorcycles were made, from 1904 bicycles were produced for the post office and the military.

During the turn of the century the company was reorganized; she has since used a new company logo, a condor . In addition, it was decided to develop the first motorcycle, under the direction of Otto Fricker, with an output of 1.5 hp . The frame was a reinforced bicycle frame, the engine was bought in. Next a 3 HP and a 5 HP V-2 machine was built, also with purchased engines. The engine manufacturers were Zürcher & Lüthi and Moser in St-Aubin. With these vehicles the good reputation of the company was established, which consisted in the long-lasting durability.

In 1901 the name was changed to Manufacture Suisse des Cycles et Motos later to Condor-Werke-AG.

In 1908 a light 1.25 hp version came out, which was a sales success. This model also did not have a gearbox and pedals like a bicycle that had to be used when going uphill. Shortly before the First World War , the first model with a 2-speed gearbox and tank circuit was built.

First and Second World War

During the First World War, bicycles and motorcycles were built despite the scarcity of raw materials. After the end of the war things started again hesitantly, with cheap foreign machines being sold. Condor responded with new technology, the 250 cm³ motor chassis with MAG engine and 3-speed gearbox was sold 3000 times in the 1920s.

In 1925 there were eleven different models with different engines. Condor produced gears, hubs and frames. The engine and the ignition were bought. The single cylinders with 249, 349 and 497 cm³ and the 45 degree V-Twins with 449, 749 and 998 cm³ were manufactured by MAG ( Motosacoche Acacias Genève). The 2-stroke engines came from Zedel and Villiers, with 147, 172 and 198 cm³.

The Second World War complicated production. A single-cylinder machine, the A540 and, in cooperation with Universal / Oberrieden, the V2-A680 were built for the army in small numbers.

During the Second World War, the Swiss army was still demanding a motorcycle with a boxer engine based on the German model, such as Zündapp and BMW . As a result, in 1944/45 a motorcycle with cardan drive and a side-controlled boxer engine, which was narrower, was developed and presented in 1945 as the EC580 at the Basel sample fair. It was completely developed by Condor. It was designed by Edgar Fricker. The C580 version was built for civil use and the A580 version for the army. At the request of the army, the 4-speed gearbox had a reduction gear with a coaster. It became a heavy and extremely solid machine with an empty weight of 195 kg, later 213 kg. At the same time, the A750 was built for sidecar use, which was delivered to the army in 1947. The A stands for army. In 1951 the engines were revised, light alloy cylinder heads and hydraulic valve lifters were introduced. In addition, a telescopic fork was installed. The army models were now called A580-1 and A750-1.

Motorbike Condor A580-1
Condor A350

Few of the civil models C580 and C580-I, TL580 and Rallye were sold, outside of Switzerland almost none. At the time, a Condor was about twice as expensive as a BMW and there were no dealerships.

post war period

In the early 1950s the Sport was offered, a street machine with a 200 cc Villiers engine, the Racer with the 350 cc Condor two-stroke twin and the TL580 as a civil version of the A580-1 army machine.

At the end of the 1950s, the army demanded a lighter machine, and the off-road vehicle replaced the heavy motorcycles. It should be an easy-to-drive 250 cc single cylinder machine. It was again designed by Raymond Schaller with a longitudinally installed 248 cm³ single-cylinder engine with an overhead camshaft . In the series, however, a bumper motor was built. The A 250 military machine was the last motorcycle designed entirely by Condor itself. The right engine with 250 cm 3 displacement was designed and tested in three development stages. A civil model was also built, the C250. 1956–1958 the Grand Sport was built with a 250 cm³ Maserati engine, it was only built about 30 times.

In the late 1960s, history repeated itself, the army wanted a light machine with more power. This time a Ducati single cylinder with 340 cm³ with vertical shaft and 17 hp was installed. It was modified by Condor to achieve better stability. It was built into the Condor frame with rubber mounts to dampen vibrations. The A350 was built 3000 times between 1973 and 1978 and is probably the best-known Condor model in Europe. It was only replaced by the BMW F 650 GS in 2001 .

Motorcycle production ended in 1978, and bicycles were still made until 1995.

Models

motorcycles
  • A540 army model with MAG Jubilé engine
  • A680 (Universal V-Twin)
  • Condor A580 (1947-50, 577 cm³ Boxer, 20 HP)
  • A580-I (1951–56, 577 cm³ boxer, 20 hp)
  • A750 (750 cm³ boxer with sidecar)
  • A250 (1960–68, 248 cm³ single cylinder lengthways, 15 hp)
  • C250 (1960-68, 248 cm³ single cylinder lengthways, 15 hp)
  • Condor A350 (1973-78, 340 cm³ single cylinder transverse, 17 hp)
  • Racer
Cycles

Automobile production

In 1922 the company produced five copies of a small car with the model designation 10 CV . A four-cylinder MAG engine with side valves and 1130 cm³ displacement provided the drive. With the two-seater torpedo body, the vehicle was similar to the Citroën 5CV of the time . The design-related maximum speed was given as 70 km / h.

literature

Web links

Commons : Condor motorcycles  - Collection of images, videos and audio files