Moto Guzzi Ercole

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Moto Guzzi
Moto Guzzi Lastenkrad.jpg
Ercole
Manufacturer Moto Guzzi
Sales description Ercole
Production period 1946 to 1980
class motorcycle
design type Pickup truck
Motor data
Single cylinder 4-stroke, 498.4 cm³, air cooling
Power  (kW / PS ) 13.1 / 17.8
Top speed (  km / h) 60
transmission 5-speed + R-speed
drive propeller shaft
Brakes drums
Empty weight  (kg) depending on the year of construction and variant
Previous model Motocarri
successor Ercolino

The Moto Guzzi Ercole , also known as Motorcarro Ercole , is a three-wheeled utility vehicle made in Italy , a motorcycle with a flatbed behind the saddle and two rear wheels on a rigid axle. The model name "Ercole" goes back to Herkules .

Development and technology

In 1928 Moto Guzzi produced the first “Motocarro”, a civilian transport cart with a three-speed gearbox, under the name “Sport 14” (Type 107). In 1938, the "Motorcarro ER" model with a changed context, a more powerful engine from the appeared V-series , a four-speed, and later five-speed transmission with reverse gear and a gate change right on the tank. The air-cooled four-stroke engine with kick starter is a design with a horizontal cylinder, an underneath camshaft , V-shaped hanging valves and dry sump lubrication , which was typical for Moto Guzzi for a long time. The type of lubrication can be recognized from the outside by the large oil tank on the left under the saddle. The "Ercole" followed in 1946, a successor model of the "Motorcarro ER" that had only slightly changed. It still had a trapezoidal fork and the 500 cm³ engine, but with an encapsulated valve train instead of the previously exposed one. What was new was the cardan drive instead of the earlier roller chain between the manual gearbox and differential gear on the rear axle. The fan cooling comes from the 600U model. The last significant change followed in 1955 was hydraulic actuation of the rear wheel brakes. The front part resembles a motorcycle chassis. At the rear is a rigid axle with longitudinal leaf springs, which is guided on trailing arms . The frame consists largely of U-profiles. The flatbed or another structure is mounted on it.

Timeline with variants and related models

Numerous variants of the predecessor models of the "Ercole" were produced. The “Motorcarro ER” is the direct predecessor of these variants. From 1938 to 1942, 5143 pieces "ER Motorcarro" and model / type "R" were produced. From 1946 to 1980 (apart from other variants) around 38,000 units of the "Ercole" with the 500 cm³ engine were produced. Production stopped in 1980.

Production and variants until 1943

  • 1928 to 1931 model / type "107" (also "Sport 14"), 225 pieces civilian version, empty weight 322 kg, payload 350 kg, three-speed gearbox, chain drive. The Type 107 had a rigid frame, only the flatbed was suspended on leaf springs on the left and right.
  • 1932 to 1936 model / type "109", 143 pieces civil version, payload 350 kg,
  • 1932 to 1936 model / type "32", 925 pieces military version, payload 350 kg,
  • 1936 to 1939 model / type “S” (also “Motocarro S”), 830 pieces civilian version, modified frame, four-speed gearbox, chain drive. Payload 800 kg,
  • 1938 to 1942 model / type "R", 824 pieces civil version, payload 1,000 kg,
  • 1938 to 1942 model / type "ER" (also "Motorcarro ER"), 4,319 pieces military version, empty weight 480 kg, payload 1,000 kg, profile frame,
  • 1938 to 1942 model / type "500E", 67 + 14 pieces military version, payload 1,000 kg,
  • 1940 model / type "Trialce" (also "Moto Guzzi TriAlce"), 1762 pieces military version, payload 450 kg,
  • 1940 model / type "555", 28 pieces military version.
  • 1940 model / type "556", 2 pieces military version.
  • 1940 model / type "Trialce" (also "Moto Guzzi TriAlce"), 1762 pieces military version, payload 450 kg,
  • 1940 to 1941 model / type "559RR", 22 pieces military version.
  • 1940 to? Model / type "600U" (also "Motocarro unificato tipo 600 U"), with reduction gear, 6 forward and 2 reverse gears, fan cooling.
  • 1940 to 1943 model / type "500U", 2981 pieces civil version, 2311 pieces military version, payload 1,000 kg.

Post-war production

  • 1946 Start of production of the "Ercole" model with 500 cm³ and 18 HP at 4,300 rpm , cardan drive. At first, 4-speed gearboxes were used, later models were given a 5-speed gearbox. Further changes from 1955 related to the introduction of a hydraulic brake system, a starter, a 12-volt system and other details. A specific curb weight according to the manufacturer's information is not known. It could vary greatly according to the explanations. According to the literature, they had a payload of 1,500 kg.
  • 1946 to 1947 model / type "Edile", 150 pieces civil version. It was a three-wheel truck with the Ercole's engine, rigid frame, and an unsprung fork. He could take 3600 kg payload. The driver was sitting in a cab on the left-hand side behind a steering wheel. The Edile reached a top speed of 25 km / h.
  • In 1956, in addition to the Ercole, the smaller "Ercolino" model with a 200 cm³ engine and telescopic fork appeared . It had a payload of 350 kg; later models could carry up to 590 kg. Production stopped in 1970.
  • 1959 Start of production of the Ercole version with cabin, additional tank and tipping bed
  • 1959 Version 3x3 "Mulo Meccanico" also known as "Autoveicolo da Montagna 3 X 3" with all-wheel drive and 750 cm³ engine for the Italian military, 220 units, produced until 1963
  • 1961 to 1963 model / type "Aiace 110" (also "Aiace Motocarri"), 2180 pieces civilian version, payload 250 kg, closed cabin.
  • 1965 to 1968 model / type "Dignotre", 2722 pieces, payload 130 kg.
  • 1965 to 1968 model / type "Furginho", 3928 pieces, payload 150 kg.

  • Moto Guzzi Ercole, with a flatbed.

  • Moto Guzzi Ercole, tipper with hydraulics.

  • Moto Guzzi Ercole, road version.

  • Moto Guzzi Ercole, fire engine version.

  • Moto Guzzi TriAlce, military version.

  • Moto Guzzi Ercole, top left view, the oil tank on the right.

literature

  • Mario Colombo: Moto Guzzi. 3. Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-613-01274-X .
  • Ian Falloon: The Complete Book of Moto Guzzi: Every Model Since 1921 , Motorbooks, 2017, ISBN 978-0-7603-6048-4 .
  • Norman Mort: Micro Trucks: Tiny Utility Vehicles from Around the World. Veloce Publishing, 2008, ISBN 978-1-84584-175-1 .
  • Greg Pullen: Moto Guzzi: The Complete Story , Crowood, 2013, ISBN 978-1-84797-577-5 .
  • Franco Zampicinini: Il grande succecco della motoragricultura , in Vita in campagna, January 2010 edition, Verona, ISSN 1120-3005.

Web links

Commons : Moto Guzzi Ercole  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h History of Motoguzzi Ercole ( Memento from June 21, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), at guzzi-ercole.de
  2. ↑ Parts catalog ( Memento from June 21, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), at guzzi-ercole.de
  3. ↑ a b c d e History of Motoguzzi Ercole (Italian) ( Memento from June 21, 2017 in the Internet Archive ), at motoguzziercole.it
  4. ↑ Historical vehicle bodies and other variants ( Memento from October 17, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), at guzzi-ercole.de
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g N. Mort: Micro Trucks: Tiny Utility Vehicles from Around the World. 2008, p. 38 ff. Books.google.de
  6. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p model variants and manufacturing data at guzzi-ercole.de ( Memento from December 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  7. ↑ a b M. Colombo: Moto Guzzi. 2000, p. 335.
  8. ↑ Franco Zampicinini: Il grande della succecco motoragricultura , pages 9-10 (online at Archive.org)
  9. ^ M. Colombo: Moto Guzzi. 2000, pp. 330-336.