Here's the mighty Squirrel had crowned as the world's fastest motorcycle of the early twentieth century
Mighty BIKES Nowadays 2-stroke engines technology is uncommonly used as a drive train for motorized vehicles especially motorcycles for several reasons like it's noisy, stinky and unreliable prone to overheating, and other compared to 4-stroke engines. Indeed, a number of shortcomings of the 2-stroke engine technology mentioned above have long been known by motorized vehicles practitioners, moreover some said that it was far from optimal result. Is it true?
This
is how the Scott racing motorcycle that is crowned to be the
fastest in the world of the early twentieth century looks like. (Picture from: MotorWorld)
Of course that's not entirely true, because there are also 2-stroke engines that are able to display optimal performance so that they can dominate the race for a long time. As We all knew that the two-stroke engine had been popular in many early motorcycle designs, it was more so in the early twentieth century when Alfred Angas Scott, an English gentleman who succeeded to bring the 2-stroke engine from a cheap, low-performance utility motor to a reliable high performance engine. Because the 2-stroke engine made of his company turned out to be better and faster than 4-stroke motorcycle engines from other companies in the era.
The first Scott motorcycle frame patent drawing in 1908 and powered by a liquid-cooled 450cc 2-stroke twin cylinder engine (is patented in 1904). (Picture from: MotorWorld)
The Alfred Scott's company mentioned above is called Scott Motorcyles Company, was founded by him in 1908, and at the same year, he has also patented his first motorcycle frame is powered by a liquid-cooled 450cc 2-stroke twin cylinder engine (is patented of 1904). The company is very well known for its uniqueness motorcycles of the era which have met a lot of margins due to most of them are attractive and much in demand by customers at that time.
One of the Scott racing motorcycles posed along with the rider Captain Tom Moore while is competed at the 1912 Isle of Man T.T. (Picture from: MotorWorld)
As it is known that the most existed motorcycles at that time featured with the transportation-mean concept because they were still a new thing, so the Alfred Scott's company didn't follow that pattern and started to build motorcycles based on his experience and knowledges at its plant in Bradford, England. So he chose to build it with a lighter triangulated frame with a lower center of gravity, powered by a water-cooled 2-stroke engine, coupled with sophisticated front suspension.
Alfred Angas Scott (1875-1923)
in pictured of 1914 while rode along with the Scott-Sociable, one of
his three-wheeled machine creations powered by a liquid-cooled 578 cc
2-stroke twin cylinder drivetrain. (Picture from: MotorWorld)
His liquid-cooled, parallel twin cylinder engine had a 180° crank and displaced 333 cc.
A three port intake system and large internal flywheel between the two
separate crankcases gave the Scott exceptional power and quelled the
vibration two strokes were known for.
The military version of Scott motorcycles served in the 1st World War
powered by a two-stroke single cylender engine. (Picture from: MotorWorld)
Besides that the Scott was considered as the first motorcycle
with a kickstarter instead of pedals to start the engine as well as
being the first production bike to have a foot gear shift. By 1911, the Scott became the first to use rotary disc intake valves. Other
manufacturers wouldn't catch up with Scott’s innovative design for two-stroke engines until the 1970s.
We didn't know why Alfred Scott left the company in 1919 and then founded a new one, named Scott Autocar while the Scott Motorcycles Company continued without its founding father. Through the new company, he continuing to develop the Scott Sociable, a pioneering weird three-wheeler although not as successful as the Scott motorcycle or could be said failed.
The Scott Squirrel (in pictured is the 1926 model) known as the first generation model as well as the first motorcycle ever made by the company presented in 1922 and powered by the 486 cc engine. (Picture from: Hemmings)
Initially the Scott Motorcycles Company made motorcycles specifically made for the Isle of Man T.T. racing purposes since 1908. The company first participating on the racing event by making several motors based on its Squirrels which went on to break the lap record in the second year after the bike was produced in 1910. There're no other motorcycle brands in the era managed to have many success raced on those events such the Scott was. Other victories followed, including victories at the T.T. in 1912 and 1913 and breaking the fastest lap record in 1911, 1912, 1913 and 1914.
The Scott Super Squirrel known as the 2nd model (in pictured is the 1929 model) is powered by a further revision engine from 498 cc or 596 cc, which was then a mainstay of many people. (Picture from: Classic-Motorcycle)
And during the 1st World War (1914 - 1918), Scott Motorcyles Company had supplied for the single cylinder military-purposed motors to meet the company's contract agreement with the British War Departement, which of course it was the opposite of Scott's previous twin cylinder engine product which proved to be more successful. The military version of Scott motorcycles were supplied to France, Belgium, and Russia.
The Scott Flying Squirrel (in pictured is the 1930 model) is powered by a larger 600 ccengine. (Picture from: National Motorcycle Museum)
The first generation of Scott Motorcycles Companyproduction version motorcycle is launched in 1922 and powered by a 486cc engine. And the company's made motorcycle then given a such funny and unique name of the Squirrel, ranging of the Scott Squirrel, Super Squirrel and Flying Squirrel in which all of motorcycle models have a water-cooled,
two-cylinder, two-stroke engine. It also has the distinctive rigid
triangulated frame design that contributed to the machine’s excellent
handling. The Scott's motorcycles were noted for their acceleration, the two-stroke
engines developing more power at lower speeds than their four-stroke
rivals.
This
is a 596cc Scott and sidecar in action at the Ramsgate sprint in 1963. (Picture from: Real-Classic)
And the first production Scott's motorbikes featured not only the
distinctive water-cooled two-stroke engine and triangulated frame but
also a kick-starter and foot gear change, both advanced features for the
time. Over the years the Scott's motorcycles developed an almost cult
following among enthusiasts. The Scott Motorcycles Company publicity boasted of "silence,
performance, simplicity and smoothness".
Besides that the British motorcycle maker rightly used their famous and fortune on the Isle of Man T.T. racing event by advertising the
motorbikes using such a unique and funny names, in which in the end made his motorcycles become more famous and successful. Sadly, shortly after the 2nd World War ended, the Scott Motorcycles Company should ceased the motorcycle production due to the company went into voluntary liquidation in 1950.
But the Scott's motorcycle story did not end there either. In the late 1950s, the Scott's production license was bought by Matt Holder, who decided to restart production in Birmingham, England. The Birmingham Scott motorcycles were produced until the late 1960s and all the time retained the features of the original Scott models. This British classic motorcycle maker continued to live with a small amount of production to completely dead in 1978.😢
But the Scott's motorcycle story did not end there either. In the late 1950s, the Scott's production license was bought by Matt Holder, who decided to restart production in Birmingham, England. The Birmingham Scott motorcycles were produced until the late 1960s and all the time retained the features of the original Scott models. This British classic motorcycle maker continued to live with a small amount of production to completely dead in 1978.😢
