French Motorcycles

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BCR Motorcycles

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A Brief History of the BC and BCR Marques
Manufactured by Etablissements B.C.R., 1920-1930
2 bis Rue Etienne-Dolet
Kremlin-Bicêtre (Seine)

Béchir and Collin built BC engines of 100 to 350cc capacity in the 1920s before being joined by Raynal to form BCR (Béchir, Collin and Raynal).

An advertisement from late 1922 gives the proprietors names as Raynal et Berteletto, of 110 Route de Fountainebleau, Kremlin-Bicêtre.

Raynal's motorcycles were among the first to use rear suspension. He was also manufacturer of Poinard* machines. Many models had 98cc or 174cc two stroke engines, others were fitted with sv and ohv JAP engines of 248cc, 348cc and 498cc.

Their workshops produced motorcycles with sprung frames from 1923. These used the BC engines, along with those of JAP (250 to 500cc, SV & OHV) and Chaise. The BCR firm was acquired by Poinard in 1929, and it appears that M. Raynal was still associated with that firm into the 1950s.

Models:
1920 Moto-Scooter
1923 250cc & 350cc models, with Belgian Victory swinging arm rear suspension, fitted with Bashir and Collin engines.

1925 - 125cc, 250cc & 350cc models. The 250 is a single-speed belt drive machine.
1926 - Belt drive models with JAP fourstrokes and Bashir and Collin two-stroke engines.
1927 - Models fitted with rear suspension of a different design and manufacture.
1929 - 500cc Type HS Super Sport, JAP OHV engine, Sturmey Archer 3-speed gearbox.
1929 - BCR was taken over by the sidecar manufacturer Poinard.
1932 - 500cc OHV Chaise, 3-speed, Druid forks.

Béchir & Collin engines were fitted to Rasser, C.P. Roleo and others.
Sources: Tragatsch, JLB Web.

Notes* Some doubt about this. Tragatsch may mean that Poinard built BCR machines briefly after purchasing the company after the stock market crash of 1929.
zhumoriste.over-blog.com writes of this marque in an article dated 22 February 2013.
There was a British marque named Raynal. There appears to be no relationship.
In February 2018 a 1932 model B.C.R. with a 500cc Chaise engine and leaf-spring rear suspension was found in original condition. There are now three known survivors.


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