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Belgian Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

Star Motorcycles

Manufactured by H.A. Lummerzheim of Liege, 1930s-1960s
In the 1930s the company built motorcycles powered by Laguesse and Gillet two-stroke engines. Post-war machines used Sachs.

Translation of a French magazine article c.1953.

La 100 cc. Star-Gem, á moteur deux temps.

One of the last (latest?) productions of the Star was its 98 cm3 Star Sachs, with two-stroke and two-speed engine, with single engine of 48/54 giving 2.5 HP. at 3,500 revolutions, with 6 compression. Ignition was by Bosch magnetic flywheel. This small machine had chain transmission, an oleo-pneumatic telescopic fork and front brakes and back. For a road speed of 50/60 km/h, the consumption recorded was less than two liters of mixture oil-gasoline.

French magazine article c.1953

Star-Gem

Image caption: La Star-Gem de 1932 avait une ligne élégante.

Entre 1930 et 1933, les Etablissements Lummertzheim, installés à Liège, place Sainte-Foi, avaient construit, SOUs dénomination de Star, plusieurs types de motos. L'une des plus réussies, qui eut vers 1932 une certaine vogue, fut la 175 cc. Star-Gem.

La moto en question était une monocylindrique à deux temps et trois lumières. Pour l'époque, 175 cc., c'était vraiment une « toute petite cylindrée ». L'allumage se faisait par batterie. Cette machine se caractérisait par un remarquable silence de fonctionnement et de marche, ce qui pouvait être attribué aux t-on une excellente grimpeuse de côtes, celles-ci ne manquant pas sur le parcours en question. C'est ainsi qu'Embourg, abordé au ralenti en prise, on arrivait au dur virage en épingle à cheveux que l'on connaît à une vitesse de 40 km...

Les changements de vitesse étaient aussi aisés que possible, et les départs, même par temps froid, s'effectuaient avec la plus grande facilité... C'est ce que nous disait l'auteur de l'essai...

English:

Image caption: The Star-Gem of 1932 had an elegant line.

Between 1930 and 1933, the Lummertzheim Establishments, based in Liège, Place Sainte-Foi, had built, under the name of Star, several types of motorcycles. One of the most successful, which had a certain popularity around 1932, was the 175cc Star-Gem.

The motorcycle in question was a single-cylinder two-stroke and three lights. At the time, 175 cc was really a "very small displacement". Ignition was by battery. This machine was characterized by a remarkable silence of operation and walking, which could be attributed to the... an excellent climber of hills, these are not lacking not on the route in question. This is how Embourg, approached at idle in gear, we arrived at the hard hairpin bend that we experience at a speed of 40 km...

Gear changes were as easy as possible, and departures, even in cold weather, were carried out with the utmost ease... That's what the author of the essay told us...


Sources: François-Marie Dumas, Passionnés de motos de fabrication belge FB Group.