British

Today in Motorcycle History

Bayliss, Thomas and Co


Excelsior Works, Coventry, Warks (now West Midlands).

King's Road, Tyseley, Birmingham. Excelsior Motor Co for the Excelsior Motorcycle

  • 1874 Company established by John Thomas, T. Bayliss and John Slaughter.

    1894 Exhibited cycles at the Antwerp Exhibition (Bayliss, Thomas and Co).

    1904 Excelsior tricar.

    1910 Cycle and Motorcycle Exhibition

    Bayliss, Thomas and Co.

    Coventry. Stand No. 39.
    The Excelsior motor-bicycle has done much to uphold the old name during last season, and the new models may be expected to add to its fame. The standard pattern has a variable pulley giving gear variations between about 4 to 1 and 6 to 1, while a new model is introduced having a two speed gear in the back hub. The gear is of a convenient type, allowing of starting without jacking up the rear wheel, and is therefore particularly well adapted for side car work. Special attention has been paid to the mud-guarding of the front wheel, which latter is mounted in a Druid spring fork. The petrol tank has a capacity of well over a gallon, so the rider need not run dry before he can take in an even two quarts when refilling on the road. In all there are four models - the Tourist, without pedals, the cone clutch free engine type, with pedals, the 3 H.P. two-speed model, and the 24 HT. light twin Autolite, with two-speed gear, free engine and footboards. The Autolite reflectors must not be missed.

    Olympia Show, November 1910

    1912 Spennell's lists them at Excelsior Works, Stoney Stanton Rd (Tel. 497), Coventry.

    1914 Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers.

    1920 Maker of cars from 1920.

    1922 Sold by Westminster Bridge G. and E. Co.

    More under History of Excelsior Motorcycles

Sources: Graces Guide

01-Jan-2021
fam.jager at hetnet.nl
i am searchng a bayliss-Thomas 250 cc / jap 1936
Henk Jager
Nederland

Sun, 30 Jul 2017
michael.c.skelly at gmail.com
Bayliss Thomas ?

I have a Villiers engined motorcycle called a Bayliss Thomas, looks very much like an Excelsior, I think about 150 cc 2 stroke . I have never seen anything about this bike --how many were made -etc do you have any info?
michael skelly
vredenburg South Africa

  • The machine is most likely an Excelsior as their parent company is Bayliss-Thomas. Have you images, and perhaps engine and frame numbers?

Thanks for the reply .The bike is packed in the rear of my shed and is probably my next rebuild ,so i cant send any pics or numbers at this stage. I bought it as a non runner in the late 70s .Of course did the stupid thing young guys do -take the engine apart ,and never reassemble .I did store the parts properly and it will be a easy rebuild ..it seems to be a 1955 ish model . I have not found any reference to it on the internet ,and also looking up company that used the Villiers engine .it is maroon in color and is exactly like the small Excelsior. Will make contact again when i can supply some pics and numbers .
Kind regards,
Mick Skelly

Sun Jun 19 2011
museum at wigchers.nl
Bayliss-Thomas
Excelsior 250cc J.A.P. engine
I am searching Bayliss-Thoms 250 cc /J.A.P. engine 1936
Schoonoord.


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