French Motorcycles

Dalifol Motorcycles

172, quai de Jemmapes, Paris

In 1876, Dalifol built a very innovative, steam-powered tram in collaboration with Amédée Bollée père (1844-1917). The company owner died in 1888 and his 21-year-old son took over the management and experimented with automobiles and motorcycles. Dalifol had purchased the plans and patents to the steam machine from Eugène Labitte. In 1894 the company built a steam motorcycle with the word Volta prominent on the the engine.

There is a suggestion that the machine was based on a license from Heinrich and Wolfgang Hildebrand, one of which was sold to Paris in 1893.

Bourdache has an informative article on this motorcycle.

Bourdache p25, p434; de.wikipedia.org.

N.B. There were several Volta marques


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