1952 Other Makes Hirondelle

491D6

Clear

This bike was produced by "Manu France" from the 20's to the mid 50's. Manu France was France's Sears or Montgomery Wards, selling in stores and catalogs. This may be the only Hirondelle in the US, none of my motohead friends or I have ever heard of another one. I have a clear title in my name in my hand for this bike. Has new tires, new seat cover, new "PowerDynamo" electric/ignition system ($400). The tail light is not factory, I fabbed it and I have my doubts if the headlight is a stock unit but it is what came on the bike from Europe to me. The Hirondelle didn't have a brake light from the factory but I added a brake switch and light. The I made the center stand because the bike arrived without one. The speedo does not work, the rear wheel sending unit is broken. It has only run 4 or 5 times in the last two years, it only runs when it feels like it and when the stars are aligned in the heavens. I have spent many hours timeing and re-timeing the ignition, adjusting carb and playing with choke and I simply cannot get it to run on demand. The few times it did run it ran good and idled and ran smooth. Trans is all the way up for low gear and down for the next three, the trans and clutch work good. Great bike for display or a French mechanic that knows how to curse in French. The head pipes and wheels had the chrome pitted badly so I sandblasted them and painted them silver. Ask questions and if you question a detail about the bike assume the worst - "truth in advertising". The engine is a YDRAL 125cc engine - for details see http://www.club-ydral.net/notice%20L45.htm . No rust on the fenders, they have factory undercoating - forks need new seals - brakes are acceptable, not good, but acceptable for the speed of this bike.