Simplex

The Simplex brand was founded by a Harley-Davidson dealer in Baton Rouge, LA, in the early '30's. Paul Treen released the first model of what he called the Simplex Servi-cycle from his advanced new factory in New Orleans in 1935. Produced from that year up through 1960, the Servi-cycle was a primitive, but cost effective beast with spindly wheels and a low-horsepower, four-cycle engine. When I think of the term motorbike, I think of the Simplex. Of course this may be only because I knew a pair of identical twins who owned a pair of identical, used Simplex Automatics in about 1963. They rode these to high school only for about a year or less before trading up to a matched pair of Honda C-102's. When you trade up to a Honda 50 step-through, maybe now you will see the appropriateness of the term motorbike!

The 1935 model used a direct belt drive with no additional starting mechanism other than your duck-walking feet! There wasn't even a clutch mechanism to take the rolling beast out of gear until 1941, and the automatic drive used on the '58 pictured here was not available until 1953! The H models of 1945-47 finally had a foot brake and right twistgrip throttle. Suspension was practically nonexistent on all the Servi-cycles: a hardtail rear and a primitive spring suspension at the front. I chose this particular photo to display of a 1958 Senior Sportsman 150cc because this example has the rare Buckhorn bars made famous by H-D and it is close to the final development of the model series.

The Servi-cycle was replaced by an entirely different machine in 1960, the final year of production. The Compact series was much closer to the Mustang brand than anything else. Riding on fat, six-or-twelve-inch wheels, the new Sportsman series was composed of two separate chassis. The Sportsman Compact was more of an overgrown minibike than a real motorcycle, and the Sportsman Senior Series was the direct Mustang competitor. Both models had less than zero in common with the Servi-cycle other than the brand name and factory. Production of the Sportsman Compact began in 1960 with a 175cc, 4.9 horsepower engine built by Continental. With its solo seat and six-inch wheels, it didn't intimidate anyone riding anything larger than a Doodle-bug or a Big Wheel.

After several iterations built for a minimal level of trail riding, Simplex released the much bigger and better Sportsman Senior in 1965. The Senior had a longer wheelbase, twelve-inch wheels that were much less of a bad joke, and a traditional, real suspension system at both ends. A kick starter and front brake were even offered at extra cost, and the Continental seven-horsepower engine at least made the Simplex a viable Mustang competitor. The final development of 1965 was the top-dog V model with a 200cc, 11 hp, Villiers engine hooked to a four-speed transmission. With its magneto lighting, dual seat, and Buckhorn bars, it almost looked like a real motorcycle. Unfortunately, the company would turn south and head down the drain before 1965 had even ended. We all know why. Remember that trade up comment?

See Also: Bill Erickson's Servi-cycle Site
Pat Williams' Simplex Servi-cycle Site