# Colson Speed Chief with JLO engine



## CeeBee (Oct 12, 2014)

Does anyone have any information on a JLO bicycle motor?  I originally purchased it from the family of the original builder/owner, then sold it to Double Nickel, then acquired it back yesterday in a trade.  I have found very little info at all and all the information regarding JLO bicycle motors I have found is in German.  Anyone have any experience with one of these little guys?

Here it is as found a year or so ago:





And here is how it came back the second time around:


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## CeeBee (Oct 14, 2014)

*Anyone?*

So, has anyone ever seen one these at all?


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## bike (Oct 14, 2014)

*I really do not remember seeing one*

but I do not follow foriegn- there were MANY
does it have a clutch?

Sunbeam Tiger?


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## pedal4416 (Oct 14, 2014)

I've seen jlo motorbikes before, usually a step through moped style bike with the engine mounted near the bottom bracket. Your engine is a bit different than the usual ones I see. I'll try and dig up a pic today.


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## CeeBee (Oct 14, 2014)

Thanks for the responses.  Yes, the handle on the left is a clutch handle that operates a motorcycle style cone clutch.  It is very finicky, but currently is working.  I need to figure out a more reliable way to adjust the cable at the handle end as it requires much more pulling force than a bicycle cable clamp usually is submitted to.  It runs fair, but the carburetor has been replaced at some point and I believe it is too large for the displacement so I can't dial it in properly.
The back story from the original seller was that his uncle served in WW2, then was stationed in Germany through the early 50's.  The speculation is that he already owned the '40 model Speed Chief prior to the war and had made a previous motorized version that utilized the flat mounting plate to hold a Briggs and Stratton or Maytag, etc.  When he returned to the states he evidently brought the JLO motor home with him and turned it into the current version.


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## bricycle (Oct 14, 2014)

CeeBee said:


> Thanks for the responses.  Yes, the handle on the left is a clutch handle that operates a motorcycle style cone clutch.  It is very finicky, but currently is working.  I need to figure out a more reliable way to adjust the cable at the handle end as it requires much more pulling force than a bicycle cable clamp usually is submitted to.  It runs fair, but the carburetor has been replaced at some point and I believe it is too large for the displacement so I can't dial it in properly.
> The back story from the original seller was that his uncle served in WW2, then was stationed in Germany through the early 50's.  The speculation is that he already owned the '40 model Speed Chief prior to the war and had made a previous motorized version that utilized the flat mounting plate to hold a Briggs and Stratton or Maytag, etc.  When he returned to the states he evidently brought the JLO motor home with him and turned it into the current version.




when you gonna buy my Speedi-bike motor? mr. bolt on motor....


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## CeeBee (Oct 14, 2014)

bricycle said:


> when you gonna buy my Speedi-bike motor? mr. bolt on motor....




A Speedy-Bike Speed Chief does have a nice ring to it....


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## bricycle (Oct 14, 2014)

CeeBee said:


> A Speedy-Bike Speed Chief does have a nice ring to it....




Sure! have a mill in the middle, one out back, and a Elgin/Muncie Cycle Motor up front. Then later you can hang a Smith/Briggs Motor wheel off the left rear, and an import motor in the front wheel. Maybe even squeeze a merkel off the rear axle?
The DMV would have a fit!


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## CeeBee (Oct 14, 2014)

Maybe add a Chicken Power for trolling?


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## Biss-Ness (Oct 14, 2014)

You mean like this one!





Sweet JLO!


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## redline1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

What I believe is the jol  engines were used in the early 1900's through the early 40's in motor bikes. then after the war went to building snow mobile engines. Here's mine a 1936, it's a war find brought over seas by a us service man during ww2. It's a jlo 98cc 2spd . Has drum brake a blackout light setup and tool box. It is complete but the motor needs work as is the gas tank. My current project.


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## bike (Oct 15, 2014)

*^^^^^ europe taxed on horse power+expensive gas*

=heavy bikes with small motors!
very cool


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## bricycle (Oct 15, 2014)

I hope hat's your current project... let's get going on that puppy!!!


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## redline1968 (Oct 15, 2014)

Yes It's is but I came into a collection of bikes to buy plus my pontiac needs a few thing so this got set aside. It's very heavy but awesome resto project.  I need to find a special tool to remove the magneto then work on the crank and tank.


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## bricycle (Nov 11, 2014)

redline1968 said:


> Yes It's is but I came into a collection of bikes to buy plus my pontiac needs a few thing so this got set aside. It's very heavy but awesome resto project.  I need to find a special tool to remove the magneto then work on the crank and tank.




Poor thing, when you get bored, let me know...


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## redline1968 (Nov 15, 2014)

Lol....life's tough..


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## bricycle (Dec 18, 2019)

CeeBee said:


> Does anyone have any information on a JLO bicycle motor?  I originally purchased it from the family of the original builder/owner, then sold it to Double Nickel, then acquired it back yesterday in a trade.  I have found very little info at all and all the information regarding JLO bicycle motors I have found is in German.  Anyone have any experience with one of these little guys?
> 
> Here it is as found a year or so ago:
> View attachment 578450
> ...



CeeBee is that a Sunbeam? yours?


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## MotoMagz (Dec 18, 2019)

CeeBee said:


> *Anyone?*
> 
> So, has anyone ever seen one these at all?











						JLO Motorcycle Engines
					

Motorcycle manufacturers of Germany - History and Technical Data.



					cybermotorcycle.com


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## CeeBee (Dec 18, 2019)

bricycle said:


> CeeBee is that a Sunbeam? yours?



Yes, it is '67 Alpine that I owned at the time of the original post.  I regrettably sold that one a couple of years ago.  I still have a '64 that has been off the road since the transmission went out in when I was in high school in 1983.  I'm actually embarrassed to have to say that......I keep saying I'm going to get back to work on it soon, though.....


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## CeeBee (Dec 18, 2019)

MotoMagz said:


> JLO Motorcycle Engines
> 
> 
> Motorcycle manufacturers of Germany - History and Technical Data.
> ...



Thank you!


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## bricycle (Dec 18, 2019)

CeeBee said:


> Yes, it is '67 Alpine that I owned at the time of the original post.  I regrettably sold that one a couple of years ago.  I still have a '64 that has been off the road since the transmission went out in when I was in high school in 1983.  I'm actually embarrassed to have to say that......I keep saying I'm going to get back to work on it soon, though.....



Maybe by the time I get rid of my bike stuff you'll have her about done, or vise versa. Keep me in mind. lol.


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## fordmike65 (Dec 18, 2019)

@bricycle 
Nice going bringing this thread back from the dead...


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## CeeBee (Dec 18, 2019)

fordmike65 said:


> @bricycle
> Nice going bringing this thread back from the dead...
> View attachment 1112048



Two times in a week that the Speed Chief has come up!


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## CeeBee (Dec 18, 2019)

bricycle said:


> Maybe by the time I get rid of my bike stuff you'll have her about done, or vise versa. Keep me in mind. lol.



This one has been in my family since 1974.  I think I'm obligated by some unofficial family trust to keep it forever.


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