# Monarch motobike



## bud poe (Apr 3, 2011)

Another Seattle swap find.  BB was destroyed, bearings rolling around in the frame!  Swapped in a new crankset, straightened out the truss rods and threw some wheels, a chain, a nicer saddle and a drop stand and she's a good rider!  I think someone years ago added the "MONARCH" badge, as this bike is a moto-balloon and I think Monarch stopped producing in the late 1800's?  When I got it, it looked as if it hadn't been touched in years.  It came with a triple-step rim and a Morrow rear hub....


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## tony d. (Apr 3, 2011)

neet bike love the head badge


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## bud poe (Apr 3, 2011)

Thanks!  Do you think it belongs to the bike?  I'm skeptical but it looks cool on there I think...I love the long "steerhorn" bars, bike rides great!


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## ericbaker (Apr 4, 2011)

i have a ladies "Monarch" built by westfield/columbia in the 30s, different badge though. 
 It looks like there may have been a 3rd screw for that badge at the top.


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## bud poe (Apr 4, 2011)

Yeah, Eric, I thought the same thing but if you look close it's not actually a through hole on the top of the badge...
So maybe Columbia made a run of "Monarch" bikes huh?  Everything else about the frame leads me to think it could be a Columbia/Westfield, certain elements match the other Columbia built motobikes I have...anyone else have a "Monarch" to compare?


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## Flat Tire (Apr 4, 2011)

Theres a pre war girls Monarch in the Copake auction this year, same badge as yours except the bottom of your badge is broke off. Not much info in the Copake description but looks to have a Columbia chainguard.


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## bud poe (Apr 4, 2011)

Interesting...Yeah I noticed my badge looked broken.  I pulled a chain-guard off of it too, I'll post a pic of the bike all put back together...


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## tony d. (Apr 4, 2011)

the badge looks like the sweden badges that were sold on e-bay a feww weeks ago  the bottom looks like it was cut off  I would still like to make a mold of it


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## Adamtinkerer (Apr 4, 2011)

That's definitely a Westfield frame with that flared joint on the second straight bar. I know Westfield bought out most of the turn O'century bike co.s that went under. And they reused the badge names, mainly Miami, Rambler, and Sterling. So it could be they made a few Monarchs, maybe inherited some leftover badges from the old co. And since _Monark_ was badging their bikes as Silver Kings til the late 30s, I could believe it.


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## bud poe (Apr 6, 2011)

So looks like I have a SUPER RARE Columbia built Monarch motobike, somebody call the pickers!  Just kidding, thanks for all the info guys...


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## eazywind (Apr 6, 2011)

Call the pickers? I thought you were the pickers?? Marc


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## bud poe (Apr 6, 2011)

Oh yeah...Someone call Pawn Stars cause I got GOLD here?!?
Whatever...


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## bud poe (Apr 7, 2011)

Sorry, easywind...My attempt at smart-ass humor seems to have fallen flat and I really just was poking fun at myself...But seriously thanks for the input on a real "head scratcher"!


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## ericbaker (Apr 17, 2011)

HA, I gave it a good chuckle!


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## ozzmonaut (May 4, 2011)

I don't think Monark produced a line called Monarch. Although a lot of people confuse the spellings. But  Columbia did produce several bikes badged "Monarch". It's kind of like how Schwinn might have two identical bikes badged as "Century" and "Majestic". Most motorbike styles seem to have been released as a number, i.e. "model 104"etc. Whatever is on the badge is just a name and something ornamental. Maybe to add some elegance or pride. This isn't always the case, but most of the time it would seem to be.


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## locomotion (Jan 15, 2022)

very confused about those Monarch Lion Head badges
I have an original badge with only screw holes on the top and at the bottom and then I see the same badges attached to Pope/ABC/Westfield bikes using screw attachments on both sides

was that the last badge design for the original Monarch company that sold to ABC/Pope in 1899 and all the overstock was then used on Pope/ABC bikes using different mounting holes?


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## gkeep (Jan 15, 2022)

Really nice find. Here's your bikes cousin at LuxLow. https://luxlow.com/bicycles/llpatina/1934-monarch-motorbike-bicycle-made-by-pope-columbia-mfg-1200/.

Per this website Pope bought Monarch in 1899. Looks like Westfield was still using the Monarch name in the 1940s. http://zabytkowemotocykleirowery.pl/monarch/en.


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## Archie Sturmer (Jan 16, 2022)

An old thread worth the re-visit.  When we see just one of these _*Westfield*_—*Monarch* bikes with the 4-hole badges & two screws, we might be fairly skeptical. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/bike-id.166677/#post-1129035

But, what if there are several, a conspiracy?








						Early MONARCH bicycle, Is it worth pursuing | General Discussion About Old Bicycles
					

This is the best I could do for a picture, this mens bike is overall rusty, has been sitting inside for years but it was next to where a salt truck was parked, from what I could see it appears complete, the fellow is tough to deal with and if it is not something special it just may not be worth...




					thecabe.com


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## locomotion (Jan 16, 2022)

Archie Sturmer said:


> An old thread worth the re-visit.  When we see just one of these _*Westfield*_—*Monarch* bikes with the 4-hole badges & two screws, we might be fairly skeptical. https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/bike-id.166677/#post-1129035
> 
> But, what if there are several, a conspiracy?
> 
> ...



yeah exactly what I was thinking ...... saw and read all those old post regarding "Monarch" branded bikes
i was skeptical at first seeing the badge attached by the sides (I was thinking that it was simply added by the bicycle owner by drilling two extra holes), but then I started seeing a few bikes with the same badge attached the same way
so then I got confused
I would really like to figure out/understand what happened between pre 1899 Monarch to post 1899 Monarch
I understand the ABC acquisition, but what about how it was integrated into the new brand, this is the mystery for me






						Monarch Cycle Company
					






					chicagology.com


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