1934 Vim Deluxe - Colson Camelback Motorbike

[JOEL]

1934 Colson camelback motobike in 2 tone green, RARE BADGE from Vim Cycle Hardware Company, Buffalo NY. I can't find another example of this beautiful art deco Vim badge. Tires are Pennsylvania Rubber CO with deco tread. Theres a repair on the door hinge and that hinge has come lose (easy fix - door works fine and latches), and a fender brace tab is broken and needs repair (both pieces there). Nice untouched original bike. I have owned it a long time. Will include a packet of company history that I dug up. $1500 obo.

The horn in the pix is no longer with the bike.

 

[Major Taylor Archive]

26" wheels ? Beautiful bike.

 

[Freqman1]

One sweet ride Joel! GLWTS V/r Shawn

 

[Robertriley]

Great colors! Great bike for someone that wants something different.

 

[JOEL]

Yes, 26" wheels. Early balloon tire model. Closeups of the tank door and the pinstriping (mostly worn off) on the fenders. Theres a shadow of a stripe on the tank sides too.

 

[Classic Cool Rides]

Hello @JOEL and CABE'rs !
I was very interested to see the Buffalo, NY reference on this VIM Bicycle! I have worked for about the last 15 years for a Sales Manager:
John T Georger as a road rep for him at GT Bicycles, FELT Bicycles, and now Univega USA (Just about to Re-Launch here in the USA after about 20 years of silence) John T Georger has a Very LONG history in the Bicycle Business in Buffalo, NY !!
I wanted to share his email to me ..... with you and all the CABE'rs out there. The next few lines are John's email to me today (related to VIM)

*** "My Great Uncle Howard Georger was the Sales Manager for VIM Hardware for many years. I have a letter that VIM sent to perspective dealer and it is dated September 1913 and he was listed as the Sales Manager. I know that he started his own company Howard W. Georger Co. in 1937 based in Buffalo and it was an East Coast regional distributor for many bicycle lines , like Colson, Murray and Schwinn …ran it until he passed in 1948…then my Dad ran it from 1948 – 1965 when my dad passed. His brother ran it from 1965 until about 1981 when my brother Chris and I took it over. We helped build the companies worth to the point where we could not afford to buy out the generation above us and we sold it to GT Bicycles of Huntington Beach, Calif. in 1990 and it became the East Coast regional "GT/Riteway East." until that facility closed in 2001.
John Georger
UNIVEGA USA
Vice President of Sales

>>>>>> I am adding some pictures of another VIM Bicycle that is part of his family's collection for you and all the CABE'rs to enjoy.
Another variety of the VIM head badge and yet another GREEN bike!! <<<<<<
Cheers!! CCR Dave

 

[JOEL]

Great badge on that one too, teens maybe? I dug up some history of the company and its owners years ago. They mostly bought up old stock job lots and rebranded them. Sold cars for a while.

 

[Classic Cool Rides]

Great badge on that one too, teens maybe? I dug up some history of the company and its owners years ago. They mostly bought up old stock job lots and rebranded them. Sold cars for a while.

Joel ...... I agree on the "Teens" era as well. The note on the bicycle says 1910 but even John Georger thinks that date is not correct.
I'm trying to see if John Georger has anything in his archives related to the VIM Company.
He has TONS of paperwork and catalogs, etc. collected/accumulated from all those years the family was in the bicycle distribution business.
But I believe most of it was from 1937 on .....
Where did you find that Gem ??

 

[JOEL]

I've owned it for more than 10 years, local pick. New to the market...

 

[locomotion]

i also like this bicycle, great look to it with those 26" rims and fat tires. GLWS