When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Will The Blue Streak (Monark Super Twin) Break The Never-seen-running Jinx At Portland?

#eBayPartner    Most Recent BUY IT NOW Items Listed on eBay
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture
eBay Auction Picture

Goldenrod

I live for the CABE
It has languished in my Illinois basement, dodging Chicago bullets, for the last thirty years. It has stood like a blue, moldy, slice of Wonder Bread among the chromed Whizzers and one lonely Marmon. This slowly adding to his inferiority complex. Then one day a young lad asked if it ran. That bundle of enthusiasm was the CABE’s rising star, Mr. Monark, who is our very own Huck Finn (type person). He dropped his fishing pole in shock when the crusty old gentleman answered, “Maybe”. David immediately plunged into the dark world of forgotten Chicago technology. After some quick fiddling, spark was discovered in both cylinders!! The brakes worked!! It had compression!! The throttle throttled!! The thirsty beast only needed liquid food and crude oil to send out clouds of two-stroke smoke farts!! The Whizzers gave out a collective sigh as they realized that the dusty blue oddball was a vehicle also--just chromeless!! All these years, Blue Streaky knew that (given half a chance) it could run like a wombat in love -- even faster than these arrogant Whizzer queens.

Our lad had given Blue a hope that he hadn’t experienced since his purchase at Portland in 1993. Not since Cleopatra was paraded in Rome has there been this much excitement and anticipation of a spectacle than didn’t include camel manure and long togas. David would be in Portland, Indiana this very minute if he could just chew through his restrainment straps.

Meanwhile, I will use these pictures to school those who have curious minds. First pic.: That cover is cast aluminum. Pic #2: Being purpose-built makes it a rock solid ride with the proven performance of a two cylinder go-cart engine. Pic #3 and #4 rare tool kit but I am guessing that more tools will be needed. Pic #5 Please note the choke pulls up and the bar on the cylinder head is protecting your leg from getting toasty. The round dome "thingy" is the giant dial for the spark advance feature that is used to streak past 50s babes in short shorts. The clutch is the pull-in bar just under and to the left of the seat spring. Just below the horizontal black wire is the dial to adjust gas flow. Remaining pictures: no front brake is possible. Remember how your local Bevis and Butthead used to break off decorations on your bike? Try and break off the flat front orniment on a Twin. Owners would sometime try to start Monarks while leaving the spark advance on, like the old Fords and the "jump" would break their arm. There was a similar leg problem with these bikes. The tank makes it look like a beadle while a Whizzer looks like a spider.
Okay, I grudgingly admit that Monarks are not without their charm. They get an high rating in effort and tech but the "proof is in the pudding" at Portland. Maybe we can give out rides if you bring a notes from your moms.

6CC5D83D-412C-40F2-AF4D-79DCEAFCFF0E.jpeg


1B07C060-DCF6-4BD0-BB03-A5242ABE0356.jpeg


BA7D3CF9-7092-42AB-84C8-A5F795C98CD1.jpeg


EE447BE9-91FC-461D-91C0-07DB7FE4EE43.jpeg


744E5F3F-1EA3-4F29-933E-1B8309F4407B.jpeg


C5DF30F0-64C0-43C7-8C93-710FD2B3AFF9.jpeg


2F1A55D2-E1DD-4202-8A9F-5F35F47F6F9B.jpeg


93EC3336-1610-4348-B6EA-A877D07BCFEA.jpeg


A4D54DF2-AB89-410E-AC01-9E14D03CBDD4.jpeg
 
Last edited:
This is a beautiful 2nd-series Monark Super-Twin. Nice to see these photos.

Several points have been modified on this Super-Twin and it is missing a few items.

• The original Super-Twin handlebars have been replanced and the trottle has either been replaced or modified. As pictured the throttle is formatted like other brands and certain scooters that used a similar mechanism, Monark-Silver King, Inc. always preferred to hide cables and wires, going back to the 1930s on Silver Kings. Original Super-Twin throttles had no exposed cable and instead routed the cable through the handlebar and out of a special hole in the bottom of the bar. This was true of all 3 series.

• While this Super-Twin was apparently sold with the optional Hall generator lighting system, the tail light and wiring is missing as well as the generator itself. It also appears that the headlight lens has been changed.

• The special Super-Twin Stimsonite plastic rear reflector is missing. (hint: it has its own different fresnelling unlike bicycle types).

• The wheels appear to have been changed from Super-Twin originals.

Here is one of my Super-Twins (this is a first series) equipped with a very rare original Super-Twin speedometer. While the speedo shows miles, it was added later (rescued from a Whizzer parts pile). Otherwise, this Super-Twin has never had gas in the tank and was never fully assembled. Chainguard and pedals are off here in the photos.

These handlebars and stem are (were at the time) NOS and you will note the throttle with no cable exposed and aluminum cap on the end. Also thought you might like to see a NOS Super-Twin drive belt.

Finally, here is the main tool that goes in the rare Monark Super-Twin tool pouch. VERY tough to find.

For anyone who cares, I took these photos over 40 years ago– long before digital cameras or the internet.

Good luck with the Blue Streak.

SuperTwinTankSpeedoThrottleLeonDixonWM.jpeg


MonarkSuperTwinNOSBeltTankLeonDixonWM.jpeg


SuperTwinnTollEmbossedSideLeonDixonWM.jpeg
 
It has languished in my Illinois basement, dodging Chicago bullets, for the last thirty years. It has stood like a blue, moldy, slice of Wonder Bread among the chromed Whizzers and one lonely Marmon. This slowly adding to his inferiority complex. Then one day a young lad asked if it ran. That bundle of enthusiasm was the CABE’s rising star, Mr. Monark, who is our very own Huck Finn (type person). He dropped his fishing pole in shock when the crusty old gentleman answered, “Maybe”. David immediately plunged into the dark world of forgotten Chicago technology. After some quick fiddling, spark was discovered in both cylinders!! The brakes worked!! It had compression!! The throttle throttled!! The thirsty beast only needed liquid food and crude oil to send out clouds of two-stroke smoke farts!! The Whizzers gave out a collective sigh as they realized that the dusty blue oddball was a vehicle also--just chromeless!! All these years, Blue Streaky knew that (given half a chance) it could run like a wombat in love -- even faster than these arrogant Whizzer queens.

Our lad had given Blue a hope that he hadn’t experienced since his purchase at Portland in 1993. Not since Cleopatra was paraded in Rome has there been this much excitement and anticipation of a spectacle than didn’t include camel manure and long togas. David would be in Portland, Indiana this very minute if he could just chew through his restrainment straps.

Meanwhile, I will use these pictures to school those who have curious minds. First pic.: That cover is cast aluminum. Pic #2: Being purpose-built makes it a rock solid ride with the proven performance of a two cylinder go-cart engine. Pic #3 and #4 rare tool kit but I am guessing that more tools will be needed. Pic #5 Please note the choke pulls up and the bar on the cylinder head is protecting your leg from getting toasty. The round dome "thingy" is the giant dial for the spark advance feature that is used to streak past 50s babes in short shorts. The clutch is the pull-in bar just under and to the left of the seat spring. Just below the horizontal black wire is the dial to adjust gas flow. Remaining pictures: no front brake is possible. Remember how your local Bevis and Butthead used to break off decorations on your bike? Try and break off the flat front orniment on a Twin. Owners would sometime try to start Monarks while leaving the spark advance on, like the old Fords and the "jump" would break their arm. There was a similar leg problem with these bikes. The tank makes it look like a beadle while a Whizzer looks like a spider.
Okay, I grudgingly admit that Monarks are not without their charm. They get an high rating in effort and tech but the "proof is in the pudding" at Portland. Maybe we can give out rides if you bring a notes from your moms.

View attachment 1768838

View attachment 1768839

View attachment 1768840

View attachment 1768841

View attachment 1768842

View attachment 1768843

View attachment 1768844

View attachment 1768845

View attachment 1768846
WOW, that little two cylinder looks like a washing machine engine from the 30's.. Okay ,time to come clean and fess up to your poor old mother and return that Maytag to it's proper owner. All kidding aside, I just LOOOVE this old 2 popper Monark.. RideOn...
 
WOW, that little two cylinder looks like a washing machine engine from the 30's.. Okay ,time to come clean and fess up to your poor old mother and return that Maytag to it's proper owner. All kidding aside, I just LOOOVE this old 2 popper Monark.. RideOn...
Thank you! We’re very excited to finally work on this bike! She has good spark and compression in both cylinders! Just need to rebuild the carb and clean up the cables before she’s ready! Unfortunately, some good old midwestern snow has halted and further testing.
 
Back
Top