Oldtimer picture gallery. Motorcycles. Pre-1932 USA makes.
Merkel Motor-Wheel.
XI 1923 - 1924 Indian Motorcycle Co., Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
1920 - XI 1923 Hendee Manufacturing Co., Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
5 II 1918 - 12 XII 1918 Merkel Motor Wheel Company, Rochester, New York, USA.
III 1917 - winter 1917/1918 Merkel Motor Wheel Company, East Rochester, New York, USA.
XI 1916 - II 1917 Merkel Motor Wheel Company, New York, New York, USA.
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On 12 XII 1918 Indian bought Merkel Motor-Wheel company and in 1920-1924 sold Merkel Motor Wheels under Merkel trademark.
1924:
Indian + Merkel motor, 76k and 78k photo
1923:
Merkel Motor Wheel, 121k poster
1922: (price is $85)
Merkel Motor Wheel, VI 1922, 84k poster
Merkel Motor Wheel, 89k, 69k photo, 49k photo and 58k photo
1921: (lever-operaged disc clutch, engine turned "front-end-back")
Indian + Merkel motor, 218k, 209k photo and 138k photo

In 1913 Joseph F. Merkel known as "Hoppe" had left the The Flying Merkel and in August 1916 incorporated the Merkel Motor Wheel Company at Rochester to manufacture bicycle-assist engine, his old design idea. First production started in XI 1916 and first deliveries in II 1917. Cyclist merely changed rear wheel for the Motor Wheel unit. Factory price was $75, - very profitable in comparison with $300 of cheap motorcycle. But sensational new price $350 for 1917 Ford-T car had been proclaimed, what strongly decreased an interest to motorcycles. In 1918 the Merkel Motor Wheel Company became a bankrupt.
1918: ("drop forged gears", Joseph F. Merkel)
Merkel Motor Wheel, 1918 model, late 1917 print, 11k photo
Merkel Motor Wheel, 1918 model, XII 1917, 86k and 89k photo
1917:
Merkel Motor Wheel Nr. 702, 1917 or 1918, 49k and 58k photo
Merkel Motor Wheel, Spring 1917, 43k photo
Joseph F. Merkel with Merkel Motor Wheel, printed 1 III 1917, 60k photo
1916:
Merkel Motor Wheel patent, application filed 28 IX 1916, patented 11 III 1919, 40k photo

1-cyl. 4-stroke OHV, 2hp, 12.27 cu. in. (201.1cc), bore 21/2", stroke 21/2", magneto ignition, over 45 mph.

Photos and data are from:
Author's archive.
The Cabe.
PreWarCar.com.
MECUM Auctions.
WorthPoint.
eBay.
Google Patents.
MotorCycle Illustrated, 1 III 1917.
Motor Bicycling.
Geocities.ws.

Thanks for help to:
Evgenii Pevzner (Moskva), motorcycle historian,
Thanks to all authors of books, articles and internet resources, to photographers - contemporary and old, to restorers and collectors!
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Last updated 11 VII 2021. Andrei Bogomolov. Contact Information.