Oldtimer gallery. Motorcycles. Reliance.

Oldtimer picture gallery. Motorcycles. Pre-1932 USA motorcycles. Reliance.
III 1908 - Spring 1911, Reliance Motor Cycle Co., Owego, New York, USA.
? - IV 1907 - II 1908, Reliance Motor Cycle Co., Elmira, New York, USA.
IV 1904 - late 1906, Reliance Motor Cycle Co., Addison, New York, USA.
XI 1903 - IV 1904, Empire Motor Cycle Co., Addison, New York, USA.

Successor: Monarch.

1911 (the factory closed in Spring 1911, almost completely new model, 2-speed device discontinued, extra $35 for magneto ignition, color - French gray with black stripping and red letters.)
   Reliance Model G-11, 1-cyl. F-head, 4¹/₂hp, 32.32 cu. in. (529.6cc), bore 3⁵/₁₆", stroke 3³/₄", battery ignition, 1-speed, V-belt drive, ? mph, $240, 26k photo (29 IV 1911), 43k picture (III 1911).
1910 (longer handlebars, new muffler, extra $25 for magneto ignition ($35 for Model E), extra $30 ($25 for Model C) for lever controlled 2-speed and free engine planetary device. The company met financial difficulties in 1910.)
   Reliance Model C (or 3¹/₂ H. P.), 1st half of the season only, 1-cyl. F-head, 3¹/₂hp, 28.00 cu. in. (458.8cc), bore 3¹/₄", stroke 3³/₈", battery ignition, 1-speed, V-belt drive, ? mph, $200, 71k XII 1909 photo (2 quarts oil "rocket nose" tank), 3 quarts oil tank version (II 1910), 67k photo.
   Reliance Model F (or 4¹/₂ H. P.), 1-cyl. F-head, 4¹/₂hp, 31.32 cu. in. (513.3cc), bore 3⁷/₁₆", stroke 3⁵/₈", battery ignition, 1-speed, V-belt drive, ? mph, $210, 39k photo, 31k 1941 photo (w. magneto), 45k zoom, 46k photo (with later 1912-13 Monarch fork).
   Reliance Model E (or 7 H. P.), V2-cyl. F-head, 7hp, 56.00 cu. in. (917.6cc), bore 3¹/₄", stroke 3³/₈", battery ignition, 1-speed, V-belt drive, ? mph, $250, 28k photo.
1909 (spring fork on all models, magneto ignition with models C, D and E at an extra charge)
   Reliance Model A, 1-cyl. F-head, 2hp, 15.47 cu. in. (253.5cc), bore 2⁹/₁₆", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, flat belt drive, ? mph, $135, 89k photo.
   Reliance Model B, 1-cyl. F-head, 3hp, 21.21 cu. in. (347.5cc), bore 3", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, flat belt drive, ? mph, $175, 39k photo.
   Reliance Model C, 1-cyl. F-head, 3¹/₂hp, 25.89 cu. in. (424.2cc), bore 3¹/₈", stroke 3³/₈", battery or magneto ignition, 1-speed, V-belt drive, ? mph, $200, 122k photo.
   Reliance Model D, V2-cyl. F-head, 4-5hp, 29.65 cu. in. (485.9cc), bore 2⁹/₁₆", stroke 2⁷/₈", battery or magneto ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, ? mph, $225, 31k photo.
   Reliance Model E, V2-cyl. F-head, 7hp, 51.77 cu. in. (848.4cc), bore 3¹/₈", stroke 3³/₈", battery or magneto ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, ? mph, $250, 335k photo, 34k photo.
1908 (Reliance Regular is practically the same as 1907 model, but with longer handlebars, higher position of engine output, another mudguards.)
   Reliance Junior, 1-cyl. F-head, 2hp, 14.83 cu. in. (243.0cc), bore 2⁹/₁₆", stroke 2⁷/₈", battery ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, 5...25 mph, $125 (rigid fork), $130 (spring fork), 59k photo (rigid fork), color enameled black, Yale blue or crimson.
   Reliance Regular (or 3 H. P.), 1-cyl. F-head, 3hp, 21.21 cu. in. (347.5cc), bore 3", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, 5...40 mph, $175, 75k photo, color Yale blue, crimson or black.
1907 (changed rear part of the frame for 55" wheelbase, new tank, front mudguard re-appeared, battery moved to under the seat, changed coil- and muffler position. Until X 1907 the company address in some ads continued to be Addison, and only in XII 1907 Elmira appeared, although all the 1907 production was in Elmira.)
   Reliance 2¹/₂ H. P., 1-cyl. F-head, 2¹/₂hp, 21.21 cu. in. (347.5cc), bore 3", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, 40 mph, $175, 189k and 46k IV 1907 photo.
1906 (changes literally in everything, engine is the same, advertised as developing 2hp, handlebar engine grip-control)
   Reliance 2 H. P., 1-cyl. F-head, 2hp, 17.82 cu. in. (292.0cc), bore 2³/₄", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, belt drive, ? mph, $150, 41k XII 1905 photo, chain drive mentioned also in plans.
   Reliance 2¹/₂ H. P., 1-cyl., 2¹/₂hp, ? cu. in., the same frame, $175, declared in XII 1905 plans, I don't know of its real production.
   Reliance 4 H. P., 2-cyl., 4hp, ? cu. in., the same frame, $?, declared in XII 1905 plans, I don't know of its real production.
1905 (changes literally in everything)
   Reliance, 1-cyl. F-head, 1³/₄hp, 17.82 cu. in. (292.0cc), bore 2³/₄", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, raisable friction pulley driven by flat belt, ? mph, $135, 48k photo.
   Reliance, 1-cyl. F-head, 1³/₄hp, 17.82 cu. in. (292.0cc), bore 2³/₄", stroke 3", battery ignition, 1-speed, chain drive, grip control, ? mph, $150 (was it really in production?).
XI 1903 - 1904, 1-cyl. F-head, 1³/₄hp, ? cu. in., battery ignition, 1-speed, raisable friction pulley driven by flat belt, 32 mph, $125 ($135 since IV 1904).
   Reliance, 139k and 96k photo, both XI 1903.

Photos and data are from:
Author's archive.
Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal, 1903-1911.
"The Motorcycle Industry in New York State" encyclopedia by Geoffrey N. Stein.
Standard Catalog of American Motorcycles 1898-1981 by Jerry Hatfield.
eBay.
WorthPoint.
Motorcycle Memories.
The Bicycling World, 1907.
The Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review, 29 IV 1911.
The Motorcycle Illustrated, 1908, 1909.

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!

Entrance Gallery Motorcycles Pre-1932 USA motorcycles Sale Links

Last updated 25 VII 2021. Andrei Bogomolov. Contact Information.