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Cotton (motorcycle)
Encyclopedia
The Cotton Motorcycle Company, was a British motorcycle
manufacturer of 11a Bristol Road, Gloucester
, and was founded by Frank Willoughby Cotton in 1918. F.W. presided over the company until his retirement in 1953. The company was reconstituted as E. Cotton (Motorcycles) Ltd, and traded till 1980.
. Being a lawyer, in 1914 he patented the "triangulated frame" to protect his design that was a Cotton feature until the Second World War. The First World War intervened and it was not until 1918 that the Cotton Motorcycle Company was founded; the first Cotton motorcycle appeared in 1920.
rode a Blackburne
-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT
, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (24.9 m/s), bettering Douglas
rider, Manxman Tom Sheard
’s winning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (23.8 m/s). Cotton motorcycles took a second and third in the Ultra Lightweight TT
, and a second in the Lightweight TT. They only managed a second place in the 1925 Junior TT, but in the 1926 races
, swept the field taking the first three places in the Lightweight TT. These victories helped establish Cotton as a race-winning machine, with exceptional handling for its time.
The 1923 win, and consequent full order book, enabled a move to new premises, the Vulcan Works in Quay Street. In 1927 the frame dimensions were altered.
came, Cotton responded by offering a wider range of engines in its patented frame, usually with Burman
gearboxes.
In 1930, engine choices were:
Four-strokes were available with the exhaust in “single port” or “twin port”.
In 1939 JAP had changed their engine range, introducing new 500 cc and 600 cc, without an external push rod tube, and finned all the way to the base. Unusual external hairpin valve springs, fixed in the middle, with a valve at each end, were used. These were available as standard or deluxe versions. The high cam JAP engines, the 250 cc JAP, and the 150 cc Villiers two stroke continued. Just before the world war, they released a smaller, lighter Cotton with a 122 cc Villiers 9D engine.
When the triangulated rigid frame was introduced in 1920, it was ahead of its time. By 1939, when the sprung heel and rear swingarm
frames had begun to appear so rigid frames had seen their day . Vincent had patented a cantilever frame in 1928.
motor.
Other Cotton models included the Herald, Messenger, Double Gloucester, Continental, Corsair and Conquest. Cotton became involved in competitive motorcycling, and a range of road, trials and scrambler models were available by the end of 1960.
and John Draper. The Villiers Starmaker racing engine was introduced in 1962, so Cotton went road racing
. The 247 cc Telstar road racer and Conquest were introduced in 1962 and 1964 respectively. Over the next two years, Cottons were winning races again.
engine, but production was slow. Cotton had been profitably selling bikes in kit form, but changes to legislation proved damaging.
They moved their factory to Stratton Road in 1970, where they diversified into production of the Cotton Sturdy, a three wheel factory truck. Over the next decade production was moved a number of times, and they managed to produce a good 250 cc racing machine with a Rotax
engine. The difficulty of finding a supply of engines after the loss of Villiers was compounded by the appearance of mass-produced Japanese motorcycles in the 1970s.
In the late '90s AJS
Motorcycles Ltd. of Goodworth Clatford, Andover produced a series of Cotton replica competition motorcycles including the 250 Cobra Scrambler, Cotton-Triumph 500 Scrambler, Telstar 250 road racer and 250 Starmaker Trials Bike. These replicas followed the original chassis designs accurately. The chassis were T.I.G welded, and employed either AJS Stormer wheel hubs, British Hubs or Grimeca Hubs. Betor or Marzocchi forks were used and usually Sebac shocks were installed at the rear. These replicas were very successful on the Pre '65 Moto X circuits and in the hands of Classic Racers.
Today Nick Brown of AJS
Motorcycles Ltd. owns the Cotton trademark.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
manufacturer of 11a Bristol Road, Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, and was founded by Frank Willoughby Cotton in 1918. F.W. presided over the company until his retirement in 1953. The company was reconstituted as E. Cotton (Motorcycles) Ltd, and traded till 1980.
The Triangulated Frame
By 1913, F.W. Cotton had engaged in hill climbs and trials, and recognised the limitations of the “diamond frame” design, little different from a bicycle. He designed his own, and had examples made by LevisLevis (motorcycle)
Levis motorcycles , manufactured by Butterfields of Birmingham, were for many years one of England's leading manufacturers of two-stroke motorcycles...
. Being a lawyer, in 1914 he patented the "triangulated frame" to protect his design that was a Cotton feature until the Second World War. The First World War intervened and it was not until 1918 that the Cotton Motorcycle Company was founded; the first Cotton motorcycle appeared in 1920.
Stanley Woods and the TT
In 1922 Stanley WoodsStanley Woods
Stanley Woods Dublin, an Irish motorcycle racer famous for 29 motorcycle Grand Prix wins and winning the Isle of Man TT races 10 times in his career. He was a past pupil of The High School, Dublin. Stanley started racing in 1921 on a Harley Davidson...
rode a Blackburne
Blackburne (motorcycles)
Blackburne was a trade name of Burney and Blackburne Limited a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1913 to 1922 at Tongham near Farnham, Surrey...
-engined Cotton to fifth in the 350 cc Junior TT, and the following year, won the 1923 Isle of Man TT
1923 Isle of Man TT
The 1923 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw the introduction of the first Sidecar TT race over 3 laps and was won by Freddie Dixon and passenger Walter Denny with a special Douglas banking-sidecar in a time of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds at an average speed of however the fastest...
, averaging 55.73 miles per hour (24.9 m/s), bettering Douglas
Douglas (motorcycles)
Douglas was a British motorcycle manufacturer from 1907–1957 based in Kingswood, Bristol, owned by the Douglas family, and especially known for its horizontally opposed twin cylinder engined bikes and as manufacturers of speedway machines...
rider, Manxman Tom Sheard
Tom Sheard
Thomas Mylchreest Sheard Jnr was a motorcycle racer with 2 victories at the Isle of Man TT races and great nephew to Joseph Mylchreest the 'Diamond King'....
’s winning 500 cc Senior TT time, an average of 53.15 miles per hour (23.8 m/s). Cotton motorcycles took a second and third in the Ultra Lightweight TT
1924 Isle of Man TT
The 1924 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy saw the introduction of the Ultra-Lightweight class for motorcycles of 175 cc capacity that was run only twice; this season and in 1925...
, and a second in the Lightweight TT. They only managed a second place in the 1925 Junior TT, but in the 1926 races
1926 Isle of Man TT
Further changes occurred in the 1926 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy with the scrapping of the Side-Car TT and Ultra-Lightweight TT Races from the lack of entries. Most of the TT Course had now been tarmacked, including the Snaefell Mountain Section. Another change in 1926 was the ban on alcohol based...
, swept the field taking the first three places in the Lightweight TT. These victories helped establish Cotton as a race-winning machine, with exceptional handling for its time.
The 1923 win, and consequent full order book, enabled a move to new premises, the Vulcan Works in Quay Street. In 1927 the frame dimensions were altered.
Engine and model range
When the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
came, Cotton responded by offering a wider range of engines in its patented frame, usually with Burman
Burman and Sons Ltd
Burman and Sons Ltd, of Ryland Road, Birmingham, England, manufactured Burman-Douglas steering gear.Their recirculating worm and ball design of steering gear was fitted to pre-war vehicles such as the Ford Eight and the Ford Prefect, the Bedford CA, plus many other vehicles - both pre and post-war....
gearboxes.
In 1930, engine choices were:
- 247 cc Villiers two stroke engine
- 295 cc, 348 cc, and 495 cc side-valve Blackburne engines
- 348 cc and 495 cc ohv Blackburne engines
- 292 cc, 348 cc, and 495 cc ohv JAPJA Prestwich Industries LtdJA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...
engines
Four-strokes were available with the exhaust in “single port” or “twin port”.
- In 1931 the Blackburne side valve engines disappeared, replaced by the 348 cc and 499 cc Rudge-Python, and a Sturmey-ArcherSturmey-ArcherSturmey-Archer is a manufacturing company originally from Nottingham, England. It primarily produces bicycle hub gears but has also produced motorcycle hubs....
motor entered the range. - In 1932 all models had saddle tanks and side-valve JAPJA Prestwich Industries LtdJA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...
engines were added. There were two 150 cc models, a sv JAP and a VilliersVilliers EngineeringVilliers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England....
two-stroke. The biggest capacity model used a 596 cc ohv Blackburne engine. There was a choice of three ohv engine makes, a side valve, and a two stroke. - For 1933 the range included 250s, in two-stroke Villiers, side-valve JAP, ohv JAP, and ohv Python. There were now 17 Cotton models.
- For 1934 150 and 250 cc ohv Blackburne engines were added, and ohv JAP engines of 245 cc and 596 cc. This increased the range to 19 models.
- In 1935 the Python and side valve JAP engines disappeared, but with a new choice of coil or magneto ignition, Cotton could still claim 16 models.
- In 1936 a “super sports” with a 500 cc JAP engine, and a “super sports” with a Blackburne 25B engine appeared.
- In 1937 the only Blackburne engine available was a 250 cc ohv. There were three new high-camshaft design 250, 350 and 500 cc JAP engined models, with four-speed, foot change gearboxes.
- In 1938 the 150 cc model changed from JAP to unused old stock Blackburne engines. Blackburne itself was now out of production.
- By 1939 there was no 150 cc model.
In 1939 JAP had changed their engine range, introducing new 500 cc and 600 cc, without an external push rod tube, and finned all the way to the base. Unusual external hairpin valve springs, fixed in the middle, with a valve at each end, were used. These were available as standard or deluxe versions. The high cam JAP engines, the 250 cc JAP, and the 150 cc Villiers two stroke continued. Just before the world war, they released a smaller, lighter Cotton with a 122 cc Villiers 9D engine.
When the triangulated rigid frame was introduced in 1920, it was ahead of its time. By 1939, when the sprung heel and rear swingarm
Swingarm
A swingarm, or "swinging arm" is the main component of the rear suspension of most modern motorcycles and ATVs...
frames had begun to appear so rigid frames had seen their day . Vincent had patented a cantilever frame in 1928.
After the Second World War
Continuing with engineering work that sustained the factory during the Second World War, Cotton did not re-enter the motorcycle market at the war's end, but struggled on into the 1950s, when F.W. Cotton decided to retire. The company was re-constituted under Elizabeth Cotton in 1953 as E. Cotton (Motorcycles) Ltd., and was managed by Pat Onions and Monty Denley.E. Cotton (Motorcycles) Ltd
As before, Cotton made their own frames, and bought in the rest of the components for assembly. The first machine, produced till 1957, was the Cotton Vulcan, with a VilliersVilliers Engineering
Villiers Engineering was a manufacturer of motorcycles and cycle parts, and an engineering company based in Villiers Street, Wolverhampton, England....
motor.
- In 1955 the Cotton Cotanza was released using a 242 cc AnzaniAnzaniAnzani was an engine manufacturer founded by the Italian Alessandro Anzani , which produced proprietary engines for aircraft, cars, boats, and motorcycles in factories in Britain, France and Italy.-Overview:...
engine, and a new frame with “pivoted-fork” rear suspensionSuspension (motorcycle)A motorcycle's suspension serves a dual purpose: contributing to the vehicle's handling and braking, and providing safety and comfort by keeping the vehicle's passengers comfortably isolated from road noise, bumps and vibrations....
. The frame was also used in a new 1955 Vulcan model, fitted with a Villiers 9E engine and three speed gearbox. - In 1956 that changed to a four speed gearbox, and the Cotanza became available with a 322 cc Anzani twin. A Cotton Trials, a stripped down version of the Vulcan with competition tyres and no lights was released. The original Vulcan was dropped.
- The only change for 1957 was a Villiers 2T twin added to the Cotanza range.
- There were no further changes until 1959, when all models were fitted with Armstrong leading link forks, and the Villiers 2T twin was dropped.
Other Cotton models included the Herald, Messenger, Double Gloucester, Continental, Corsair and Conquest. Cotton became involved in competitive motorcycling, and a range of road, trials and scrambler models were available by the end of 1960.
Racing in the sixties
In 1961 the 250 Cougar scrambler was released and a works racing team formed, including such riders as Bryan "Badger" GossBryan "Badger" Goss
Bryan "Badger" Goss was a successful motocross rider in the 1960s and 70s. He won the Trophée des Nations in 1966 and went on to win the British Championship in 1970 as well as various other major motocross victories....
and John Draper. The Villiers Starmaker racing engine was introduced in 1962, so Cotton went road racing
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
. The 247 cc Telstar road racer and Conquest were introduced in 1962 and 1964 respectively. Over the next two years, Cottons were winning races again.
Loss of Villiers
Then Villiers withdrew from engine supply, and Cotton was forced to source engines from elsewhere. The Cotton Cavalier trials bike used a MinarelliMinarelli
Minarelli is an Italian motorcycle engine manufacturer which was founded by Vittorio Minarelli. It is now part of the Yamaha group.-History :...
engine, but production was slow. Cotton had been profitably selling bikes in kit form, but changes to legislation proved damaging.
They moved their factory to Stratton Road in 1970, where they diversified into production of the Cotton Sturdy, a three wheel factory truck. Over the next decade production was moved a number of times, and they managed to produce a good 250 cc racing machine with a Rotax
Rotax
BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG , commonly known simply as Rotax, is an Austrian engine manufacturer. It develops and produces four-stroke and advanced two-stroke engines for Bombardier Recreational Products products as well as for motorcycles, karts,...
engine. The difficulty of finding a supply of engines after the loss of Villiers was compounded by the appearance of mass-produced Japanese motorcycles in the 1970s.
Closure of the Gloucester factory
The factory closed in 1980. Following a series of successful 1990s Cotton exhibitions at the Gloucester Folk Museum, the Cotton Owners Club (an international organisation) was formed, where a rally is held each summer.Replicas
AJS
AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on...
Motorcycles Ltd. of Goodworth Clatford, Andover produced a series of Cotton replica competition motorcycles including the 250 Cobra Scrambler, Cotton-Triumph 500 Scrambler, Telstar 250 road racer and 250 Starmaker Trials Bike. These replicas followed the original chassis designs accurately. The chassis were T.I.G welded, and employed either AJS Stormer wheel hubs, British Hubs or Grimeca Hubs. Betor or Marzocchi forks were used and usually Sebac shocks were installed at the rear. These replicas were very successful on the Pre '65 Moto X circuits and in the hands of Classic Racers.
Today Nick Brown of AJS
AJS
AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England, company A. J. Stevens & Co. Ltd, from 1909 to 1931, by then holding 117 motorcycle world records, and after the firm was sold the name continued to be used by Matchless, Associated Motorcycles and Norton-Villiers on...
Motorcycles Ltd. owns the Cotton trademark.