Tempo (motorcycle manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Jonas Øglænd
Jonas Øglænd was a Norwegian merchant and indudstrial entrepreneur. He was born in Høyland, and started a small business in Sandnes in 1868. In the late 1890s his sons acquired the Scandinavian agency for the bicycle brand "The World". They eventually started producing their own bicycles, and the...
was responsible for making the frames, and ZF Sachs AG made the engines. They first and foremost sold mopeds.
The First Tempo
The first Tempo ever manufactured was the Tempo Handy. It carried a small 1.5 hp engine with three gears, located as a small handle by the left hand. It had a three litre gasoline tank and weighed nearly 28 kilograms. To start the moped, one had to put the engine in the second gear (the start gear) and use the manual pedals to gain speed using the feet while keeping the clutch in. When the speedometer had reached about 10 km/h, the clutch was released and the engine started. It was stopped simply by breaking the connection between the small dynamo and the spark plug by pressing a small switch. This moped sold well and was very cheap, but eventually, more luxuries were needed, and Tempo made the Corvette.The Corvette
The small and easy-driven Corvette, a small moped manufactured from 1960 until 1994. It had a 50 cm³ engine which produced about 2.5 hp and four manual gears, shifted with a pedal on the left side of the motor block. The combination of GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
engines and Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
frames was cheap and reliable, with few errors. They were especially popular during the 1960s and the 1970s. Carrying a 5 litre gasoline tank, it needed a small amount of two-stroke oil mixed with the gasoline to run smoothly.The manufacter recommended 4% oil mixture with the gasoline, but now you may use 2%.The engine started by pressing the gear pedal all the way down (to the first gear), and then to the gear position between 1 and 2 (neutral), then hitting the kickstarter with the right foot.The Corvette were very reliable, you just tip the gas dipper(like choke) a few times, a bit throttle and kick, and the Corvette would start.
The mopeds Tempo made were easy to acquire, and were sold at grocery marts as well as supermarkets and bicycle stores. In Norway before 1987, a driver's licence for a moped was not required, but the driver had to be 16 years old.
Although the Corvette sold well, they headed towards the more sporty generation and manufactured the Tempo Panter, with more of a crosser look, but with the same engine size and tank volume. This was also a big success.
Motorcycles
Tempo also made motorcycles. The smallest was actually a Corvette with a 49 cm² engine, producing 4,3 hp, sold under the Comet brand. This small motorcycle had a longer seat, allowing two persons to ride.The cruiser-like CZ was also produced. It had a 150 cm² engine with 6,8 hp and was sturdy and comfortable to ride. A speeder-like variant was also produced; the Fighter. This motorcycle had the technical specifications of 12,5 hp, and with a larger fuel tank and a more sportier look than all the other modells. All these variants were popular at their heights.
The End of Tempo
Eventually, Tempo did not sell to well, due to the march of the Japanese mopeds and motorcycles. At the end of the 1980s, the Honda MT5 and the Suzuki TSX were introduced, with five gears and a lighter and more comfortable brake, gear and clutch system. The Japanese models also used less gas. The Tempo Corvette was discontinued in 1994, and the Panter in 1993. Tempo continued to make some mopeds with improved specifications, but they never sold as well as Honda or Suzuki, seeing as they had turn lights, neutral gear lamps, ignition locks, and a better suspension system.Today, the Tempo mopeds and motorcycles are the focus of enthusiasts, and they are collected and restored around the country.