Former type Private Founded 1903 | Industry Motorcycle Defunct 1925 | |
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Fate Ceased motorcycle production Successor AKD (Abingdon King Dick) Products Motorcycles, mechanics tools and chains Headquarters Birmingham, United Kingdom | ||
Abingdon Motorcycles was a British motorcycle manufacturer in Tyseley, Birmingham between 1903 and 1925. It was renamed AKD (Abingdon King Dick) in 1926 and produced single cylinder motorcycles until 1933, when they concentrated on "King Dick" mechanics tools.
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History
The tool and chain manufacturers Abingdon Engineering was founded in 1856 and started making motorcycles in 1903, when the industry was still very new, with engines from a number of manufacturers before the company developed their own Abingdon four-stroke 350 cc single and 794 cc V-twin engines, which were used by Ariel and Invicta. Much of the production was exported to the Commonwealth countries. One innovation introduced by Abingdon was the first telescopic shock absorber. Motorcycles of the day often had no front suspension or some form of springs, but Abingdon devised the "Abingdon Spring Fork", a coil sprung, telescopic shock absorber.
The First World War halted production but they continued in 1919 with the V-twin and 499 cc and 623 cc single cylinder motorcycles.
The company was renamed AKD (Abingdon King Dick) in 1926 and concentrated production on 147cc to 346cc single cylinder motorcycles until 1933, when they decided to concentrate on their successful range of "King Dick" mechanics' tools.
King Dick tools
The Abingdon King Dick tool company still exists, and sponsors the Castrol-Honda British Supersport Motorcycle squad. The company still manufactures its range of King Dick brand mechanics tools in the UK.