1914 Excelsior Model 7-C

• YEAR: 1914
• MAKE: Excel­sior Motor Manu­fact­uring & Supply Com­pany
• MODEL: 7-C
• ENGINE: 974cc, 61 cu. In. V-twin
• ENGINE NO.: 53693
• BORE & STROKE: 84 mm x 88 mm
• HP: 7-10
• IGNITION: Bosch high-tension magneto
• CARBURETOR: Schebler Model H
• LUBRICATION: Positive force-feed pump on the timing chest with controlled drip from the oil tank
• DRIVE: All-chain
• TRANSMISSION: Single-speed gear
• CLUTCH: Operated by the left handlebar grip and a system of rods and pulleys
• BRAKES: Rear band/pedal-operated brake
• CONTROLS: Right twist-grip controls throttle and compression release; spark advance regulated by a small lever on the fuel tank
• FRAME FEATURES: Sprung seat post and newly introduced footboards/drop-forged footrests
• ORIG­INAL PRICE: $225 when new

This motor­cycle was uniquely defined by its innovative handlebar-controlled twistgrip clutch, which freed up the left handlebar control and allowed manual spark controls to be mounted on the side of its distinctive square, “razor-edge” fuel tank. The operation of a twistgrip on the handlebar rather than the traditional lever was an advanced and smooth design for the era. It featured a signature angular fuel and oil tank design alongside an integrated toolbox. 1914 marked the debut year for standard footboards and a foot-pedal-operated rear brake across the Excel­sior lineup. They offered staggering performance for the era, powered by a 974cc (61 cubic inch) V-twin F-head engine producing 7-10 horsepower with chain drive, coupled with a Bosch high-tension magneto and Schebler carburetor. The 7-C shared engineering DNA with the Excel­sior machines that made history by breaking the 100 mph barrier in board-track racing.

This motor­cycle just underwent a meticulous restoration under the care of the Dick Shappy Collection. Owning a 1914 Excel­sior 7-C today connects you to the pinnacle of pre-World War 1 American engineering, raw mechanical art, and the golden age of early motor­cycle racing. Surviving examples are exceptionally rare and often headline major vintage sales, making it an instant centerpiece for any serious collection.

The Excel­sior Motor Manu­fact­uring & Supply Com­pany

The Excel­sior Supply Com­pany was founded in 1876 by George T. Robie in Chicago to distribute sewing machine and bicycle parts, but expanded into the Excel­sior Motor and Manu­fact­uring Com­pany in 1907 with Frederick Carlton Robie at the helm as president. Motor­cycle production began in 1908, and by 1912, Ignaz Schwinn, owner of Arnold, Schwinn & Co. of Schwinn Bicycles, pur­chased the com­pany. His extensive engineering facilities allowed for the development of engines modified for greater strength and speed. Together, they set a new record as an Excel­sior motor­cycle was the first to be officially timed at a speed of 100 mph in 1912. Schwinn acquired the Hender­son Motor­cycle Com­pany in 1917, combining three impressive forces.

According to Mecum Auctions, “The Excel­sior twins of the 1910s and ‘20s used the most highly developed F-head design in the industry, and their special racing models proved the point decisively by taking many firsts, like the first motor­cycle to be officially timed during a race over 100 MPH in 1912 at Playa del Rey board track… Its famous Big Valve racers were magnificently tuned machines that were capable of sustained high speeds and beating their much larger rivals.”

Excel­sior became one of the legendary “Big Three” American manu­facturers (alongside Harley-David­son and Indian). Despite the success of Schwinn’s motor­cycle production, after the stock market crashed in 1929, motor­cycle sales plummeted, and by 1931, with a full order book, Ignaz ordered production to cease. His words, “Gentlemen, today we stop,” may have saved the com­pany, as focusing on bicycles was a far more cost-effective endeavor, leaving surviving relics a piece of American history.