Quadrant (motorcycles)
| Private | |
| Industry | Motorcycle |
| Fate | Wound up |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Founder | Walter and William Lloyd |
| Defunct | 1928 |
| Headquarters | Birmingham, England |
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Key people
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Walter and William Lloyd |
| Products | Motorcycles |
Quadrant was one of the earliest British motorcycle manufacturers, established in Birmingham in 1901. Famous for their big singles, Quadrant pioneered many innovations that proved important for motorcycle development but struggled after the First World War and the company was wound up in 1928.
Founded by Walter and William Lloyd in 1883 as a company to make bicycles and tricycles, Quadrant developed some of the first motorcycles in 1901. The first Quadrant motorcycle was fitted with the then very popular Minerva "clip-on" engine. They also made powered tricycles in 1902. Walter took out a patent in 1902 for an 'all-in-one' control lever to raise the exhaust valve, control the ignition switch and operate the throttle and the ignition advance.
By 1902 the Quadrant Cycle Co was making their own engines, their advert claiming "The engine and carburettor throughout, as also the bicycle, are made in our own Works". These were ahead of their time as the engines were not just fixed on to a bicycle frame. Instead, the frame was purpose-built to properly hold the engine, and the Quadrant motorcycles also pioneered a suction inlet valve, hand oil pump and direct drive, contact breaker ignition replacing trembler ignition in 1902, as well as a spray carburetor in 1904 and magneto ignition in 1907. A famous long-distance motorcycle rider called Tom Silver was contracted by the company and gained them a lot of publicity through his success on Quadrant motorcycles in long distance events and in 1907 he became the managing director. The arrangement was not a success, however, and the company collapsed from internal disputes in 1907, with Silver leaving to form Silver Motors.
A new company, Quadrant Motor Co Ltd, was formed after Walter Lloyd bought Quadrant and Tom Silver returned in 1909 but once again Silver was not able to get on with the new owner and left to build motorcycles under his own name. In 1911 Quadrant produced several models, including a 1129 cc V-twin and a 600 cc single.
Production was halted during the First World War as the factory switched to the manufacture of aeroplane engine parts. In an article in 1916 they outlined that they planned for their post-war models to benefit from the aeroplane engine experience with lighter cylinders and alloy pistons. Although engaged in war work they did some development on future models, and in 1916 showed a 3.5hp "After the War" model (smaller than their normal machines with 85mm bore and 88mm stroke). This was fitted with a patented paraffin vaporiser to allow it to run on paraffin after starting on petrol (petrol being in short supply).
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