MBK MB1 (1924-1929) Specs, Performance & Photos

Motobecane, a company based in France, stepped into the motorcycle world in 1923 when Charles Benoit and Abel Bardin designed the first motorcycle with a 175cc single-cylinder, two-stroke engine.

The two partners continued the research and development, so the second bike, equipped with a 250cc engine, was launched ten years later. During the same period, the company debuted in racing competitions, participating in the Bol d'Or endurance race.

Besides manufacturing motorcycle series, the company was also involved in racing competitions like the Grand Prix tournament. Motobecane recorded multiple victories in the 125cc class during the late 1970s but also participated in the 125cc competitions, where it only managed to finish second in the 1980 season.

In 1924, Alphonse Tallet, Abel Bardin, and Charles Benoit designed their first motorcycle, the MB1. The result was the Motobecane, a bicycle-looking motorcycle with an uncushioned pendulum fork and a 175cc twin-cylinder engine. The bike had a belt final drive and was manufactured until 1929.

The 1924 MBK MB1 rolled on large diameter wire-spoke wheels and had features like a fuel tank mounted under the upper steel pipe of the frame, a single sprung seat, a luggage rack mounted on the rear fender, and paddles connected to the rear wheel via a chain drive.

Over its production period, the bike received several modifications, which were meant to lower the manufacturing costs, but also some changes that enhanced its visual, technical, and performance capabilities.