1917 Pope Model T Twin

Inventory Number: 5087

$85,000

The 1917 Pope Model T Twin presented here, engine number 17T645, is in its completely unrestored orig­inal condition. It sports a 1000cc, 16-18 HP V-Twin OHV engine with a Splitdorf Model EV carburetor.

  • ENGINE: 1000 CC V-Twin with Overhead Valves
  • ENGINE NO: 17T645
  • HP: 16-18
  • CARBURETOR: Splitdorf Model EV
  • SUSPENSION: Leaf-Spring Front Fork, Dual-Plunger Rear
  • FEATURES: Luggage Rack, Pope Floorboards
Pope Manu­fact­uring Com­pany was one of the earliest motor­cycle manu­facturers in Amer­ica, founded in 1876 in Boston, Mass­achu­setts, by Albert Augustus Pope. They manufactured a variety of products, ranging from bicycles and automobiles to guns, but it wasn’t until 1902 that motor­cycle production began. It was his son, Albert Linder Pope, who elevated their motor­cycles to one of the most technologically advanced of the 1910s. Under his guidance, overhead valves and full front and rear suspension were developed well ahead of most manu­facturers. They were manufactured in Westfield, Mass­achu­setts, not far from where Indian Motor­cycles got their start in Spring­field, until 1918, after the manu­fact­uring effort shifted to support World War I. The Columbia brand of bicycles, started by Pope, has survived despite many changes to the com­pany and ownership, carrying the torch for the fire that once lit the development of the early motor­cycle. They are now considered one of the most collectible American motor­cycles, as such an important part of history.

The Pope Twin, produced from 1911 to 1918, was known as the world’s fastest production motor­cycle at the time and the most sought-after early American motor­cycle of its era. It was one of the first American motor­cycles to feature an overhead valve configuration in a production model, a feature not repeated until the Crocker Big Twin almost two decades later. The OHV V-twin engine offered better performance and efficiency than the popular flathead or side-valve engines of the time. The Pope Model T also featured a full suspension system, comprising a leaf-spring front fork and a dual-plunger rear suspension, which provided a smoother ride than its contemporaries. Other notable features included a mechanical oil pump, a Corbin Duplex V-band brake, and a three-speed transmission in some models.

The 1917 and 1918 T models were Pope’s best and most powerful, and the last of Pope’s overhead twins. Pope motor­cycles were not produced in the same mass quantities as some other brands, such as Indian or Harley-David­son, making them relatively rare and desirable among collectors. The Pope Model T was a technologically advanced motor­cycle for its time, playing a significant role in the development of motor­cycle technology in the 20th century.

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