1917 Pope Other Pope Models

FROM THE DICK SHAPPY COLLECTION: The 1917 Pope Model T Twin

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.

The 1917 Pope Model T 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