Beschreibung:

The Czechoslovakian Orion company was founded in 1902 by Vilém Michl and its early models carried the legend ‘Michl Orion’ on the fuel tank. Vilém Michl was the firm’s designer, a role taken up after WWI by one of his sons, Zdenĕk. In its early years Orion produced single-cylinder and v-twin motorcycles powered by its own four-stroke ‘pocket valve’ (inlet-over-exhaust) engines, and later added two-stroke models to the range. From the late 1920s conventional sidevalve and overhead-valve models were produced and Orion enjoyed considerable success in competitions. Motorcycle manufacture ceased in 1933. The example we offer is believed to be the earliest known survivor of this important Czech marque. According to information supplied by a previous owner in Europe, the machine was bought new from an Orion dealership by a businessman from Lostice, near Mohelnice in Moravia, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its first owner later sold the machine to another local man who attached a sidecar and used it for his work. In 1960 the Orion was bought by a Mr Prikryl who restored it to original condition and used the machine for ‘old-timer’ runs. It is understood that further restoration was carried out in Holland in the 1990s, where the machine was rallied extensively before coming to the USA in 2004. A direct drive (clutch-less) model, it retains the original low-tension ‘make and break’ magneto ignition and exhaust cut out and is reported to run and ride well. Without reserve