Excelsior SuperX 1925 750cc V-Twin

The famous American Excelsior motorcycle was produced by the Excelsior Motor Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois from 1907 until 1931, latterly under the 'Super-X' brand name. Displacing 61ci (1,000cc), the first v-twin model joined the range for 1911, its arrival coinciding with Excelsior's acquisition by bicycle maker, Ignaz Schwinn. In 1921 a 74ci (1,200cc) v-twin was added, but by this time Excelsior had acquired the manufacturing rights to the Henderson Four and the days of the big v-twins were numbered. They were gone by 1925, Excelsior preferring to concentrate its resources on the Four and the newly introduced 45ci (750cc) Super-X v-twin.

The Super-X retained the Big Twin's 'F'-head (inlet-over-exhaust) valve gear while reverting to the leading-link front fork used on its earliest ancestors. Elsewhere though, it was extensively redesigned, featuring unitary construction of the engine/gearbox and geared primary drive encased within an alloy casting, innovations doubtless inspired by the contemporary Indian Scout and Chief. There was a higher-performance Super Sport model available, and this pair of Super-Xs continued with few changes, other than a switch to a streamlined, teardrop-shaped fuel tank in 1929, until motorcycle production ended in the spring of 1931.