It is true Leopoldo Tartarini has made for Floyd Clymer some interesting Indian-branded prototypes and production bikes
- A pair of Ducati 900 twin equipped with a fiberglass monocoque (one still existing)
- One fitted with an Horex 400 twin OHC overbored to 600 and DOHC 4-valves conversion made in Germany by Friedl Munch (the Mammut's father)
- One with the Horex engine overbored by Munch to 600 but with the standard 2-valves for cylinder head (this bike still exists and maybe is the same as above but without 4-valves conversion which is probably missed)
- One with a Norton Atlas 750 twin engine (fitted in a strange Featherbed-look-a-like frame but made in Bologna (this bike could be still alive but the owner is unknown)
- Several types of off road mini bikes & mopeds (50 & 90cc) equipped with Jawa/CZ engines both with orizonthal as vertical cylinder. Some models were manufactured in good quantity also with Minarelli 50 two strokes engine, a lower quantity was made with Minarelli 90cc engine (bith for road and off road purpose) while some other prototypes remained one-off or made in a small batch for exhibitions only.
Then, with Velocette 500 single and Royal Enfield 750 twin engines, were totally manufactured by Tartarini a few hundreds of the above two street legal Indian-branded models. Nice bikes,
(Some other off road mini bikes and medium size wheels models were made in Taiwan with Indian brand but using the Tartarini-style . These models had a lower quality as the above production and were equipped both with 100cc Minarelli italian engines as with Taiwan 90cc power units. A small quantity later was made also with Minarelli 125, assembled both in Italy as in Taiwan, to supply Floyd Clymer in US)
About the American Eagle branded prototypes made by Tartarini under Jack McCormack request, were as follow:
- The beautiful one-off double cradle framed Laverda 750 (this bike was probably missed but we are still investigating this aspect)
- The 90 cc mini motocross equipped with a two stroke CZ rotary disk valve engine (only a few were made but frame/engine/parts were exactly the same of another Italjet branded model (rare, too).
Some other models were developed and sold by American Eagles both fitting a fiberglass monocoque on a two stroke Kawasaki 350 twin bot in street trims as in "road scrambler" trims with "siamese" left side higher pipes.
After buying it from the Japanese company, they sold also a standard motocross 250cc model with American Eagle fuel tank and brandname (sometimes with a nickel plates frame as used on the british Sprites).
They sold also a Sprite 125-250-410 cc motocross range made in UK but with American Eagle brandname on the tank stickers and engraved in the engine case side covers. The 125 was equipped with a Zundapp engine, while the bigger engines were made by Sprite in UK (was an Husqvarna poor clone, with gear change, rod , piston and crankshaft manufactured in Italy, unfortunately not with a so good quality...).
A really good range, a large sale network, a proper advertising campaign, the people and the managers were skilled, too.
Nevertheless, something has gone to become wrong and we have studied all the aspects to understand why it happened.
Note: the claimed unpaid motorcycles to Laverda from McCormacl was not true. Could probably be a misunderstanding (started by a gossip...) between the first distributor (American Eagle) and the second, later, who really failed one payment, We have the evidence now.
Cheers
batorinternational.com
