SHL 98 Villiers

SHL 98 with Villiers engine, a pre-war Polish motorcycle manufactured in Huta Ludwików (Ludwików Ironworks). SHL stands for Suchedniowska Huta Ludwików (Ludwików Ironworks of Suchedniów, for the works were initially owned by a foundry in Suchedniów). The company was founded in 1919 in Kielce to produce hardware and agricultural machines. Since 1938 it started production of a motorcycle of own design, using British Villiers 98 cm³ engines. The author of the construction was engineer Rafał Ekielski. Engines were imported in the first year of production, then they were manufactured in Kielce under licence. Frames were constructed of steel sections, joined with screws. Lamps were initially imported from UK; later Villiers lamps were replaced with A. Marciniak lamps, manufactured in Warsaw. SHL 98 was a bit heavy for a motorcycle of this class (78 kg of weight) but it was sound and reliable, and it was doing well on bad country roads. When riding with passenger, the average travel speed was about 45-50 kph; for most customers it was satisfying. The price was affordable, too; 960 zloty, and 20% of this could be returned from income tax (in this time buying locally produced transport means was supported by goverment). For all these reasons SHL 98 was a succesful motorcycle on Polish market. In 1939 Huta Ludwików was about to start exporting SHL motorcycles to Turkey, and Ekielski with his team was working on prototypes of two bigger SHL models. with 200 cc and 350 cc Villiers engines, and with full suspension. The war destroyed ambitious plans. German occupants had stolen all machine tools, materials and documentation from Huta Ludwików before they left in 1944. About 2000 motorcycles of SHL 98 were manufactured and sold until the outbreak of WW2. The brand was continued post-war in the socialist People's Republic of Poland (see SHL M04, SHL M05 and SHL RJ-2).