Cotton, The Motorcycle Masterpiece ®

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 The same new frame was also used for an updated Cotton Vulcan, now fitted with a Villiers 9E engine and a three-speed gearbox. This model combined proven Villiers reliability with Cotton’s evolving chassis design. 

 Vulcan (4-speed)
For 1956, the Vulcan was upgraded with a four-speed gearbox, improving flexibility and road performance.

Cotanza 322cc Twin
A new version of the Cotanza appeared, powered by a 322cc Anzani twin-cylinder engine, offering increased power and smoother running compared with the earlier single-cylinder model.

Cotton Trials
The Cotton Trials model was added to the catalogue. Essentially a Vulcan adapted for off-road use, it had road equipment and lighting removed to reduce weight.

At this point, the Vulcan was dropped from the catalogue, leaving the Trials and Cotanza as the focus.

Cotanza Villiers Two-Stroke Twin
In 1957 the Cotanza range was expanded with the addition of a Villiers two-stroke twin-cylinder engine, reflecting Cotton’s continued experimentation with different power units.

Vulcan KC1 197cc & Trials 197cc
The KC1 Vulcan, powered by a 197cc Villiers engine, remained available, alongside a 197cc Trials model, maintaining Cotton’s presence in the lightweight and off-road market.

Chassis Updates (1959)
All models were now fitted with Armstrong leading-link front forks, improving durability and control.
The Villiers two-stroke twin was discontinued.

New Model Range Introduced (1959–1960)
Cotton introduced a broad new line-up:

• Herald
   
• Messenger
   
• Double Gloucester
   
• Continental
   
• Corsair
   
• Conquest
   

By the end of 1960, Cotton’s catalogue included a full range of road-racing, trials, and scrambler models, reflecting a renewed focus on competition and sporting motorcycles.

The 1961 line-up consisted of eleven models, all powered by Villiers engines:

• Vulcan 197cc (4-speed) – available in Road or Sports form
   
• Cougar 246cc Scrambler
   
• Corsair 246cc Villiers 31A
   
• Continental 250cc, featuring a duplex frame
   
• Double Gloucester roadster
   
• Herald Twin roadster
   
• Messenger 324cc twin
   

Cougar Scrambler
The Cougar was actively campaigned by the factory, with riders including Brian Goss and John Draper.
It used a Villiers 34A 246cc engine, leading-link forks, and 6-inch British Hub brakes, establishing Cotton’s credibility in scrambles competition.

Telstar & Conquest with Starmaker Engine
The arrival of the Villiers 247cc Starmaker racing engine marked a major step forward. This engine was fitted to:

• Telstar road-racers
   
• Conquest production models
   

The Telstar became a highly successful competition machine.

Trials Model 250cc
A new Trials model was offered with a Villiers 31A 250cc engine and leading-link forks.
Colour options included black with red, scarlet, bronze, or dark blue detailing.

The Cotton Conquest became one of the company’s most important models. It was powered by a Villiers 

The 247cc Cotton Conquest achieved outstanding performance in 1965, becoming the fastest 250cc motorcycle ever tested at the time. Ridden by Derek Minter and Peter Inchley, it won its class in the 1965 500-mile race at Castle Combe and averaged 91.9 mph around the banked MIRA test circuit, surpassing the previous record held by the Honda Dream SS.

Although based on the standard production Conquest, the test machine had its compression ratio increased from 10:1 to 12:1 and was fitted with racing tyres and minimal road equipment. It met road-legal requirements only just and was effectively a road-going racer, not a fully equipped touring motorcycle. Orders were soon placed for exact replicas, priced at around £370 including tax.

Powered by the Villiers Starmaker two-stroke engine, the Conquest delivered rising torque all the way 

to peak revs, giving exceptional acceleration and hill-climbing ability. It could sustain very high speeds for long distances and showed remarkable stability at full throttle. Top downhill speeds indicated a true maximum of around 105 mph.

At low engine speeds, however, performance was poor, making town riding difficult. With little flywheel effect, a loud exhaust, and minimal low-rpm power, the machine was unsuitable for everyday use. On the open road, by contrast, it was smooth, vibration-free, and relatively economical at around 45 mpg, using a five-gallon fuel tank with premix lubrication.

Overall, the 1965 Cotton Conquest stood in a class of its own: a pure performance machine, built to be ridden hard and fast, and a landmark in Cotton’s competition history.

247cc Starmaker engine and featured:

• Dual seat
   
• Armstrong leading-link forks
   
• Armstrong rear dampers
   
• 7-inch front brake
   
• 12-volt electrics
   
• 120 mph speedometer
   
• 3-gallon fuel tank
   
• Weight of approximately 260 lb
   

The Conquest established Cotton as a serious performance manufacturer in the 250cc class.

Cossack Scrambler
The Cotton Cossack Scrambler was introduced, powered by a 247cc Villiers Starmaker Mk II engine.
It featured:

• Metal Profile or Ceriani front forks
   
• Girling rear dampers
   

This model reinforced Cotton’s off-road credentials.

Transition Away from Villiers
When Villiers ceased engine supply, Cotton turned to Minarelli engines for off-road models.

Cavalier 175cc Trials

The Cavalier 175cc Trials model proved competitive, with Rob Edwards winning the 200cc class of the 1969 Scottish Trial.

Rotax-Powered Competition Models
With Villiers no longer producing engines, Cotton introduced a new 250cc competition machine using a Rotax engine. While technically strong, it faced intense competition from Japanese manufacturers in both performance and price.

Cavalier & Javelin

• Production of the Cavalier 175T continued, with an updated version released in 1972 
• A new trials model, the Javelin, appeared later, powered by engines from DMW, who had acquired the former Villiers tooling