Cotton, The Motorcycle Masterpiece ®
The first motorcycle was manufactured in 1920
The first Cotton motorcycle was powered by a 2½ horsepower Villiers engine. It was the result of Frank Willoughby Cotton’s ideas about improving motorcycle frame design.
Instead of using the flexible and heavy frames common at the time, Cotton designed a frame made of straight steel tubes arranged in a fully triangulated structure. This design made the motorcycle lighter, stronger, and more rigid than its competitors. The first Cotton was not built with a proprietary engine. Instead, it used engines supplied by well-known manufacturers, which allowed Cotton to focus entirely on chassis design and handling.
From the beginning, the motorcycle showed excellent balance and stability.
2½ horsepower Model
The first Cotton motorcycle was powered by a 2½ horsepower Villiers engine. It had a single-cylinder, two-stroke engine with a capacity of 269 cc (70 x 70 mm bore and stroke). The bike used drip-feed lubrication, an Amac carburettor, and a flywheel magneto for ignition. It was equipped with a two-speed Albion gearbox, with chain and belt drive. The tyres were Dunlop 26 x 2¼ inches.
Frame Design and Riding Qualities
For many years, motorcycle designers had talked about triangulated frames, but in practice most machines still followed bicycle-style designs. While the traditional frame worked well, it was not the final solution.
The Cotton frame broke completely with convention and represented a clear step forward. Its duplex triangulated construction combined light weight with great rigidity, which was unusual at the time.
The long, straight line from the steering head to the rear axle allowed the rider’s weight to sit low and well forward. This gave the rider a strong sense of stability and greatly reduced the risk of skidding on greasy or slippery roads.
Although unconventional, the Cotton did not look unattractive. On the contrary, its clean and purposeful lines were considered very appealing. The makers recommended the use of disc wheels, and thanks to its design, the machine was seen as especially suitable for women riders. Optional equipment included a kick-starter and dress guards. For 1921, the motorcycle received wider mudguards and a larger fuel tank, but otherwise the design remained largely unchanged.
2¾ H.P. Model
Technical Specification
This Cotton model was powered by a 2¾ horsepower Blackburne engine.
It had a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine with overhead valves and a capacity of 348 cc (71 x 88 mm).
The engine used drip-feed lubrication and an Amac carburettor. Ignition was provided by a chain-driven magneto. The motorcycle was fitted with a three-speed gearbox and clutch, but no kick-starter.
Final drive was by chain, and the tyres were 26 x 2¼ inches.
Racing Proof of the Cotton Frame
Until this period, the advantages of the Cotton duplex, fully triangulated frame had mostly been discussed in theory. At the Isle of Man TT races, these advantages were clearly proven in real competition.
S. Woods, riding a Cotton, came very close to winning the 350 cc class, finishing fifth despite an extraordinary series of accidents. These included a fire that disabled his brakes during the race.
A motorcycle capable of such performance naturally attracted strong attention, and great interest followed in the production version of this successful racing machine.
Engine Layout and Construction
The overhead-valve Blackburne engine was mounted with a forward slope in the frame. Apart from this feature, the main mechanical details are fully described in the technical specification. This model, like all Cotton motorcycles, was fitted with a neat cylindrical aluminium silencer.
Other models :
- 247 cc Villiers – two-speed gearbox, belt final drive – £49
- 249 cc side-valve Blackburne – two-speed gearbox, belt final drive
- 348 cc side-valve Blackburne – two-speed gearbox, belt final drive
- 348 cc Blackburne – three-speed gearbox, all-chain drive
1923 Updates
For 1923, improvements included a revised head lug, which lowered the handlebars by 1½ inches.
The saddle height remained at approximately 25 inches from the ground.