| Coventry-Eagle | |
| Fate: | Closed by World War II |
| Successor: | Falcon Cycles |
| Foundation: | 1903 |
| Defunct: | 1939 |
| Location: | Coventry, England |
| Industry: | manufacturing and engineering |
| Products: | Motorcycles and bicycles |
Coventry-Eagle was a British bicycle and motorcycle manufacturer. Established as a Victorian bicycle maker, the company began under the name of Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek. The company name was changed to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the company .[1] By 1898 they had begun to experiment with motorised vehicles and by 1899, had produced their first motorcycle. The motorcycles were hand built from components and finished carefully, Coventry-Eagle motorcycles proved reliable and by the First World War the range included Villiers Engineering and JAP engines.[2]
During the early 1920s, the models changed depending on what engines were available and the company swapped between five engine manufacturers - Villiers, JAP, Sturmey-Archer, Blackburne and Matchless.[3] The model Flying 8 bore a resemblance to the contemporary Brough Superior. During the depression of the 1930s, the company concentrated on producing two-strokes. Production continued until the start of the Second World War in 1939.[4]
In the 1930s they had launched a range of sporting bikes under the "Falcon" brand. After the war, and not of a scale to continue competitive motorcycle manufacture, the company concentrated on their racing bicycles. It was under this marque that the company relaunched itself as Falcon Cycles, now a division of Tandem Group.
| Model | Year | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 269 cc | 1913 | Villiers-powered two-speed | |
| 3.5 hp | 1913 | Single | |
| 5 hp | 1914 | Three-speed V-twin | |
| 500 cc single | 1921 | ||
| 680 cc V-Twin | 1921 | JAP engine | |
| Flying 8 | 1923 | ||
| 8 hp Super Sports Twin | 1923 | ||
| Flying 6 | 1927 | 674 cc side-valve twin | |
| 150 cc | 1935 | Coventry Eagle twin-port two-stroke and with a left-hand gear change and Albion gearbox | |
| L5 249 cc 35 Silent Superb De Luxe | 1935 | Villiers engine and a 4-speed albion gearbox | |
| N35 | 1937 | Flying 350 | |
| N11 250 cc | 1937 | Pullman |