User:Salmanazar/Misc3

Condor-Werke AG was a Swiss manufacturer of bicycles and motorcycles located in Courfaivre in the district of Delémont, in the Jura canton of Switzerland. Founded in 1893, it produced its last motorcycles in 1995.

History
In 1893, Frenchman Edouard Scheffer chose to build a factory for metal products in Courfaivre, where his friend Victor Donzelot had a vacant building near the railway station that was available for use. With his brother Jules Scheffer, he established the company "Scheffer Freres" to produce bicycles for the use of the Swiss Postal Service and the Swiss Army.

At the beginning of the 20th century the company was reorganized and began using a new logo featuring the bird the Condor. In addition, Otto Fricker set about developing a lightweight motorcycle with a 1.5 hp Zedel engine. This, the company's first motorcycle, was little more then a reinforced bicycle frame without a clutch or gears, and with a top speed of 50 kph. It was soon followed by a 3 hp model and a 5 hp V twin, both engines being sourced from other manufacturers.

In 1901 the company's name was changed to "Manufacture Suisse des Cycles et Motos", and later to "Condor-Werke-AG".

In 1908 Condor introduced a light 1.25 hp motorcycle with a Motosacoche engine which was a good seller. However, there was still no gearbox and the machine was equipped with bicycle pedals.

The first motorcycle equipped with a gearbox was introduced just before World War I; it had two gears operated with a tank-mounted lever, with the gearbox mounted in the rear hub.

In 1906 a Condor drove the 10 km in seven minutes and seven seconds, an average speed of over 80 kph. In 1905 it was 83 kph with a 250cc engine. In 1908 a special 8 hp Condor cracked the existing world record.