F203 1915 FLYING MERKEL BOARD TRACK RACER Though the battle between Indian and Harley-Davidson has echoed for over a century, another rival from Milwaukee gave the boys from Springfield a run for their money first. Joseph Merkel was working as an apprentice for a locomotive engineer in Milwaukee when he developed his first motorcycle in 1902. The Merkel Motor Corp. was soon established, and production of “The Merkel” began in 1903. Though Flying Merkel may not be a household name, the company’s impact can be found throughout American motorcycle history, including in the design of the first machine from fellow Milwaukeeans, Harley-Davidson. Over the years, Merkel pioneered innovative new features like sprung forks, mono-shock rear suspension, ball bearings, valve cams and throttle-controlled oiling. In 1908, Merkel merged with the Light Manufacturing Company and production was moved to Pottstown, Pennsylvania. It was there that the Flying Merkel moniker first appeared in advertisements, but it wasn’t until the company was purchased by the Miami Cycle Manufacturing Company in Middletown, Ohio, in 1911 that the name officially changed. Also, in Middletown, a young Merkel employee named Maldwyn Jones had been inspired to race while watching pioneer Fred Huyck kick up the dirt on a Merkel. Jones was permitted to scavenge the NO RESERVE old racing parts bin and build up his capable Merkel racer. In 1913, it was Jones piloting a Merkel at the 300-Mile American Classic Road Race in Savannah, Georgia, that American racing icon Jim Davis claims was his inspiration to get into the sport. In fact, Flying Merkels are responsible for launching the careers of some of America’s earliest racing stars like Lee Taylor, Arthur Mitchel, Morty Graves, Charlie Balke, Joe Wolters and Ralph Hepburn. Though the production machines were complex and innovative, the exceptionally rare purpose-built racers like this example from 1915 helped establish the reputation and allure of the Flying Merkel. This iconic 1915 Flying Merkel board track racer has been in storage for more than 20 years, and it’s one of the most singular examples of a motordrome machine. The 61 CI inlet-over-exhaust V-twin comes from the tail-end of Flying Merkel’s production and features the company’s innovative ball bearings on the crankshaft, magneto and cams, as well as dual spark plug heads. It is wedged into a short- coupled, single-loop frame with a distinctive fuel tank and truss fork. Despite the racing team being named “The Yellow Jackets,” only a handful of machines were ever reported as being painted yellow. Most Flying Merkels came in either the factory-offered No. 17 National Blue or this bold No. 16 Flying Merkel Orange.
