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Last year, Autoworld and Bpost issued a series of stamps paying tribute to Belgian car brands. All the cars depicted belong to Autoworld's permanent collection. This year there will be a new series, this time featuring Belgian motorbike brands, again with motorbikes on display at Autoworld.
Piedboeuf
Piedboeuf of 1903 was one of the Belgian pioneers in terms of motorbike construction. The brand built motorbikes in Liege until 1905. It then switched to building cars under the name Imperia, one of the best-known Belgian car brands. The Piedboeuf was not the most innovative motorbike of its time, but other brands were known for their technical ingenuity.
First four-cylinder
The main exponent of this was the 1912 F.N. four-cylinder. This motorbike became the first commercialised motorbike with an inline four-cylinder engine. The longitudinally mounted four-cylinder caused a worldwide sensation and would be widely imitated, especially in the United States. Brands like Indian, Pierce-Arrow, Henderson and Exelsior would copy the concept of the Belgian four-cylinder. It was not until the late 1960s that the four-cylinder inline engine concept would see a revival at the hands of Japanese brands. So the F.N. was ahead of its time.
Socovel
The Belgian motor industry also showed itself to be innovative and progressive in another way. During World War II, the company Socovel built a small, electric motorbike that allowed you to drive forty kilometres. The Socovel can also be considered a scooter avant la lettre, a motorbike concept that would only become unusually popular after World War II with the Vespas and Lambrettas.
Gillet
Together with F.N., the Gillet Herstal and Sarolea brands formed a motorbike hub in Herstal, Liège, and thus the backbone of the Belgian motorbike industry. The Gillet Sport pictured made a 20,000-kilometre journey across the Sahara. Aviator and motorcyclist Robert Fabry was looking for a landing spots for planes en route from Belgium to the then colony and used this Gillet Sport to do so.
Sarolea
The last Belgian motorbike immortalized on a stamp is the Sarolea Atlantic. Sarolea is the best-known Belgian marque internationally. The Atlantic model was a 500cc two-cylinder. Unfortunately, the model could not compete with very similar, British models, which benefited from exports towards the United States. Like the Belgian car industry, the Belgian motorbike industry was slowly sinking. Small fact: the Sarolea Atlantic pictured, which is thus on display at Autoworld like all the others, belonged to King Baudouin, who like most members of the royal family, had a passion for everything that had wheels..
Circuit of Mettet
In the background of the sheet of stamps, you can see the circuit of Mettet, in the province of Namur. A speed competition was first organised there in 1927 and it is one of our country's most famous racing circuits.
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