Panther Classic Motorcycles
The first Panther was launched in 1924, but
the Phelon & Moore name was not dropped until
somewhere around 1929. In 1932 the Panther Model
100, an OHV 600 cc single, was launched and
this was produced through to the sixties, ending
its run as the 645 cc Model 120 of 1967. This
line of Panthers was the most famous of all
Phelon & Moore models.
These heavyweight big single-cylinder "slopers"
were often described as "firing once every lamp-post"
due to their slow RPM. Promoted as "The Perfected
Motorcycle" they were noted for innovation for
most of their history. Panthers were often used
for hauling sidecars, a role in which the high
torque output of a high capacity single cylinder
engine with its large flywheels was well suited,
but the popularity of sidecar outfits eventually
waned.
The combination of the advent of cheap cars
and the collapse of the British motorcycle industry
brought production to an end. They are simple
and fairly robust machines which inspire enormous
enthusiasm in their owners. These factors, combined
with relatively low cost, have resulted in a
fair number of Panthers being still in use.
| Bike |
Image |
Description |
| Panther Austin 7 |
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the machine is a 1927 or 1928 Phelon
& Moore, later know as a Panther.
It has been fitted with an early 1926
or 1927, Magneto ignition Austin 7
engine. We understand 6 of these machines
were built and sold as a “pegasus
by a local man, Mr McColkin who was
the chief rate fixer for Douglas Motorcycles
in Bristol. |
| 1934 Red Panther - 250cc |
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Strictly speaking the name Red Panther
belongs to those 250cc machines sold
by Pride and Clarke for £28/17/6d
in the years from 1933 to about 1939
, but is often used to describe all
the 250cc and 350cc 4 stroke Panthers
with a sloping engine built between
1932 and 1948. Red Panthers were basic
versions of the ‘de-luxe’
Panthers made by P&M but employing
somewhat cheaper components and were
painted with cellulose paint rather
than stove enamel. The Red Panthers
were then sold in bulk to Pride and
Clarke whilst the manufacturer continued
to sell the de-luxe version themselves.
The large volumes of Red Panthers
sold through Pride and Clarke are
generally credited with saving P&M
during the pre-war depression years.
The 250 and 350 lightweight Panthers
(models 20 and 30 respectively from
Pride and Clarke, or Model 70 and
80 as the de-luxe version from P&M
- and after the war Model 60 and
70) are delightful bikes to ride.
Whilst the 250 is somewhat lacking
in power compared to the 350, all
these 4-stroke lightweights are
great fun to ride. They handle extremely
well, have a lively, and for the
time high revving engine, carry
little surplus weight and are generally
robust and reliable with a good
turn of speed. They were also very
economical with the 250cc version
managing about 100mpg, something
that was a good selling point in
the pre-war years (as it is now!).
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| 1936 Red Panther 350cc OHV de Luxe
Model 30 |
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In the competitive British motorcycle
market of the early thirties, manufacturers
were forced to find strategies for
reducing production costs in order
to get their products onto the market
at the right price. With so many
machines on offer, price really
was a determining factor in sales.
Panther's solution was for Pride
& Clarke to market a budget
version of the Panther Model 80,
which was called the Red Panther.
This Red Panther Model 30 was a
348cc 15 bhp machine and was made
from 1933 to 1939. |
| 1947 Panther 60 |
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Very Rare Panther Model 60 1947
250cc. |
| Late 1950s Panther M120, 650cc |
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The final development of the
famous sloper saw the engine enlarged
to 650cc, substantial swinging arm
rear suspension, fully interchangeable
full width hubs with some of the
more effective brakes of the period,
and an increase in power. The M120
is not generally considered as reliable
as the M100 but an impressive number
of them are still on the road for
all that and one was recently ridden
by Des Molloy from Beijing in China
across the Gobi, some of the highest
mountains in the world and the roughest
dirt roads to Holland without much
trouble (broken fork stanchion not-withstanding).
They handle well, are comfortable
to ride and actually stop! Slightly
quicker than the M100, they make
a good long range tourer and of
course are the quintessential sidecar
bike, as the massive torque enables
substantial weight to be pulled
with comparative ease. On the other
hand, as any Panther owner will
tell you, oil consumption can border
on the gargantuan!
More Panther
M120 information |
1949 Panther TS 98 |
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| 1950 Panther M75 |
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The Model 75 Panther motorcycle
had a 348cc, 6.5:1 (later 6.7:1) compression
ratio, 71 x 88 mm, ohv vertical engine
in a relatively standard frame. It
was developed from the 1948 Model
70. In many respects it was similar
to the 248cc Model 65. The Model 75
had Lucas K1F magneto ignition. The
gearbox was Burman CP four speed unit
with a ratio of 5.25:1. The frame
was a heavy duty cradle with a single
saddle down tube. A swinging arm model
was introduced in 1953. The Dowty
forks that initially provided front
suspension were later replaced with
the P&M telescopic forks. Wheels
were 26" x 3.25" front and
rear initially with 6" half width
hubs and later optional alloy hubs
were offered. |
| 1951 Panther M100 |
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| 1952 Panther Model 65 ridgid single,
250cc single |
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After the war Panther designed a
new upright engine and a more substantial
and considerably taller frame. Whilst
these lightweights are generally sound
reliable machines, they are undoubtedly
heavier and less nimble than their
earlier equaivalents with the sloping
engine. Best known amongst them is
the Stroud, now very rare which was
the Panther competition motorcycle
of the period. The 65s and 75s were
designed primarily as a modest commuting
bike for the working man coming home
from the war into austerity Britain.
This they performed this function
well and rather like their predecessors
have an unburstable engine and rather
like their heavyweight cousins appear
to be addictive to a certain type
of owner rider. |
1953 Panther M100R, 600cc |
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| 1955 Panther M100 Rigid - 600cc,
four-speed manual |
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The rigid Panther M100 with Dowty
forks is, in my opinion the prettiest
motorcycle ever produced and for me,
one of the best. They have an enviable
reputation for reliability and a surprising
turn of speed (they are good for 80mph),
low centre of gravity and the wonderful
air-spring Dowty front suspension
and they made for an exceptionally
comfortable machine. The relaxed,
unstressed nature of the large single
cyclinder engine makes for a wonderfully
stress free ride with little vibration,
and their predictable, if somewhat
less than sports handling gives them
a feeling of great stability. The
Dowty forks were only available for
a few years after the war (pre-war
have girder forks) before Panther
designed their own telescopic forks.
These, or at least their second attempt,
are quite good but do little to enhance
the looks and add to the weight. Produced
from the late 20s until the early
1957 as a rigid and until 1962 with
Panthers rather overweight swinging
arm, they have one of the longest
production runs in motorcycle history,
only the BMW boxer twin beats them.
They also hold one of the more remarkable
endurance records. In 1939 an M100
Panther was ridden non-stop at the
maximum permitted road speeds, day
and night, in the middle of winter,
between London and Leeds for 10,000
miles averaging over 1100 miles a
day and 40 mph including the days
of heavy snow, frost, fog, rain and
normal British winter roads. The bike
required almost no attention (broken
chain, petrol pipe and fibre dog on
the magneto). |
| 1956 Panther 197cc |
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Image supplied by www.andybuysbikes.com |
| 1957 Panther Model 10 |
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197cc, two-stroke. |
1958 Panther Model 100
|
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Built in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire,
Panther's had an enviable reputation
for their sturdiness and longevity.
Their long stroke 600cc engine made
them ideal for use with a sidecar
and has resulted in tales of "stump
pulling" torque and firing intervals
measured in lampposts passing into
motorcycling folklore. By 1957 the
majority of the Model 100's sold were
equipped with a pivoted fork frame
although a few, such as the one offered
were built with rigid frames. |
| 1959 Panther 35 |
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250cc |
| 1959 Panther M100 Sidecar |
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| 1960 Panther 100 Deluxe |
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1960 Panther model 100 deluxe, 600cc.
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1960 Panther Model 100
|
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The Panther Model 100 formed
part of the three bike range which
Panther announced when production
recommenced in 1945. Initially,
girder forks were fitted; however
these were replaced with Dowty Oleomatic
items in 1947. In 1954 Panther introduced
a pivoted fork frame together with
conventional telescopic forks manufactured
in house.
Throughout this period the "100"
retained a twin port head, however
in 1957 a new model joined the Panther
range in the form of the Model 100
de luxe with the existing model
becoming known as the "Standard".
The "Standard" adopted
a new single port head and a single
sided front brake.
Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
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| 1960 Panther M120S |
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Phelon and Moor Panther M120S Combo.
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| 1960 Panther 3T |
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325cc
Image supplied by www.andybuysbikes.com |
1961 Panther Model 100
|
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The Cleackheaton built Panther
single adhered to the basic design
philosophy established in the pioneer
years by P and M with an inclined
cylinder replacing the front frame
downtube. Although viewed as a sidecar
tug by many the big "pussy"
offered soloists an entertaining
ride thanks to its prodigious torque
output. Unfortunately, by the time
this example was produced the marques
all important sidecar market was
in with production eventually ceasing
in 1968.
Image provided by www.classic-auctions.com.
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| 1962 Panther 120 |
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650cc. |
| 1963 Panther M120 |
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650cc single. |
| 1966 Panther 250 Twin |
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| 1976 Panther 175 Super Sport |
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Thanks to Rollo Turner, www.panther-publishing.com,
for providing much information for this page.
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