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The bigger question Mystery engine

We have this unknown engine here at the National Motorcycle Museum. Any ideas?

James Hewing, museum director, NMM.

The simple answer is the engine is a circa 1913 Motosacoche or MAG 2 to 2.5hp unit, where MAG is Motosacoche, Acacias, Geneva, and it is cast with lugs for mounting to a strong cycle or lightweight motorcycle frame within its diamond.

French-born brothers with Swiss roots, Henri (1879-1980) and Armand (1883-1941) Dufaux built their first cyclemotor engine circa 1898, just three years after De Dion Bouton developed the first tiny ‘high speed’ internal combustion engine. The Dufaux brothers’ initial attempt powered a cycle along at over 13mph (20kph). Yet Henri was an unlikely engineer having, as an artist, trained in Paris, Florence and Geneva, while his young brother had enjoyed some engineering training. However, from a comfortable Swiss/French background, they

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