Not to be confused with the American motorcycle of the same name, the British Excelsior had its origins in the factory in Coventry, English Mid lands, occupied by Messrs Bayliss, Thomas and Slaughter, or B.T.S, who were, like so many others occupied in the production of bicycles, beginning in 1874. The company prospered to become one of the major players in a large and expanding industry, their products branded as Excelsior. Without further ado, the brand was trademarked, with the logo depicting a mountaineer waving a banner.
Legend has it that when the almost inevitable extension to motorcycles was considered, the name Excelsior was applied to the powered bicycles too, for several reasons. Firstly, nobody else had registered the name, secondly, it represented desirable qualities such as “The Pinnacle of Perfection”, and The Summit of Achievement”.
