Editing Pope

[[Image:1913-Pope.jpg|right|thumb|350px|1913 Pope]]
'''Pope''' was a motorcycle manufacturer established by Colonel Pope.

Colonel Pope was behind the Pope-Hartford, and Pope Toledo and the first Pope motorcycle appeared in 1908, and was a V-belt drive [[single cylinder]] with atmospheric intake, and no clutch or gearbox. It was a good little bike, but it was this model L that took the industry by storm when it appeared in 1913. The Pope had an overhead valve, V-twin of 61cu.in. (1000cc)! 

Although the Pope Company didn’t support a factory race team, [[privateers]] on Popes occasionally managed to humble the pros on [[Indians]], [[Excelsiors]], [[Flying Merkels]], [[Thors]] and [[Harleys]] that first year, on the board-tracks. They were soon eclipsed by the 8 valve Indians, Harleys, and [[OHC]] Cyclones, but these were specially constructed racers, and the Pope twin was never intended to be more than a roadster.  When my friend Mike Sherwin examined the twin Pope engine I have, he remarked on how similar it was to the "90 bore" English [[JAP]] [[twin cylinder]]. It makes one wonder who copied whom? We will probably never know. Jerry’s bike is a single speeder with clutch, and with that much power in such a light frame, you don’t miss the gearbox, particularly around Jerry’s home in the flatlands of Kansas.

 
	 
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:American motorcycles]]
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	Colonel Pope was behind the Pope-Hartford, and Pope Toledo and the first Pope motorcycle appeared in 1908, and was a V-belt drive [[single cylinder]] with atmospheric intake, and no clutch or gearbox. It was a good little bike, but it was this model L that took the industry by storm when it appeared in 1913. The Pope had an overhead valve, V-twin of 61cu.in. (1000cc)!		Colonel Pope was behind the Pope-Hartford, and Pope Toledo and the first Pope motorcycle appeared in 1908, and was a V-belt drive [[single cylinder]] with atmospheric intake, and no clutch or gearbox. It was a good little bike, but it was this model L that took the industry by storm when it appeared in 1913. The Pope had an overhead valve, V-twin of 61cu.in. (1000cc)!

	Although the Pope Company didn’t support a factory race team, [[privateers]] on Popes occasionally managed to humble the pros on [[Indians]], [[~~Excelsior~~]]s, [[Flying ~~Merkel~~]]s, [[~~Thor~~]]s and [[~~Harley~~]]s that first year, on the board-tracks. They were soon eclipsed by the 8 valve Indians, Harleys, and [[OHC]] Cyclones, but these were specially constructed racers, and the Pope twin was never intended to be more than a roadster. When my friend Mike Sherwin examined the twin Pope engine I have, he remarked on how similar it was to the "90 bore" English [[JAP]] [[twin cylinder]]. It makes one wonder who copied whom? We will probably never know. Jerry’s bike is a single speeder with clutch, and with that much power in such a light frame, you don’t miss the gearbox, particularly around Jerry’s home in the flatlands of Kansas.		Although the Pope Company didn’t support a factory race team, [[privateers]] on Popes occasionally managed to humble the pros on [[Indians]], [[Excelsiors]], [[Flying Merkels]], [[Thors]] and [[Harleys]] that first year, on the board-tracks. They were soon eclipsed by the 8 valve Indians, Harleys, and [[OHC]] Cyclones, but these were specially constructed racers, and the Pope twin was never intended to be more than a roadster. When my friend Mike Sherwin examined the twin Pope engine I have, he remarked on how similar it was to the "90 bore" English [[JAP]] [[twin cylinder]]. It makes one wonder who copied whom? We will probably never know. Jerry’s bike is a single speeder with clutch, and with that much power in such a light frame, you don’t miss the gearbox, particularly around Jerry’s home in the flatlands of Kansas.