Scott Motorcycle Company was owned by Scott Motors (Saltaire) Limited, Shipley, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom and was a well known producer of motorcycles and light engines for industry.

The company was founded by Alfred Angas Scott (1875 - 1923), born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, who had started making engines for boats in 1900. In 1908 he made his first motor cycle with a 450 cc two-stroke twin cylinder engine and two speed gearbox mounted in a triangulated frame. He is credited with the invention of the kick start.

With their pioneering design Scott motorcycles won many sporting events before World War I but by the 1920s the machines were starting to fall behind - a three speed gearbox was not offered until 1923.

A three-cylinder two stroke of 747 cc was introduced in 1934 and the 596 cc Clubman Special in 1938.

After World War II production continued with the 596 cc Flying Squirrel, but ended in 1950 when the company was taken over by the Aerco Jig and Tool Company who built the 493 cc Scott Swift from 1956 to 1961.

Aircraft engines
In the mid 1930's Scotts saw a demand for a large quantity of lightweight low powered aircraft engines for the Flying Flea craze that was sweeping the world having been started by Frenchman Henri Mignet with his H.M.14 Pou du Ciel.

The Scott Flying Squirrel engine designed by William Cull to power this 'motorcycle of the air' was a purpose built two stroke aero engine with two inverted cylinders inline and was air cooled. An oil cooler was available for retrofitting. These engines were available at a cost of £50 and an extra £3 for the propeller hub and flange.

It is thought that in the region of 70 engines were produced from 1935 to 1937, of these 22 are still in existence, mostly in the UK. Aircraft known to have used a Scott are the H.M 14 Flying Flea, Barnwell BSW Mk1, Luton Buzzard, Luton Minor, Dart Flittermouse, Howitt Monoplane, Wren Goldcrest and Debruyne Ladybird.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Scott Motorcycle Company".