By the metre the 1913 Reading Standardmotorcycleappeared , the Reading Standard company had spend a ten attempting to make its bikes stand out in the congested motorcycle - manufacturing industriousness of the early 20th Century .
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Though Reading Standards first appeared in 1903 as little more than Indian bash - offs with a Thor motor , the society began build its own exclusive - cylinder bike three long time after .
These were the first flatheadmotorcycle enginesoffered by an American manufacturer .
Phoebe - similitude arrive in 1908 . former examples sported a more conventional F - brain ( overhead ingestion , side exhaust ) shape , but the arrangement was unusual : The valves were on the left side of the front cylinder , but on the veracious side of the rear cylinder .
These first V - Twin displaced 722 mil , but had grown to 990 cc when our featured 1913 Reading Standard motorcycle was built . By now , the company had converted its Twin to a flathead design . Later versions displace as much as 1180 cc .
Advertised as " R - S " motorcycles , Reading Standards were sold across the country . The party began come in militant consequence in 1907 , win its first 1000 - mile endurance raceway the same yr .
By 1910 , however , Reading Standard had banal of racing , and make up one’s mind to focus its attention on selling more bike at the retail level . Its determination was perhaps a bit late ; by 1914 , business organisation had already begin to look blue .
In 1922 , Reading Standard sold out to the Cleveland Motorcycle Company , which offer a Reading Standard good example in 1923 as a low - dollar option to its existing line .
The following year , Cleveland itself went up for sale , and the Reading Standard name slip into limbo .
Continue to the next page for more inside information and pictures of the 1913 Reading Standard bike .
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1913 Reading Standard Pictures
The 1913 Reading Standard bike was a home - build bike from a company that set out business copying Amerindic - brand motorcycle .
