Coventry Eagle Motorcycle

To say the Coventry Eagle was a motorcycle
that few have ever heard of,..is a gross under-
statement. I have never seen one in person, but
only heard of them and seen them in photos while
doing this series on old bikes.
The Coventry Eagle was founded in 1890 by a
trio of business men in England. Alan Hotchkiss,
Percy Mayo, and John Meek put together the
capitol to start the business. The bikes were then
called MHM motorcycles...but in 1897 Meek left the
company and the name was changed to Coventry
Eagle. These bikes, although primitive by todays
standards, were extremely well built and very
reliable for the time. Early models featured a
3.5 horsepower single cylinder Villers engine, but
in1899 a 5 horsepower V-twin was added to the
options. Unable to secure a government contract,
the company ceased production of bikes during
World War I to help manufacture war goods. 1919
saw the company retool its bike line-up and by 1925
the Eagle could be purchased with a 125cc two-cycle
engine, or a 175cc four-cycle powerplant.. It was
1926 when the 'Flying 8' first appeared for Coventry
Eagle. This was a bike that would make other companies
take notice. It featured a 976cc JAP engine, heavy duty
forks, and a wheelbase of 59 inches. The Flying 8 was
also heavy for the time, tipping the scales at 395 pounds.
The Flying 8 had many similar features as found on the
Brough motorcycles. This was due to the fact that owners
Percy Mayo of Coventry Eagle and George Brough were
drinking buddies and shared many ideas over a pint at
the local pub. By 1928 the streamlined Flying 8 was
easily considered the most handsome of all English
bikes of the period. The stock market crash of 1929
took it's toll on the company as it did on the rest of the
world. In 1930 Coventry Eagle tried a lot of new
experimentation with exhaust, carburetion, and a new
pressed metal frame. In 1935 a new leaf spring rear
suspension was introduced, but labor problems across
England hampered production at Coventry Eagle. They
tried using engines from the Matchless company in
1937 to keep up with the competition, but when England
began to build up for World War II, it was the kiss of
death. By 1940 they closed up shop and went out of
business.