What's a Sears bike? Other Classic Motorcycles Discuss What's a Sears bike? in the Classic Harley Motorcycles forums; Someone told me Sears used to sell motorcycles. And he told me some were in the 1960s from Italy, but even earlier ones were made here in the US. Anyone ...

[JayDee]

Someone told me Sears used to sell motorcycles. And he told me some were in the 1960s from Italy, but even earlier ones were made here in the US.

Anyone know anyhting about this?

[shovelmike]

Yeah, Jay-Dee. I'm old enough to remember the Sears bikes (Bennelli) And Montgomery Wards (Puch). Various models may have been from other manufacturers as well. I'm not quite old enough to remember the American made Sears motorcycles but I have seen pictures of them.

[jmk713]

My first "bike" was from Sears in 1957.
5 HP moped. They also had some 160cc bikes; but I can't remember what motors they used. I do know at least the motors were imported.

[Wrightturn]

It was 1966. I worked part time in a small shop. I did a top end job on a Allstate 250 that had cooked a piston. Bike was a two stroke 2 cyl but kinda weird. Had 2 cyl and 2 spark plugs but both cyls shared the same combustion area in the head. Went to Sears for parts and they ordered from Chicago. They gave me torque values and sequence over the phone. New pistons ,rings, amd cylinders, total cost 21.00. Two days later I took it for a test ride. Vey smooth but not much power. Another customer told me if you pushed it backwards it would run backwards. I never found out.

[47knuck]

Sears did sell Italian bikes as Sear in the 1950s and '60s. I think some were Gileras and others, others were Puchs (from Austria).

But I beleive Sears also sold American bikes (singles and v-twins I think) in the teens and twenties. I believe they bought the engines and built the rest of the bike around them.

[shovelmike]

Yeah, Wrighturn, that bike you describe is the Austrian built Puch, rebadged as an Allstate/ Sears. It was referred to as a Twingle...embodying some of the attributes of a twin with those of a single. Greater port area, displacement divided between two pistons creating a shorter path for the flame front.
I rode a borrowed one a for a day many years ago.
And oh yes. With any 2 stroke..they will run either direction, It doesn't matter to them!

[crashfaster]

try this:

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu9P6JB...uy.tripod.com/

and...

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu9P6JB...s_allstate.htm

[tipper1]

The rumor is OCC is going to build bikes for sears at least 2 models, they will also have parts dept and MClothes, don't know if there is any truth to it...

Check these sites out:

http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/euro/...s_allstate.htm

http://allstateguy.tripod.com/

I'd forgotten all about these things but I remember them now, after taking your cue and looking them up on Google. What a blast! Thanks.

JB

[Wrightturn]

Hey Shovelmike,

A Twingle ??? Makes sense.

Could also be a Twin Cam with a bad coil.

As my memory returns I remember them well. This was a military area and I think an E3 could get one with no money down.

I wonder why I never pushed one backwards.