In the first half of the twentieth century, Ace Motor Corporation was actively operating in our city. The largest number of motorcycle models in honor of William Henderson were created at this factory. Despite the short-term activity of the plant and the corporation in general, they had a powerful impact on the engine construction system. Read more about how the entrepreneur revolutionized the engineering world and what fate befell his design facility in Philadelphia at philadelphia.name.
Henderson Motorcycle: What was the impetus for the establishment of the factory?
The history of the local factory began long before its appearance. Originally, there was a company that manufactured Ace motorcycles. This brand belonged, in particular, to one of the founders, William Henderson. The man and his colleagues put a great deal of effort so that the company, Excelsior Motor Manufacturing & Supply Company, achieved howling success.
For some, success is a setback, while for others, it is a stimulation to conquer new heights. The above-mentioned company focused on stability and safe investment of funds in those spheres where dividends can be received in the future. Excelsior created heavy-weight motorcycles, while Henderson preferred light and sports bikes. At that time, this industry was not yet developed because of the complexity of construction, which could cause the risk of investment.
The Ace model would not exist without W. Henderson. Despite his personal contribution, he sells his share of the company and resigns. In 1919, he founded his own enterprise.
Henderson is credited by many motorcycle enthusiasts for developing the first four-cylinder engine. The engineer was the first to use them in his bikes. These motorcycles made William’s former company famous in America.
When the man opened his factory in the city, he encountered the main problem of engine production. It was the copyright of his own patents. He could no longer make the engines according to the old, effective scheme because he sold his share of the business.
“From scratch” – such an expression can be used to describe the period of an entrepreneur’s life after dismissal. He wanted to excel himself, so he worked overtime. Perhaps it was these ambitions that played the devil with him. In 1922, during a scheduled test of the Ace prototype, Henderson was hit by a car.
The fate of the factory and the corporation after Henderson’s death
An untimely death heavily destabilized the company, but the work continued. After the founder’s death, his creation set a new speed record. Then, the modified Ace XP-4 model speeded up to one hundred and twenty-nine miles per hour. The last success helped to stay afloat for a while until the sale of the company and the whole factory in Philadelphia that designed motorcycles.
In 1927, the new owners of the local factory became Indians. However, they never regained the past glory of William Henderson’s company. After experiments with the Ace design, this name disappeared forever.
All bikes designed at the Philadelphia plant shared the same basic engine. It was an atypical air-cooled unit that directed power to the rear wheels via a high-speed transmission and chain drive.
William worked in our city for only a few years, but owing to his work, a construction facility appeared, providing a job for many citizens. The engineer’s engine is now considered an advanced development. Only a few years later, successors were able to surpass the creations of Henderson, who was born in Philadelphia.
Although Ace motorcycles have a short history and have a limited number, true fans still hunt for them. In April 2015, the blue Ace Four, which originated in the City of Brotherly Love, was auctioned off for more than twenty thousand pounds.
