1931 Universal Works 350 JAP
1931 Universal Works 350 JAP
A cut above the rest
From its foundation in Lucerne in 1928, Universal took part in races and fitted JAP engines. The choice was restricted when it came to competing against Motosacoche of Geneva and its own-make MAG engines, which, along with the JAP, were equal favorites with the tuners.
Quality First
The Universal-JAP didn’t have any outstanding technical features. It simply revealed the care taken by the Swiss in mechanical assembly. The Universal was the first bike whose steering head used Timken taper roller bearings instead of the traditional (and cheap) ball-bearings. At this level of quality, there is nothing degrading about the word “assembly.”
The Boys from Ticino
The boss of Universal, Antonio Vedova, had his roots in the Swiss canton of Ticino, and the first works riders were also originally from this Italian-speaking region. The most notably successful was Francesco Franconi, with his 500 Motosacoche Franconi. He was without a doubt one of the greatest European champions of the 1930s, although Franconi could not overshadow another native of Ticino, Elvetio Torricelli, who joined Universal riding in the 350 class when Puch, his former employer, abandoned racing. The machine illustrated on this card was his favorite mount in the early 1930s. Universal fitted JAP engines to both production and racing machines until WWII. The marque still exists in the 1990s, although it has not built motorcycles since the 1960s — Universal manufactures lawn mowers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 348cc (7Ox9Omns) air cooled JAP
single-cylinder four-stroke; magneto ignition; dry-sump lubrication
Power Rating: 27 hp
Valves: overhead
Fuel System: carburetor
Transmission: 4-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: girder forks (front); rigid (rear)
Brakes: drum (front & rear)
Wheels: 3.00×21 inch (front): 3.50×19 inch (rear)
Weight: 287 lb
Maximum Speed: 100 mph
This unique example of the 350 Universal-JAP has a genuine works engine, which differs in many details from the production model 350 JAP sold at the same period.
This and many other Atlas Editions Classic Motorcycle cards are available for purchase.
