Simplex / Valiant Manufacturing Co.

[Hellion]

Most of us have heard of the Simplex Challenger, a capable early race kart but if you had told me Simplex made fun karts as well (up to the 1970's it appears), I would not have known. Their motorcycle, mini bike and scooter models are perhaps better known.

Simplex Manufacturing Corporation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

More info as I find it.







A company name change to Valiant, not sure when.










Somebody might mistake these four karts as Manco brand karts due to the Kelch Corp steering wheels and cast aluminum rims but they'd be mistaken.

 

[Hellion]

Got to say, their bikes are beautiful, crossing the line into viable mini motorcycles. The styling cues are amazing.

 

[ezcome-ezgo]

Interesting that the address change was basically from one side of the block to the other. That block today has a CVS, some cell phone stores and a pet shop.

 

[panchothedog]

The first bike, the 1965 model looks very similar to a " Mustang ". They were built in Southern California ( in Gardena I think ). Late 50's to about the mid 60's.
Always liked them. Never owned one.

 

[Squiddy202]

Those look amazing. Wish I could ride one to school, but now that's illegal. Now I need to get an ebike with twice as much power for it to be legal.

 

[Hellion]

Wish I could ride one to school, but now that's illegal.

I know right? Amazing that some were marketed to students---for grammar school up to college? I imagine if you lived in a very rural area without school bus service, it could be a real game changer for a 4th grader. Those minibikes typically got 60 miles to the gallon...

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Got to say those color catalog kart pics in post #1….that's some primitive looking stuff. There's no rake on the seat backs and that two seater version looks the most punishing to ride, essentially sitting in a box. Imagine the backs of your thighs resting across that bar. Don’t know what’s going on with that. They say Simplex finally gave up the ghost in 1975, so maybe they were making “last ditch” (very crude) karts and minibikes at the time of the photos.

I understand the "box seat" concept on early karts: the seat was like a padded hole to help you stay in the kart before those molded fiberglass seats were invented, but that front wall was padded and part of the seat vinyl. Here's the quickest example I could find:




1961 Rathmann Xterminator