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neither sold cheap enough to attract the budget market nor was of sufficient quality to challenge other similar lightweight competitor marques. That said, there were positives: the
Milemaster being described as "an absolute hoot to ride" with "staggering" fuel economy of around 100 miles per gallon.
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Despite the
Milemaster design and manufacture having shown "a good deal of thought", Tandon motorcycles suffered from a poor reputation , enjoying only limited popularity. Their simplistic approach, perhaps born out of an initial design philosophy catering for the third world market, finally was
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model boasted the attractions of significant ground clearance and light weight with a 197 cc
Kangaroo Supreme also featuring conventional damper units in the swinging-arm rear suspension. A Tandon 200 cc scrambler model enjoyed success beating a factory-sponsored 500 cc
53:(Completely Knocked Down) for assembly abroad. Indeed, it took one Tandon factory worker only eight hours to completely assemble four Tandon motorcycles. The model in question was the 122 cc Milemaster, powered like all but the last Tandons by a
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Sufficient sales enabled Tandon to move to larger premises within
Watford from Bushey Hall Road to Colne Way and introduce the larger-engined 197 cc Superglid Supreme. The short-lived (1951–1953) but relatively popular 122 cc Kangaroo
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rear suspension. However, the suspension itself was highly unusual with damper units being replaced by a bell crank linked to rubber bands for suspension and a hard rubber block for compression action, all located under the gearbox.
112:, their sales hampered by a dealer network not extending outside London. Devdutt Tandon was able however to continue manufacture of his motorcycles through his other firm Indian Commerce & Industries Limited until 1959.
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New roadster models with conventional rear suspension, stronger frames and bigger engines were introduced in 1954 being the 224 cc
Monarch (also known as the Sprite) and, with a 242 cc
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Replacing the
Milemaster was the 122 cc Imp which sacrificed rear suspension for light weight. However, the later, larger 197 cc Imp Supreme adopted conventional rear suspension.
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The export plan never materialised and the
Milemaster, with its modest specification—hand gear change and bicycle seat—and lacking rear suspension, was marketed instead in the
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100:(and later 322 cc) two-stroke twin cylinder engine, the Viscount (also known as the Twin Supreme). These did not have as standard the
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arrangement. These and the new 99 cc
Starlett scooter could not stop Tandon Motors Limited being wound-up in 1955 by the
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until 1952. In 1949, Tandon introduced the 122 cc
Superglid featuring conventional foot gear-change and a new frame with
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countries initially. The simplicity of the initial Tandon design reflected the chosen export market where the
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as fitted to prior Tandon models but instead boasted an
Armstrong
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37:(1902–1980)—from 1947 to 1959—for export to his native
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197cc Tandon Superglid Supreme, The Motor Cycle, 22 Feb 1951
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two-stroke engine. Tandon received great publicity when
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United Kingdom Commissioners of Custom & Excise
266:Motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom
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90:motorcycle in an Irish handicap race in 1956.
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225:British Motorcycles Since 1950 Volume 4
149:British Motorcycles Since 1950 Volume 4
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227:(Patrick Stephens Limited 1991)
151:(Patrick Stephens Limited 1991)
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49:motorcycles were to be sent
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276:Companies based in Watford
22:122cc Tandon Milemaster
247:Tandon Done And Dusted
241:The Classic MotorCycle
210:Tandon Done And Dusted
186:The Classic MotorCycle
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102:telescopic front fork
29:were manufactured in
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271:History of Watford
47:two-stroke engined
27:Tandon Motorcycles
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223:Wilson, Steve
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98:British Anzani
70:United Kingdom
35:Devdutt Tandon
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250:Classic Bike
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74:swinging-arm
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59:Pandit Nehru
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106:Earles-fork
63:Caxton Hall
43:third world
260:Categories
120:References
41:and other
65:in 1948.
55:Villiers
31:Watford
252:(8/16)
243:(6/12)
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188:(6/12)
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83:trials
39:India
229:ISBN
153:ISBN
88:BSA
51:CKD
33:by
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202:^
163:^
128:^
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