F. E. Baker Ltd was a British motorcycle engine and cyclecar engine manufacturer based in the Precision Works, Moorsom Street, Birmingham, England. Founded in 1906 by Frank Edward Baker, the company produced motorcycle engines under the Precision trademark until 1919. Precision engines were used by a wide range of motorcycle manufacturers in the United Kingdom and in other parts of the Commonwealth and were also used in cyclecars. Many manufacturers used the 'Precision' trademark as part of their model names, and in 1912 there was a 'Precision' motorcycle sold in Australia, but it is unclear if this was manufactured by F. E. Baker or just permitted use of the trademark by a motorcycle manufacturer.
History Frank Baker's engine production business grew at a fast rate, and in 1911 they added an 'excellently equipped fitting shop at the works of Messrs Webley and Scott' and by the 1911 Olympia Motorcycle Show in London there were 96 motorcycles with Baker's Precision engines.
Tom Biggs was appointed as chief designer in 1913. Frank Baker stopped motorcycle & engine production during the First World War. After the war they announced their own motorcycle with 350cc Precision 2-stroke engine designed by Tom Biggs. This had front and rear suspension, unit construction, and a pressed steel petrol tank that formed part of the frame.The Precision Motor Cycle, The Motor Cycle, 16th October, 1919, pp418-419 To inject capital into the company in 1919 the company came to a financial arrangement with William Beardmore and Company, a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding company based in Glasgow, and became Beardmore Precision Motorcycles.
Motorcycle engines
F. E. Baker sold engines to motorcycle manufacturers and to dealers under the Precision name, and for some of the larger customers they had their own name cast into the timing cover and the word Precision absent from the crankcase casting. An article in 1914 says that the Peerless Precision V-twin made solely for export was now to be made available in the home market 'under certain circumstances'.New Precision Engines, The Motor Cycle, 26 November 1914, p595 Differences from the UK engines included round cylinder fins instead of square and an external flywheel. There was a thriving export market for Precision engines, especially in Australia, where companies like Lewis of Adelaide used the Precision engines. Engines were distributed through sole agents as follows :
A. G. Healing of Melbourne for Australia
Victor S. Welsford of Durban for South Africa, Rhodesia and Portuguese East Africa
J. B. Clarkson Ltd of Wellington for New Zealand is added to adverts from c1913
Whether F. E. Baker manufactured a complete motorcycle before WW1 is unclear, even though a 1912 Precision motorcycle is featured on an Australian postage stamp issued in 2018. It seems more likely the motorcycle was built by another manufacturer using a Precision engine and allowed to use the Precision name. Many Precision engined motorcycles used 'Precision' as part of the model name, hence Ivy-Precision, Grandex-Precision, etc. The 350cc 2-stroke announced in 1919, though, was a complete Precision motorcycle.
A remarkably wide range of engines was developed over just a few years - this list is mainly taken from the home market motorcycle engine catalogue circa 1913 (except where otherwise indicated) so does not include variants specific to the overseas market, or the engines adapted for cyclecar use which had modifications like alternative magneto locations.
Model Capacity HP Rating Bore x Stroke (mm) Notes Junior 170cc 2 60 x 60 Introduced Nov 1913, an unusual 4-stroke single with unit-construction and horizontal valves at the rear of the engine Junior 199cc 2 65 x 60 1915 update, with bore increased to 65mm and vertical side-valves at the rear of the engine ? 225cc 2 1/2 64 x 70 2-stroke Appears in Nov 1914 Buyers guide for 3 makers, and Nov 1915 Buyer Guide solely for Grandex M 293cc 2 3/4 70 x 76 Lightweight Touring 4-stroke side-valve single MTT 350cc 2 3/4 70 x 90 Lightweight T.T. 4-stroke side-valve single MO 350cc 2 3/4 70 x 90 4-stroke overhead-valve single ME 350cc 2 3/4 70 x 90 "Green" 4-stroke water-cooled side-valve single (Gustavus Green designed cooling) 5 bhp guaranteed ? 350cc The new 2-stroke single engine fitted to the Precision motorcycle announced in 1919 D 499cc 3 3/4 85 x 88 Standard Touring 4-stroke side-valve single DTT 499cc 3 3/4 85 x 88 Standard T.T. 4-stroke side-valve single DO 499cc 3 3/4 85 x 88 Standard 4-stroke overhead-valve single DW 499cc 3 3/4 85 x 88 Standard 4-stroke water-cooled side-valve single E 499cc 3 3/4 85 x 88 "Green" 4-stroke water-cooled side-valve single (Gustavus Green designed cooling) 8 bhp guaranteed R 499cc 4 60 x 88 4-stroke V-twin side-valve - all the V-twins had 50 degrees between cylinders P 598cc 4 1/4 89 x 96 4-stroke side-valve touring and side-car PW 598cc 4 1/4 89 x 96 4-stroke single side-valve water-cooled 602cc 4 1/4 66 x 88 1914 Export market 4-stroke V-twin (circular cylinder fins instead of square), external flywheel L 750cc 6 75 x 85 4-stroke V-twin side-valve LO 654cc 6 4-stroke V-twin overhead-valve K 965cc 8 85 x 85 4-stroke V-twin side-valve KW 965cc 8 85 x 85 4-stroke V-twin water-cooled side-valve ? 1096cc 10 85 x 96 July 1919 4-stroke V-twin air-cooled side-valveThe Precision "Big" Twins, The Motor Cycle, 10th July 1919, p38 ? 1096cc 10 85 x 96 July 1919 4-stroke V-twin water-cooled side-valve
The "Green" engine was unusual in that it was water cooled but with heat exchangers mounted directly on either side of the cylinder. It was used by Ernest Smith and Woodhouse, who were motorcycle manufacturers (1912–1915), in their Regal-Green motorcycle in 1914. They had used other Baker 'Precision' engines in their previous motorcycles which they marketed as Regal-Precision.
Another unusual engine project was the development during 1912 of the engine invented by Dr Archibald Low in 1911. The engine was titled the Forced Induction Engine, but it used normal atmospheric induction but high pressure fuel admitted directly into the cylinder at peak compression, so in modern parlance would be a petrol direct injection engine. The engine was 104mm bore by 78mm stroke producing 15 bhp at 3,300rpm.Precision and Low Engines, The Motor Cycle, 28 Nov 1912, p1427 It appears this engine did not make it into production, but it embodied some principles that have parallels in diesel engine and petrol direct injection engines of the future. Details of the engine can be found in US Patent 1124157 of 1913.
The 170cc engine had the unusual characteristic of horizontal overhead valves located at the rear of the cylinder, as well as unit-construction (see images). The valves were changed the next year to normal side-valves but remained across the rear of the engine, so this was an unusual engine. Engine capacity was increased to 199cc at the same time.
The 225cc Precision 2-stroke engine that appears against 3 different manufacturers in the November 1914 buyers guide (see info below) also appears in the 1915 Buyers Guide in the model by Grandex and in a short article on 1916 Torpedo motorcycles in November 1915,The 1916 Torpedos, The Motor Cycle, 25 November 1915, p525 suggesting this engine did enter into production, though production may have been restricted due to the war effort. Even before war orders instructed companies to turn to making parts solely for the war effort, there were serious problems with loss of staff who volunteered for war service.
Motorcycles that used Precision engines
Before WW1 there was a booming business with mainly cycle makers adding motorcycles to their production. This was facilitated by companies that provided engines, forks, seats, gearboxes, magnetos, lights and belt drives, allowing the frame maker to assemble his motorcycle. One of the main engine suppliers was JA Prestwich Industries (known as JAP), and to some extent F. E. Baker were targeting their market. The Precision V-twin introduced at the Olympia show in November 1911, followed the same 50 degree V angle as the existing JAP V-twin. While some motorcycle and cyclecar manufacturers stuck to a single supplier, others swapped between engine suppliers, and some allowed customers to decide which engine they wanted fitting. In November each year the Motor Cycle show was held at Olympia, and a Buyers Guide published which in most cases revealed the engine supplier used by the companies, enabling an idea of the large number of motorcycles using Precision engines in the UK.Buyers Guide, The Motor Cycle, 19 Nov 1914, pp574-581
Name Capacity Notes A.S.L. 499cc Air Springs Ltd, Stafford (motorcycles had air suspension) Brown 292cc Brown Brother Ltd, Great Eastern Street, London Calthorpe 170cc, 199cc The Minstrel and Rea Cycle Co., Birmingham Campion 597cc, 750cc V-twin, 965cc V-twin, 499cc Green Campion Cycle Company Ltd, Stodman Street, Newark Dene 199cc, 499cc, 597cc, 750cc V-twin, 225cc 2-stroke Dene Motor Co, Haymarket, Newcastle-on-Tyne D.O.T. 499cc, 597cc H. Reed & Co, Deansgate, Manchester Dunkley 199cc, 499cc V-twin Dunkley, Jamaica Row, Birmingham. ELI 292cc, 499cc, 597cc Eli Clarke Motor Mfg. Co., Station Road, Bristol Elswick 498cc V-twin Elswick,"Roland Winn Trophy", Bradford Weekly Telegraph, 19 September 1913, p15 Endrick 499cc, 597cc Endrick, Olton, Near Birmingham Grandex-Precision 170cc, 199cc, 292cc, 350cc, 499cc, 597cc, 499cc V-twin, 750cc V-twin, 225cc 2-stroke Grandex Cycle Co., 28, Grays Inn Rd., London Ivy 292, 350cc, 499cc, 597cc, 750cc V-twin and 499cc Green engines S. A. Newman, Lichfield Road, Birmingham Ixion 499cc, 597cc Ixion Motor Manufacturing Co, Gt. Tindal St, Ladywood, Birmingham Juno 597cc Metropolitan Machinists Co., 75-6 Bishopgate Street Without, London Kumfurt 499cc Kumfurt Motorcycles and Accessories Co, Cookham Rise, near Maidenhead, Berkshire Little Giant 199cc, 225cc 2-stroke Little Giant Motocyclette Co., 101 High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex Martin Junior 199cc Cars and Motor Sundries, Ltd. (Martin Dept.), 175 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.C. Mead 199cc, 499cc, 597cc Mead Cycles of Paradise Street, Liverpool Midget Bicar 499cc, 597cc J. T. Brown, Oxford Road, Reading New Comet 199cc, 292cc, 499cc, 597cc A. H. Haden, Princip Street, Birmingham. Also used the Green engine c1913. OK 292cc, 499cc, 597cc Humphries & Dawes, Hall Green Works, Lancaster Street, Birmingham Osmond 499cc Osmonds Ltd, Greet, Birmingham Pilot 199cc, 499cc, 597cc, 499cc V-twin Pilot Cycle and Motor Co., 117 Soho Road and Farm Street, Birmingham. Regal-Precision 350cc Green, 499cc Green,Regal-Green for 1914, The Motor Cycle, 20 Nov 1913, p1514 602cc V-twin Ernest Smith and Woodhouse, 15 High Street, Saltley, Birmingham ROC 598cc Messrs Robertsons, 159 Great Portland Street, London Samson 499cc Reg Samson, Birmingham Steelhouse 499cc 123 Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham Sun 170cc, 499cc, 597cc Sun Cycle and Fittings Co., Aston Brook Street, Birmingham. Torpedo 225cc 2-stroke, 293cc, 498cc V-twin, 597cc F. Hopper & Co, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire Victoria 170cc, 292cc, 499cc, 498cc V-twin, 598cc Victoria Motor and Cycle Co. Ltd., Dennistoun, Glasgow, Scotland Westovian 499cc, 498cc V-twin R. V. Heath of South Shields Win-Precision 499cc Wincycle Trading Co., 106/107 Great Saffron Hill, London.
Other makes of motorcycle to use Precision engines before WW1, include Zenith, Cleveland, New Imperial, Coventry-Eagle, Armis, Chater-Lea, S. G. Neal (Neal Precision) and in Australia A. G. Healing had distribution rights for the engines, making their own motorcycles under the tradename 'Peerless', but also supplying others such as Vivian Lewis Ltd, and Bullock.
Cyclecars that used Precision engines The following cyclecars used 'Precision' engines.
The Premier cyclecar used a 7-9 hp Precision air-cooled engine.The Light Car - a technical history, C. F. Caunter, HMSO 1970, p38