It is often the more unusual machines that leave the biggest impression, and this is one such motorcycle that breaks the mould. It is a 1932 Monet-Goyon MG17B, and is a proper genuine survivor from the French marque that wears almost a century of history.
Words: Rich Orriss
Photos: Mark French
By the early 1930s, Monet-Goyon had established itself as one of France’s most respected motorcycle manufacturers. Founded in Mâcon in 1917, the company built its reputation on well-engineered, stylish machines that ranged from lightweight commuters to larger touring motorcycles. Always eager to embrace new ideas, Monet-Goyon was not afraid to look beyond France for the best available engineering, particularly when it came to its motors.
And that willingness to combine the best of both worlds led to one of the most successful Anglo-French motor-vehicle partnerships of the era, as Monet-Goyon teamed up with Villiers of Wolverhampton. It resulted in some fantastic motorcycles that blended French craftsmanship with proven British engineering – a win-win for riders on both sides of the Channel.
This Monet-Goyon MG17B was one such machine which used the 172cc Super Sport TT Villiers. It belongs to Mark French and is believed to be the only surviving example of its type in the UK.
When the MG17B was released by Monet-Goyon, Villiers had become the engine supplier of choice for countless motorcycle manufacturers. The Super Sport TT gave the French marque a proven sporting engine without the expense of developing one in-house, and it resulted in a lively and competitive lightweight machine. With a bore and stroke of 67 x 57.15mm, a Gurtner M-22D carburettor, dry twin-plate clutch and chain final drive, the machine produced around 10-12 horsepower, enough to shove its 95kg weight to a respectable 80-90 km/h.
Throughout the second half of the 1920s, Villiers-powered Monet-Goyons enjoyed success in French competition, winning the French 175cc Speed Championship on four occasions, in addition to achieving three French Grand Prix victories and four victories in the Union Motocycliste de France (UMF) Grand Prix. The marque also proved its strength on the challenging slopes of Mont Ventoux, where it secured four hill climb victories, thus demonstrating the flexibility and durability of the Villiers-powered machines in demanding conditions.
The success didn’t end there. At the high-speed Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, Monet-Goyon riders established around twenty world records in the lightweight class. It showed that the Villiers Super Sport TT engine was a proper, proven two-stroke. By the time the MG17 reached the showroom in the early 1930s, customers were buying into an established Anglo-French partnership with a competition record that had already earned its place in motorcycling history.
Built in July 1932 at the famous Monet-Goyon factory in Mâcon, Burgundy, this MG17B left the factory finished in red. It was registered on 22 July 1932 in the Seine-et-Oise region surrounding Paris under the registration 9951 YA8, beginning a life that would see it survive some of the most turbulent years in European history.
It was a small bike, but it packed a punch and was very much the sporting machine with its twin exhaust ports and three-speed gearbox. The Brooklands cans on this bike are painted to match the machine – whether or not this is an after-market touch, it looks ace in our opinion and gives the motorcycle that extra splash of character.
Buyers could also specify extras including knee grips, an alternator and, for those wanting something different, black paint in place of the standard red finish. It was a sexy looking thing.
The chassis reflected contemporary Continental design. A lowered pressed-steel frame with an open-channel construction gave the machine a purposeful appearance, while girder forks propped up the front end. At the rear there was no suspension at all, as was typical for the period – but thank the lord for the sprung saddle! The MG17B rode on 25 x 3 tyres, with the rear increasing to 25 x 3.75 on the B model, and carried its fuel in a generous 12-litre tank.
Although commonly referred to as a 175cc model, the MG17’s Villiers engine actually displaced around 172cc. This wasn’t unusual for the period. Across Europe, and particularly in France, motorcycles were often marketed by their nominal capacity rather than their exact swept volume, as this corresponded with taxation and licensing classes. Staying within the 175cc category made the machine attractive to riders looking to minimise running costs while still enjoying the performance and handling of a genuinely sporting lightweight. It was a sensible balance that undoubtedly contributed to the popularity of machines such as the MG17 during the early 1930s.
Perhaps the most remarkable chapter in this bikes story came during the Second World War. Based just outside Paris, the motorcycle somehow escaped requisition during the German occupation. It is thought it was hidden away, possibly walled up or concealed inside a suburban barn, which meant that it emerged from the war pretty much still intact. Whatever happened, the machine survived when countless others disappeared forever.
For much of its life the Monet-Goyon belonged to Monsieur Yves Gasperi of Montesson, on the western outskirts of Paris. It remained his treasured motorcycle for decades and was re-registered in July 1970 as 2631 NW 78. His careful stewardship is still evident today, not only in the remarkable originality of the machine but also in details such as its exceptionally rare French-made J. Reydel saddle, which remains fitted.
Now residing in the Forest of Dean in the UK, the motorcycle continues its story in Mark’s ownership. Rather than restoring away its past, Mark has chosen to conserve the motorcycle exactly as it has survived, allowing every mark, scratch and worn surface to tell part of its journey. And it does it extremely well.
The story is not over, however. Mark is actively researching the motorcycle’s early history in France, hoping to uncover more about its first owners and wartime years, so if you have any information, please get in touch.
In 2027, he plans to take the Monet-Goyon back to its homeland for the Normandy Beach Race, giving this little survivor the opportunity to return to French roads almost a century after it first left the Mâcon factory.
Motorcycles like this carry stories of the people who rode them and protected them through changing times, and Mark’s Monet-Goyon MG17B is one of those machines… a true survivor whose greatest restoration has been the passage of time. And we look forward to seeing the years to come.
an article by The Girder Club
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