Neracar 1921

The Neracar (or Ner-A-Car) motorcycle was designed by Carl Neracher in 1918. About 10,000 of these motorcycles were manufactured in the United States by the Ner-A-Car Corporation under the Neracar name, while around 6,500 are believed to have been produced in England under licence in England by the Sheffield-Simplex company between 1921 and 1926 under the Ner-A-Car name (see: Ner-A-Car 1925).

The design had several unusual features, including a friction drive transmission, and a low-slung perimeter frame chassis that was closer to those found on contemporary cars than other motorcycles. It also featured the first production example of hub-center steering on a motorcycle. The low-slung frame, front suspension, hub-center steering, and long wheelbase contributed to the cycle's exceptional stability. While similar in concept to a continuously variable transmission, the friction drive transmission has five fixed indents corresponding to pre-set drive ratios.

Neracher licenced his design to Sheffield-Simplex to manufacture Ner-A-Cars for the British and Commonwealth markets before he could find any investors to manufacture them in the United States. Eventually, a group of investors, including King C. Gillette and Crouse-Hinds Company founder Huntington B. Crouse, funded the Ner-A-Car Corporation, which began production of Neracars in October 1921.

The Ner-A-Car Corporation in Syracuse made three models of Neracar. The Type A had solo seating, the original 221 cc two-stroke engine, one headlight, and one taillight. The Type B had a larger engine, two seats, and two headlights. A commercial version, the Type CB, had a pair of headlights, a pair of drum brakes on the rear wheel, and a steel utility box rated to carry 150 pounds. A 255 cc model was introduced in 1924. A five-speed Neracar was advertised as a "Christmas Special" for 175$ in November 1927.

Production of the Neracar in U.S. ended in 1927.

Neracar was inspiration for unusual Majestic French motorcycle built in late 20s.

Neracar motorcycle advert in Popular Mechanics, July 1922