1903 Minerva Tricycle 🇬🇧

The 1903 Minerva was mainly a motorized bicycle or “fore-car,” not a true tricycle. It featured a passenger seat mounted in front of the rider and offered an early form of motorized transport. Minerva, founded by Sylvain de Jong in Belgium, began with safety bicycles and became known for reliable clip-on engines that fit almost any bike.

The 1903 models used single-cylinder side-valve engines (around 239–331cc), with some versions adopting a stronger in-frame design to handle increased power. The fore-car attachment, often from firms like Mills and Fulford, replaced the front wheel, allowing easy conversion between solo and passenger use. Minerva’s engines were widely exported and used by makers such as Triumph and BSA.