SHL is probably the oldest Polish motorcycle factory. In the 1930s, the company started fitting Villiers 98 engines into its own chassis. Until the outbreak of World War II, 2000 of these were made. The factory survived the war but the production line was dismantled by retreating Germans and then borrowed by the Russians although about 200 ready-made cycles from the pre-war production were left in the factory.
The SHL machines were considered the best made and most luxurious of the 2-strokes, also the most expensive. The company is perhaps best known in Poland for producing several millions of domestic washing machines and is still in existence today as a dump truck manufacturer.
“SHL” comes from the founders name—Suchedniowska Huta Ludwikow. The model number followed a system used throughout the industry with each motorcycle being given a code starting with “M’ (for “motocykl”) followed by two digits.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: SHL
Country of Origin: Poland
Engine: 174cc, 1 cylinder, 13 hp
Transmission: unknown
Top Speed: 60 miles per hour
Years of Production: 1935-85
Number Produced: unknown
Original Cost: unknown