Terrot
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorcycle manufacturing |
| Founded | 1862 |
| Founder | Charles Terrot, Wilhelm Stücklen |
| Fate | Acquired by Peugeot in 1958; production closed in 1961 |
| Headquarters | Dijon , France |
| Products | Motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, motorized bicycles, sidecars |
Terrot was a motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Dijon, France.
The enterprise was initiated by Charles Terrot and Wilhelm Stücklen, originally starting as a machinery plant in Cannstatt, Germany, in 1862. A subsidiary was opened in Dijon in 1887, and by 1890, the company had expanded its offerings to include bicycles.
In 1902, Terrot unveiled its inaugural motorcycle, equipped with a 2 bhp engine supplied by the Swiss company Zédel. The firm produced motorcycles with engine capacities ranging from 173cc to 498cc, utilizing power units from Swiss manufacturers MAG and Dufeaux, British companies Chater-Lea and JAP, as well as the Lyon-based Givaudan.
The company's first model featuring a twin-cylinder engine was introduced in 1905. Beginning in 1915, Terrot provided 500cc motorcycles to the French military. By 1921, the lineup included two-stroke engines: the 175cc L and the 267cc E, with the latter being updated to the 250cc F model in 1925. Starting in 1923, Terrot began producing four-stroke motorcycles initially powered by JAP engines (350cc and later 500cc), before developing its own four-stroke engines from 1926 onward. The milestone of manufacturing the 100,000th motorcycle was reached by 1929.
In response to the Great Depression, Terrot introduced motorized bicycles and entered competitive motorcycle racing in 1932, achieving French championship victories in the 250cc, 350cc, and 500cc categories.
During the Second World War, Terrot supplied sidecars for the French Army—specifically the GT models (ranging from 350cc to 750cc) and the DT models (between 500cc and 750cc).
The company debuted its first motor scooter, the VMS, in 1951. Throughout the decade of the 1950s, Terrot concentrated on producing mopeds and lightweight motorcycles.
In 1958, Terrot was acquired by Peugeot, leading to the closure of production at its original manufacturing site by 1961.