FEDERAL/FEDERATION
It’s two ‘effs’ for the price of one with Federal and Federation Motorcycles! While it hasn’t been unusual for motorcycles to be offered through department stores and their catalogues, these have, in the main, simply been rebadged proprietary makes. However, in 1921, the Cooperative Wholesale Society (CWS) – buoyed by its successful range of bicycles – began to manufacture its very own machines under the names Federal and Federation. It appears that the two names ran alongside each other with Federal possibly denoting the two-stroke motorcycles and Federation the four-strokes, both being built in the Co-op’s factory in Tyseley, Birmingham.
The range began in 1921 with a lightweight Federal fitted with a 269cc Villiers or a 292cc JAP single cylinder engine, followed by a
1922 677cc sv V-twin JAP model. There was little revolutionary or startling about this machine, but nor was there intended to be. It was intended simply as a means of reliable transport for the many CWS customers and you could order a motorcycle from any Co-op store. The Motor Cycle wrote in 1921: ‘A 2¾hp JAP engine and Sturmey two-speed gear box with clutch and kick-starter are used, while the simple mudguarding, neat chain and belt guard, and very deep tool bags are points that will at once appeal to the average rider.’
The name Federal was dropped in 1929, but the motorcycles continued to be produced under the Federation banner. In that year a 346cc ohv model was introduced