The story of the original Waverly Mfg is quite complicated. Waverly began making motorcycles around 1905. It was a small belt drive model, and sales were not too good, so they hired the engineer of the Steco Cyclecar Co., Perry E Mack. Mack had been making engines for motorcycles in Milwaukee for years when Waverly called for his assistance. Mack went to Jefferson and the NEW Waverly was introduced. The New Waverly was introduced in mid march of 1911, and it had a 500cc overhead valve single. The new single could make 4 to 5 horsepower. Waverly advertised it as "The Fastest 30:50 Motor In The World" People could buy the new Waverly motor and apply it to there machines or purchase them in large quanities. Kenzler-Waverly was a company that bought Waverly Motors and put them in their own machines. There was great success with the new Waverly motor, so the Waverly Mfg Co. decided to name there single cylinder model after Perry Ellis Mack.
The P.E.M. was first introduced in mid-December of 1911 and it featured the 500cc engine and came with a Heitger Carberutor. The P.E.M. also featured a unique way of front suspention, leaf springs were mounted virtically on the front fork, and it featured a mechanical oiler also. Perry E. Mack left the Waverly factory in September of 1912 and the P.E.M. was made for 10 months. Mr. Mack went to work for A.O. Smith to help develop the new Smith Motor Wheel in Milwaukee. Mack still continued to sell Waverly Motors, but in October of 1912 the name of the Motorcycle was changed again. The New Motorcycle was improved even more and was now called the Jefferson. The New Jefferson had many new options like heavier spokes, an aluminum muffler with a wire cut out switch. It also had a clutch on the countershaft, spark plug on the side of the cylinder and an adjustable oil valve. There was also a twin model that they sold that was capable of 7 to 9 horsepower. The new motorcycle did not sell well and production was stopped on all Waverly Motorcycles in 1913. When Mack stopped production in 1913, the remaining motors were sold and many of them were used in racing motorcycles becuse of their overhead valve design. Mr Mack went on to work for A.O. Smith and when Briggs & Stratton bought the rights to the Motor Wheel, Mr Mack was sold also.An anitcdote of his son was that when Briggs & Stratton got Mr Mack, A.O. Smith got the largest lathe in the state of Wisconsin. Mr Mack worked for Briggs & Stratton until 1949 when he retired, and Perry Ellis Mack passed away on January 26, 1952 at the Age of 73. |
