Engine: Air-Cooled Four Cylinder.
Horsepower: 5 hp
Displacement: 360 cc
Drive train: Shaft Drive
Origin: The town of Herstal, near Liege, Belgium.
Rarity: First company to produce a 4-cylinder motorcycle in the world.
Production: No more 4-cylinder FNs were made after 1926.

The earliest four-cylinder FN was used by Osmont on a widely publicised journey through Europe in
November 1904, terminating at the First World "Salon de l'Auto" in Paris.
This machine was 363 cc (45 mm x 57 mm) and like all pre-1914 FNs had automatic inlet valves. Except that the front fork was unsprung, the machine was similar to the first production model for 1905: the "Type A".

FN started producing bicycles in 1898, both shaft and chain driven bicycles were made. The first motorcycle experiments came in 1900 when FN tried to mount a "clip on" engine on the frame. The first FN motorcycles were produced in December 1901. It had a 133cc engine and was commonly referred to "Little Donkey".

The engine capacity had grown in 1903 from the early 133cc engine to a larger 188cc. The 1903 model was produced with either a battery or magneto ignition and was shaft driven. This model was soon superseded by the 2 1/4 HP with 300cc engine, followed by the 1905 3HP 362cc engine. The latter being the first four cylinder, shaft-driven, motorcycle FN built.

The FN Four engines continued to grow in capacity, by 1906-07 it reached 412cc. The single cylinder motorcycle (224cc, 2 1/4HP) was the first to be equipped with an elaborate belt system that functioned as a gearbox. This model also came with a new front fork design.

A special FN Four was designed for export to the USA in 1908. The model was a great success in the US .

A major improvement was introduced in 1909 to the single cylinder engine. The new engine model maintained the same capacity (249cc 2 1/2HP) with two gears but this engine was driven by safer valve cams instead of the earlier automatic valve. This innovation proofed to generate more power while requiring less tuning and most importantly it proofed to be a safer operating engine.

Engine capacity continued to grow and the fours were equipped with a 5HP 498cc engine by 1910. New carburetors were also standard. There were no further changes for the 1911 model year.

By 1912, the fours were equipped with a new Bosh magneto (Type "Z"). The new 285 single cylinder is equipped with a 247cc (2.5HP) engine. It is complete with a 2 speed gearbox, clutch and shaft drive.

The year 1913 brought several innovations to the model line. The FN fours came with new frames, fuel tanks, clutch and an innovative 2 speed gearbox on the rear of the shaft drive. The single cylinder lost its "bicycle feature" pedals and now came with a kick start pedal.

The model designation changed in 1914 for the Fours. The Type 700 came with a 748cc engine and rear mounted gearbox at the back of the engine. Pedals were abandoned for the kick-start lever. Note the evolution of the small FN Four to the Type 700 in the picture. The single cylinder motorcycle was featured from 1912 with a hand lever for the clutch and a pedal for the rear wheel brake.

Not many parts remained in the FN workshops after WW1 and some were no longer available, a new carburetor model was used in 1919-1920 on the Single cylinder motorcycles. This new model was placed on the right front.

A letter "T" was added to the model designations in 1921-1922. The single cylinder became the 285T with a new frame, a different gas tank and foot boards. The (four cylinder) model 700 now became the 700T with an 8HP engine and a three speed gearbox. The brass embossed logo on the gas tank was deleted and a new FN logo decal was now placed on the front of the oil tank.