| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Founded | New York, NY USA 1951 |
| Founder | Brothers Joseph and Michael Berliner |
| Defunct | Circa 1984 |
| Fate | Defunct |
| Headquarters | Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey[1] |
Area served | North America |
Key people | President Joseph Berliner, Vice President or Sales Manager Michael Berliner,[1] Director of Public Relations Walter von Schonfeld[1] Bob Blair Calif. Norton dealer and racing representative, Reno Leoni race bike builder sent by Ducati[2] |
| Products | Motorcycles |
| Services | Import, distribution, and retail sale of European motorcycles in the USA |
| Divisions | Premier Motor Corporation (Moto Guzzi),[3][4] International Motorcycle Co. (Sachs and Zündapp),[1] J-Be,[5] J. B. Matchless Corporation (Matchless)[6] |
Berliner Motor Corporation was the US distributor from the 1950s through the 1980s for several European motorcycle marques, including Ducati, J-Be,[5] Matchless, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Sachs and Zündapp, as well as selling Metzeler tires. Berliner Motor was highly influential as the voice of the huge American market to the motorcycle companies they bought bikes from, and their suggestions, and sometimes forceful demands, guided many decisions in Europe as to which bikes to develop, produce, or discontinue.
Joe Berliner [...] a man endowed with great decision-making power in Borgo Panigale
— Heritage Features and News. Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.[7]
- ^ a b c d "200 BMC Dealers Attend School", American Motorcycling, vol. 19, no. 2, Westerville, Ohio: American Motorcyclist Association, p. 14, February 1965, ISSN 0277-9358, retrieved 2009-04-13
- ^ Cameron, Kevin (1998), Top Dead Center, St Paul, MN: MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, pp. 180–202, ISBN 0-7603-2727-0, retrieved 2009-04-22
- ^ Walker, Mick (2004-07-01), Moto Guzzi Twins Restoration: All Moto Guzzi V-Twins, 1965-2000, MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company, p. 11, ISBN 0-7603-1986-3, retrieved 2009-04-13
- ^ Grub, Jake (April 1974), "PM's Guide to the gas-thrifty '74, get-there machines.", Popular Mechanics, vol. 141, no. 4, Hearst Magazines, p. 87, ISSN 0032-4558, retrieved 2009-04-13
- ^ a b Tragatsch, Erwin (1964), The world's motorcycles, 1894-1963: a record of 70 years of motorcycle production, Temple Press, p. 86,
J-BE. Berliner Motor Corporation, Railroad Street and Plant Road, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. The J-Be stands for Joe Berliner, the owner of the company who is a leading importer of European machines in America. The J-Be machines were built for this company by a leading German manufacturer and are equipped with 100- and 125-c.c. Fictel & Sachs two-stroke engines.
- ^ "1963 Matchless Models Introduced", Cycle, Los Angeles, December 1962,
During the recent visit to the United States of Matchless Motorcycles Limited Managing Directors, J.B. Smith and A.A. Sugar, arrangements were completed for the sole distribution of Matchless Motorcycles in the United States by the J. B. Matchless Corporation of Hasbrouck Heights, N. J. They visited the West Coast with Mr. Joe Berliner, President of Berliner Motor Corporation, U. S. Norton distributors -- who is also president of the newly formed J. B. Matchless Corporation.
- ^ "An Outline of the Apollo's Story". Heritage Features and News. Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
In 1963 Joe Berliner, the only official Ducati importer in the United States since 1958, and a man endowed with great decision-making power in Borgo Panigale, decided to begin the construction of a new 1200 cc motorcycle, initially conceived as a potential competitor to Harley-Davidson (which was used in those days by American police) and later as a motorcycle to present to customers across the ocean.