the koehler escoffier custom racer by heroes motors

one of the most spectacular sports this world has seen is moto-ball: it was popular in france back in the 1930’s, and was similar to polo but replaced the popular sport’s horses with motorcycles. the field has the same dimensions as a soccer pitch, however the ball is larger than a size five soccer ball. the often forgotten game also brought with it some truly remarkable bikes, and this koehler-escoffier by los angeles based fabricator heroes motorcycles is a pristine example.

all images © heroes motors 

koehler-escoffier dominated moto-ball throughout the mid-1930’s with motorcycles such as this 350 cc special. despite an output of only nine horsepower, it could reach a brisk 80 kmh (50 mph) on the pitch. heroes motors has now given the racer 19 inch wheels with chunky tires, plus parallelogram-style girder forks. the quality of the LA-based garage’s work is evident, with brown leather-wrapped cable covers and grips offsetting the timeless ‘cream’ paint. the moto-ball machines have a long life and will often be modified: hence the chain cover of this racer is an addition; but the small tank, borrowed from a 98 cc koehler-escoffier, is completely original.