Description

1908 Zenith Zenette forecar with a 3½hp Fafnir IOE engine

'Zenette' was one of the brand names used by the London-based Zenith Motor Engineering Company, which had commenced motorcycle production in 1905 with the Zenith Bicar. Zenith was soon offering a three-wheeled forecar – the 'Tricar' – which, according to its maker, was 'constructed on the "Zenith Bicar" double-frame spring suspension principle,' the latter introduced for 1907. That same year engineer Frederick Barnes joined the company (he would later invent the famous 'Gradua' gear) and one of his first contributions was the more conventional Zenette, another design available with either two or three wheels. Engines used by Zenith at this time were the single-cylinder Fafnir and twin-cylinder JAP and Sarolea.