Jack Craib's Rowboat Motor Information Site

Koban #5850

Koban Home

This poor old early Koban has had its share of "fixes".

From a wiley veteran of rowboat motors, and AOMCI member, "Koban sn 5850 is shown with a spoked flywheel. It is basically a 1915 motor but in order for it to have the spoked flywheel, it would have to have a different cylinder/crankcase assembly due to the water outlets position on the cylinders. 
The spoked flywheel version was sold in 1915 with the water outlets on the very top of the cylinders with a brass 90 degree rounded elbow there for the water exit lines to screw into.  Those cylinders pictured were available only on the magneto version for 1915. 
I suspect that the magneto coil went bad and the battery system was installed instead (timer and spokes)."

Other AOMCI members have commented on this motor, noting the interestingly welded exhaust! The rudder is the wrong shape for a Koban...more a Wisconsin rudder shape.

For a nicer example of a similar age motor view #5986.