Lito uppdate April 2017
Litoverken that produced LITO bikes was actually a mounting workshop , quite small and unconspicuos. in strong contrast to the impression the bikes made in cross history.
The bike was assembled with many standard parts available on the market. Such as fenders ,wheels and spokes , bowden cables , Magura controlls , Renold chains, BSA clutch and gearbox , BSA rear hub and brakes and shock dampers ,Pränafa front hub and brake , Cerrani front fork , and above all , a frame produced at MONARK (they had suitable facilitties and tooljiggs for that purpose.
Crankcase and cyl.head came from the Swedish Army store for the ALBIN powered motorbike Modell 1942. The cylinderhead was modified and processed by Swedish expertise , including Folke Mannerstedt and Gunnar Hagström Spånga. The camshafts was manufactured by Nisse Hedlund. Cylinder and piston from Mahle Germany. Sodium-cooled valves from Mercedes
That year Litoverken delivered the engine to the first owner Fritte at Lerum (Rune Nilsson). Fritte , a skilled mechanic ,chose to mount the engine in the frame himself. He got the original Lito frame from his good friend Ove Lundell at Monark. As I said before Monark produced all Lito frames. Fritte sold the bike to next owner Staffan Bergman Onsala. He changed the frame again to a SOH-frame (Sune Olssson Hedemora) See picture below.
It did not work out better than the engine failed (Seized bearing) and now maybe 1967 Henry Nilssont Vegby (the renovator) bought the engine. Henry was one of Sweden's most skilled bikebilders and he renovated the engine and bougt a new frame from Ove Lundell at Monark. The frame was manufactured in the same jigg as all Lito original frames. Henry completed furthermore frame and engine whith a Lito-fueltank and the same standardparts as Litoverken did. See above. The result was a LITO#26 in a absolutly perfect original version with a look that didn´t leave anything to be desired. The bike has since then been saved from the hard life of competion and the state is exactly the same today.
Litoverken's owner Kaj Bornebusch (picture below) was given the oppurtunity (year 2000 ) to testdrive the #26. He became delighted and gave full credit to Henry Nisson for a good work. He stressed even that the bike was better sorted than the ones that left the factory.
