Fabrique Nationale (FN) is one of the big names in motorcycle construction around the turn of the century.

At first weapons producer, FN is increasingly turning to automobile and motorcycle manufacturing.
The ancestor of our M70 was FN's first motorcycle of 1903, equipped with a 250 cc four-stroke single-cylinder engine of 2 hp and - in the beginning especially on gradients really necessary - cranks to power the machine with its 800 to 1000 rpm with muscle power to be able to support.

In the twenties, a new FN product from the headquarters in Herstal near Liège made a name for itself: the FN M70.
In 1923 FN presented this machine with its massive side-mounted 350 cc single-cylinder engine with external flywheel.
A hefty frame, and strong balloon tires made them the most rugged touring bike of the time.
This machine with the type designation M70 was a highly economical, technically simple motorcycle, which soon found large sales.

In 1927, the army captain Bruneteau succeeded together with Lieutenant Colonel Gimie and the Belgian mechanic Joseph Weerens on identical 350 FN M70 with slight modifications such as larger tanks and backpacks, the 8800 km long route Paris - Dakar - Paris (including 6300 km through the desert)

After this great achievement of man and machine the FN 350 M70 received the additional name "Sahara".