Royal Enfield Model A

Here's a picture of a humble Model A Royal Enfield. A development of Enfield's long line of 225cc two strokes built for the budget end of the market. This is an early thirties one with sloping cylinder as was the fashion of the time. Note also the pressed blade girder forks.

Royal Enfield 570cc combination

Here's a factory promotional photo of the Royal Enfield 570cc combination. I believe it dates from 1939. The pressed steel girder forks are quite a distinctive feature, there was a vogue for pressed steel forks through the thirties. Several manufacturers used them on their smaller-engined models but, as far as I know, Enfield were the only ones to use them on their heavyweights.

The 570cc side-valve model was usually known as the Model L, Yesterdays in the Netherlands offered a similar combination a while back and referred to it as a Model H (which I had thought was normally the 500cc sv?) but on the Enfield promotional photo here there is no model designation at all bar 570cc... confusing...

Ariel Sloper

An unusual image and an unusual bike. From the surroundings and the bright sunlight this is fairly evidently not 1930s Britain, I believe the 'WBM' prefix number plate is from West Bengal.

And the bike? Obviously an Ariel, I believe an LB or MB either a 250 or 350 side-valve and most probably from 1931 or 32. Very rare bikes now, I've never seen one in the flesh. The first Ariel 'sloper' models had very radically canted forward engines before they move to a shallower angle as on this machine before up-righting the engines once more.

Ariel side-valve in 'British India'.

New Hudson Cyclone Club Model G37

New Hudson Cyclone Club Model G37.

It's always satisfying to post up a restoration finished even if it is a minor one. This little beauty came to me earlier this year via a good friend (thank you James!). He got in touch to ask if I would like a pair of Lauterwasser handlebars from the thirties, them being slightly earlier than his period of interest in cycles. The price was right so why not? Later on he turned up with most of a cycle. My suspicion is that James hates seeing a perfectly decent original and unusual cycle broken for spares as much as I do but didn't want to take it on himself: delivering it to me assured him of a caring home. A bit like finding an abandoned puppy by the side of the road.

New Hudson, a proud Birmingham marque
dating back to 1890.

Not to say that I am ungrateful, it's a lovely cycle. It came in a couple of cardboard boxes, the initial piecing together was a joy, it really seems as if the cycle has been hardly used. Even the cables are original. Aside from a couple of nuts and bolts all that was missing were the rims, spokes and tyres. Apparently the bike had been standing on a damp floor and these rotted through.

It's getting ever harder to find appropriate 26 x 1 1/4" rims and tyres are currently unobtainable here in the UK. I lucked out with finding a pair of Conloy rims on ebay that were a bit moth eaten but usable and of suitable patina. The original spec was steel rims but the Conloys are a nice period match. I was lucky too with tyres as I got one of the last pairs available before the 2021 supply chain problems sank in.

I cleaned and greased the hubs before passing them over to local man Dave Benn to lace up to the rims. I would normally have a crack at wheelbuilding myself but didn't really feel confident with getting spoke length and offset quite right. In due course the wheels came back to me built up and they finish the cycle off nicely.

Wheels and tyres on and then some final setting up and the cycle was ready to roll. Another one saved! It's a bit small for me and rather superfluous so if there is anyone out there who would like a really nice original clubmans cycle of the thirties, will look after and cherish it and is prepared to come by and pick it up it's yours for what it cost me (approx £380)

The G37 dates from 1938 or 39 and was New Hudson's mid level clubmans machine. A bike that would normally have been ridden to work and then used on club rides at the weekend, though in this case it seems to have been hardly used.

The rear brake is unusual, rather than the
axle fitting through the bridge horizontally there
is a steel plate that mounts with a bolt vertically
through the bridge. The shortened axle bolts on
to this plate and there are supports against the
frame to counteract flexing.

Bayliss and Wiley Freewheel Hub Unit. This is the
father of all modern day cassettes. The first freewheel
incorporated into a hub offering multiple gearing. It
was introduced in 1938. When I got the bike the hub
had the most beautiful click, I regreased and it lost it,
hopefully it'll come back with use.

 

New Hudson frame numbering can be found on the
dropout.

New old stock grips fitted to the celluloid coated
Lauterwasser style handlebars.

Original Bluemels mudguards.

The mount for the Cycle three speed
derailleur is very unusual. Normally they
are mounted further forward. I suspect that
the thinking behind this design is to get the
derailleur closer to the block to give a better
chain line and smoother changes. Chain is
the original Perry and took a lot of cleaning up
with citric acid and brass wire brushes.

Nearside view of the Cyclone Club.

And the New Hudson chainwheel.

Trondhjemsridtet 1919 - 2022 edition

Corona Virus meant there was no European events listing on this site for 2021 and the jury is still out on the merit of putting together a list for 2022 - at the moment it seems like the best option is to point readers back to the 2020 listing and invite to do your own research... https://reddevilmotors.blogspot.com/2020/03/vintage-veteran-and-classic-motorcycle.html

Thanks though to Jon Hodges for reminding me of the Trondhjemsridtet 1919. The event is a revival of one first held in 1919 and is open to pre-1945 machines. There are four days of riding, some of which are on good quality unpaved roads with accommodation in ski lodges and the like. It looks like a really fantastic event, one which I hope someday I shall ride myself. From what I know of the Norwegian coastline and inland scenery this event should take in some of the most spectacular roads to be found anywhere in the world. The event is held in June and there's limited time left to get an entry in - the closing date is 10 January.

Tronhjemsridtet 1919 website

 

Excelsior Manxman

Not a great photo but hey, it's an Excelsior Manxman! One of the all time classic British singles.

Excelsior Manxman close-up.

Aussie Norton CS1

Bit of a knackered old photo this one but it's of a cammy Norton so what the heck...

The bike carries a New South Wales reg plate and my best guess as to year and Model is a CS1 from 1935 but stand to be corrected by any of the pre-war Norton afficianados out there. The Norton logo on the petrol tank isn't standard and has been hand painted, I wish the image was sharp enough to read what has been written underneath the logo.

Norton CS1

Zundapp K500

All the gear and the machine to match. This German fellow is astride a Zundapp K500, a model introduced in 1933. Already dark times in Germany presumably this photo was taken before the war however. What is going on though with the spiral painted signpost?

Zundapp K500 on home soil.

Thirties sketches

This series of sketches was a lucky find in a small box of pre-war literature that I picked up recently. Sadly the condition is a little poor, looks like the proverbial book worm has had a good old nibble at some of the sheets.

Fantasy v twin

I bought a few old bike books recently in a bundle and and discovered some cuttings mingled up with everything else. A couple of which were these illustrations of an ohc v twin motor. It's a wonderful looking engine but not familiar at all to me, a bit like the Koehler Escoffier pre-war racing motor but not quite the same. I feel it is a what could have been flight of fancy on the part of the illustrator and what a lovely machine it would have made...

Pouncy Pal 1935

A real rarity, the brochure for the 1935 Pouncy Pal.

Some local interest for me here as Jack Pouncy produced his motorcycles from his workshop at Owermoigne near Dorchester, a few miles from my home. The Pouncy was the only motorcycle to have been produced in the county of Dorset. If there is a survivor out there and the owner wants to part with it, I would love to hear from you!

The Pal model is rather unusual in having a frame with OEC sliding pillar rear suspension. OEC was a fellow south coast producer along the coast in Portsmouth. I have heard that the complete frame was made by OEC for Pouncy.

Along with the brochure are reproduced typed sheets of options and specifications. Interesting to see on the final page of the brochure that there was a Pouncy Motorcycle Club. With a purported full production run of Pouncy motorcycles the membership was limited, though perhaps they also accepted less discerning members? 

There's a small potted history of Pouncy motorcycles in Old Bike Mart online.

See also the 1931 Pouncy brochure here on RDM.

Triumph 3H

Despite the war (black out mask fitted to the headlight) this chap looks happy enough and well he may for he is astride a Triumph 3H. The 3H was one of the range of Val Page designed singles that had received an Edward Turner makeover shortly after he joined Triumph in 1936.

The late thirties Triumph singles embody all that it is good about thirties British bikes, lively performance, nippy handling, dependable reliability, great looks and considerable charm.

Triumph 3H with blackout mask fitted to the headlight.

Panther Redwing

Young chap is trying a Panther Redwing for size. Future dreams of speed. Hard to say but from the size of the barrel I would hazard a guess this is the 350cc Model Redwing 80 and dating from the early thirties.

Panther Redwing 80 350cc.

Juwel sidecars

Here's the Swedish brochure for German sidecar brand Juwel. I'm not absolutely sure of the year but as the bike pictured looks very much like a Zundapp KS600 (but check out the artistic license on that very funky front brake) it has to date from 1938 or 9.

Late thirties Rudge

Nowt more than another old family photo featuring a motorcycle. This time a Rudge from the late thirties and inscribed to the rear, 'Mum at Chenies' (apparently a village in Hertfordshire).

Someone's Mum on a late thirties Rudge.

Panel tank Norton Model 18

'Your loving Les' is astride a Norton Model 18. I'm not exactly sure of the year of the bike but it sports the rare instrument panel tank which, I believe, was an option. The handlebar levers are of the inverted type which would date it to very early thirties. An interesting accessory is the pneumatic air bag type strap on pillion saddle (made by Camden?).

Old time riding gear intrigues me and this chap's outfit is no different. He has a very cosy looking storm coat and a great pair of gauntlets but on the bottom half regular slacks and shoes. Riding my old nails I usually find that a good pair of boots is one of my most important bits of riding kit, if only to keep the oil splashes away from the rest of my clothes. Was it any different back in the day? Of course the bike was newer but it still had open valves and leaky pushrod tubes..

Lovely early thirties Norton Model 18.

Giants Run 2019 pt1

Yesterday was the Dorset Section VMCC's Giants Run, an event for girder forked machines. Sadly I was just back from work and slightly jet-lagged so didn't ride but at least did make it along to have a cuppa at the start and watch off the intrepid riders. The rain held off and an excellent turnout of more than 70 pre-war and vintage machines turned up. Two different routes are offered, a short and a long of around 70 miles.

The was the first Giants Run and it looks set to establish itself as one of the larger gatherings of pre-war bikes, certainly in the local area, if not the country. Here's to hoping I can get it together to be riding next year.

Have a look at the Dorset VMCC's site. If you like what you see below there'll certainly be more pictures up on the club's site soon.

Enjoy the pictures, no captions, it's all pretty self explanatory. A few more to come soon.