classic motorcycle forum

Motorcycle Discussions => British Bikes => Topic started by: SBB on March 26, 2011, 06:40:48 PM

Title: Can any body tell me....
Post by: SBB on March 26, 2011, 06:40:48 PM

What this motorcycle is?  1920's/30's.

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: R on March 27, 2011, 12:13:02 AM

Great photo of someones' mum !

With tank between the frame rails, it (the bike) belongs firmly in the flat tank era - late 1920s or earlier.

First inclination is to say its a JAP sidevalve, v-twin obviously, and something like a New Hudson or New Imperial. With what seem to be fircones over the valves, would make it a sports model - and the high exhaust and low handlebars add to this impression of a late 20s sports model.

Couple of things about the engine look a little different though, will leave it for others to comment. Valve springs are hard to discern there ?

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: SBB on March 27, 2011, 03:00:38 AM

Thank you that was helpful and rang a few memory bells.  My Parents were married 1926 and one of my brothers is visible behind my Mum so I am guessing this is early 1930's.  They had no money then so it likely was not a new bike, but it did have a sidecar.  I am thinking now a Brough Superior because as far as I can see all the Imperials and Hudsons were singles.  But...I cannot see any Broughs with a flat tank?

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: R on March 27, 2011, 04:08:17 AM

Not Brough.
A name everyone thinks of, but very few could afford...

Every man and his dog back then made v-twins, JAP supplied engines to dozens of manufacturers, usually in a number of models and engine sizes too.

New Imps most definitely made twins, very reminiscent too of that overall shape and design, with front brake its just a matter of pinning down what year in the 1920s it is.

hth

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: cardan on March 27, 2011, 07:34:56 AM

I think you might find its a 1927 Royal Enfield. RE used JAP twins in the early twenties, but I think this motor was their own

Leon

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: R on March 27, 2011, 09:08:45 AM

Think you are right about the Royal Enfield.
Explains why its not quite right for a JAP..
(You think the Enfield designer copied, a bit ?).

http://www.demotix.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/large_610x456_scaled/photos/338493.jpg

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: SBB on March 27, 2011, 07:53:56 PM

Thank you guys; I think you nailed it!  Those were the days....mind you bikes are always good, attached is a snap of the mothers son on a trip through the rockies a couple of years ago; I think the VFR has 5 computers on it and I have never seen any oil underneath it either!

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: rogerwilko on March 27, 2011, 10:54:40 PM

Quite a big brake for those days.

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: cardan on March 28, 2011, 12:51:41 AM

It is a big brake for 1927 - presumably Enfield's own as used by Brough Superior, Norton, Coventry Eagle and so on at various times. I once bought a rear wheel fitted with an early 1920s Enfield cush drive hub at a swap meet (autojumble). The vendor asked what model Enfield it fitted, to which I replied (after handing over the asking price) "Norton". He looked a little sad.

Title: Re: Can any body tell me....
Post by: rogerwilko on March 28, 2011, 07:50:50 PM

Those double fork springs are unusual too!