Rudge-Whitworth History

From its foundation in 1894 the Rudge Whitworth company built a reputation for quality, reliability, sporting prowess and innovation with many patented ideas reaching the production machines.
The famous 'Multi' introduced in 1912 with its variable gear ratios quickly became a sought after machine breaking many records and providing the company with their first TT win in 1914.It also saw the introduction of an in-house manufactured 4 speed gear box and the first four valve cylinder head on a 350cc which produced more power than the 500cc it replaced!
Coupled brakes using a linking cable appeared in 1925 and remained a feature until production ceased. They were also noted for their massive 8" diameter brakes which appeared for the first time in 1928.
The famous 'Ulster', which quickly became synonmous with the Rudge name, was introduced in 1929 following the Ulster Grand Prix win by Graham Walker at over 80 mph.
The Golden year of 1930 saw the junior TT 1, 2, 3 win using the newly untried fully radial 350cc 4 valve engines and the following year saw the first road machine with the fully radial valve layout.
The 'semi-radial' aluminium bronze cylinder head appeared on a road machine in 1934 and development in this engine area continued resulting in full enclosure of the valve gear from 1937 onwards.
In the final year of manufacture in 1939, the cylinder head was cast from RR50 light alloy with iron valve seat inserts. Although production ceased in December 1939.

Dave Burton
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The MK1 Norton Commando

The Norton Commando was the last twin piston-engined motorcycle produced by the Norton Motorcycle company.
During the 10 years it was in production it was popular all over the world. In the UK it won the MCN "Machine of the Year" competition for five successive years from 1968-1972
Some regard it as the British Motorcycle Industry's swansong, selling well from its introduction in 1967 through the end of the British bike industry as a commercial concern in the mid 1970s
The origins of the Norton Commando can be traced back from the late 1940s 497cc Norton Model 7 Twin,which was designed by Bert Hopwood.The twin cylinder design evolved into the 650 cc Norton Dominator and 750 cc Norton Atlas before being launched as the 750 cc Commando in 1967.
Mk1 750cc
The Norton Commando was introduced in 1967 at the Earls Court Show. The first production machines completed in April 1968 had bending frame problems, removed with the introduction of a new frame in January 1969. The original model, called the 'Fastback' was joined by the production racer 'S Type' which had a high level left-side exhaust and a 2.5 gallon petrol tank.
The machine was produced with parts from all over England,with the engines from Wolverhampton, frames from Manchester, while the components and final assembly was at Burrage Grove, Plumstead. In late 1968 Plumstead works was subject to a Greater London Council compulsory purchase order, and closed in July 1969. With assistance of a Government subsidy, the assembly line was moved to North Way, Andover; with the Test Department in an aircraft hangar on Thruxton Airfield. Frame manufacturing was transferred to Wolverhampton, where a second production line produced about 80 complete machines each week.
The production racer, featuring an OHV tuned engine, front disk brake and was finished in bright yellow - known as the 'Yellow Peril'. In March to June 1970 the updated S called the 'Roadster' had the 750cc OHV engine, low-level exhaust, upward angled silencers with reverse cones. September 1970 saw the introduction of the classic 'Fastback Mk2', which had alloy levers with modified stands and chain guards. The ‘Street Scrambler’ and the ‘Hi Rider’ were launched in May 1971, with the ‘Fastback Long Range’ with increased petrol tank capacity from July 1971.
The ‘Combat’ engine was introduced in January 1972 saw the appearance of the ‘Mk4 Fastback’, updated ‘Roadster’ and the ‘750 Interstate’. The ‘Combat’ delivered 65b.h.p. at 6500r.p.m. with a 10 to 1 compression ratio, but the stressed 750cc twin proved extremely unreliable, with main bearing failures and broken pistons common.
The 'Combat' engine combined with quality control problems gave the company a bad reputation, which was highly covered in the press. By the middle of 1972 BSA Triumph group were in serious financial trouble. The UK Government decided to bail the company out with a financial rescue package, providing it would agree to merge with Norton Villiers. Norton Villiers Triumph was duly formed and the new company got off to a shaky start.
Dave Burton
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The Sunbeam S7

The Sunbeam S7 was a British motorcycle designed by Erling Poppe.Built in Redditch, the engine layout was an unusual in-line 500 cc twin which drove a shaft drive to the rear wheel. The inline engine made this technologically feasible - horizontally-opposed ("flat") twin engine. The early S7 was expensive and over engineered, which is why it is now the most sought after and commands a premium over the S7 Deluxe and the S8, which were produced with less features to reduce costs while retaining many of the innovative parts of the early Sunbeam and updating some ideas.
Three models were produced, the S7, S7 'Deluxe' and the S8. The original S7 (the 'Tourer') (2,104 produced from 1946 to 1948) was expensive and did not sell well. In 1949 the S7 was updated to become the S7 deluxe (5,554 produced) and the S8 (8,530 produced). Both had new cylinder linings, redesigned frames and increased oil capacity.S9 and S10 models were planned but never made as BSA decided to concentrate on the more traditional twins.
Some early models of the original S7 were produced in black but most in the now familiar 'Mist Green'. The S7 Deluxe came in either 'Mist Green' or black and for export abroad BSA supplied Sunbeams in any colour.
Erling Poppe’s design was originally based on a captured BMW R75 but Sunbeam didn’t want the S series to look too ‘German’ so an in-line OHC, parallel twin was designed instead of a flat twin ‘across the frame’. Serious problems with vibration made the new Sunbeams bikes uncomfortable to ride and all production originally sent to South Africa was recalled. The excessive vibration was cured by mounting the engine on two bonded rubber engine mounts.Another problem area was the shaft drive, which had a 'worm drive' in place of the BMW bevels and tended to strip under power. Sunbeam's solution to this was to reduce the power to 24 bhp which did nothing to help post war sales.
The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club is one of the longest established in the UK and was founded in July 1924 at the London showrooms of John Marston Ltd in Holborn Viaduct who made the Sunbeam motorcycles in their factory at Wolverhampton.The Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club is, however, a sporting motorcycle club that organises trials and vintage bike rallies and runs and the 'owners section' was just a small part of it. When Sunbeam production ended BSA sold the remaining stock of parts to Stewart Engineering. Bob and Chines Stewart were long time fans of the Sunbeam and for a time members of the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club. In 1963 they, along with other enthusiasts, broke away from the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club and formed the Sunbeam Owners Fellowship (SOF) to support owners of an S7 or S8 with any problems. A good number of Sunbeams motorcycles survive in perfect working order and many owners have been fellows of the SOF since its inception, having owned their Sunbeam since bought new or second hand in the 1960’s.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The Scott Flying Squirrel

The Scott Flying Squirrel was a British motorcycle made by The Scott Motorcycle Company between 1926 and the outbreak of WW2.
The Squirrel name was used for Scott motorcycles since 1921 but with the death of the founder Alfred Angas Scott in 1923 the unorthodox Scott two-stroke motorcycles began to become more conventional. Development of the three speed Scott Flying Squirrel began in 1922 as the company was in severe debt and faced receivership. Launched at the 1926 Earls Court motorcycle show, the Flying Squirrel was expensive - nearly twice the cost of a sporting four-stroke motorcycle of the time.The unique water cooled circulation used a convection method known as the thermosyphon system. The bottom end block was painted either green or red for racing or road respectively and featured a centrally positioned flywheel, twin inboard main bearings, overhung crankpins and doors to enable ease of access to the engine. The redesigned three speed gearbox, multi-plate clutch and the repositioned magneto were all significant improvements.
In 1929 Scott achieved third place in the Isle of Man TT and launched a road going TT Replica Flying Squirrel. Following cost cutting the factory also launched a basic touring model in 1929 for under £70. Financial problems continued, however, and in 1931 Scott were unable to ennter the TT or the earls Court show. A three cylinder prototype was developed but Scotts lacked the resources to develop it and on the outbreak of WW2 production ended.
Between 1935 and 1938 the factory at Shipley in Yorkshire produced the B2592 air-cooled Aero engine, based on the Scott Flying Squirrel motorcycle unit.[3] A 25 hp (19 kW) version was also specifically developed to power the notoriously dangerous Flying Flea aircraft.
In 1950 the rights were bought by the Birmingham based Aerco Company and in 1956 they produced what are known as the Birimingham Scotts.

Velocette Venom 1959

Velocette is the name given to motorcycles that were made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England.
The first two-stroke, built in 1913, was called a Velocette. This name was used for all subsequent models.
Two sports models - the 500 cc Venom and 350 cc Viper and a 200 cc air cooled flat-twin sports model Valiant were announced in 1956
The late 1960s were the last years of production for Velocette motorcycles, production for Viper and Vogue ending in 1968, "Special", Scrambler and Endurance in 1969, and MSS Venom and Thruxton in 1970. Veloce Ltd. closed in February 1971
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The Iconic Triumph Bonneville

The Triumph Bonneville was manufactured between 1959 and 1983 at the Meriden works Coventry, it first came to light as a 650 cc model T120 ,then moving to a T140 750cc model in the early 70's , production ceased with the closure of Meriden in 1983, the new range of Bonnevilles being produced now at the newly created Hinkley works are
865cc models which will soon be all fuel injector serviced

The Famous Ariel Square Four

In 1928 Edward Turner created the famous Sqaure Four engine.After trying to sell his design to BSA ,who rejected it,it was Ariel that took it up and hence the ARIEL SQUARE FOUR was founded.The Sqaure Four went into producton in 1931 with a 500cc chain driven engine with a hand change gearbox.
But it wasn't untill 1953 that the famous 1000cc Square Four was released,and was a geniune 100mph motorcycle,this ran untill 1959 when all production of the four strokes were stopped.A total of 15,641 were produced.
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