The motorcycle show season has been a regular autumn feature of the calendar since the early 1900s. People would flock to Olympia or Earls Court (and later the National Exhibition Centre) to see what temptations the manufacturers and engineers brought us. The shows would usually be in November with just a few running in to the first week of December. In 1935, it was the last weekend of the twentieth and penultimate show at Olympia before it outgrew the venue and moved to Earls Court.
Among the motorcycles on show…
The air-cooled 495cc sohc AJS 50° V4 got it’s first outing. It was a fully equipped road going version but it never made it into production. This first version used a common crankcase with four individual cast iron cylinders and separate alloy heads, with exposed hairpin valve springs, and a 180° crankshaft with forked conrods. There was a central carburettor for each pair of cylinders, and fore and aft exhausts. The single overhead camshafts were chain driven. It had chain primary drive in an oil bath primary chain-case, and a wet clutch. It was stated by AJS said at the time that there would be the option of replacing the forward mounted chain driven dynamo with a supercharger. The AJS used a rigid frame with girder forks.
Triumph had their Model 3/2.-343 c.c, single-cyl. o.h.v. Triumph; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all- chain drive; oil-bath primary chain case; 4-speed gear, with foot control; fuel, 2½ gals.; 26x3.25in. tyres. Price with electric lighting (solo), £51.
Also on show was the Model 5 /1.—549 c.c single-cyl side-valve Triumph; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all-chain drive; 4-speed gear, with foot control; fuel, 3¼ gals.; 26x3.25in. tyres.
One of the lost manufactureres, the Cotton Motor Co. had a the 348 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. Blackburne; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all chain drive; 3-speed gear, with hand or foot operation; fuel 2Âľ gals.; 26x3.25in. tyres. Price with electric lighting (solo), ÂŁ52 10s.
Cotton also had the bigger brother, Model 25/J.—490 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. J.A.P.; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all-chain drive; 3-speed gear, with hand control; fuel, 2¾ gals.; 26x3.25in. tyres. Price with electric lighting (solo), £58 10s.
Another marque lost to time, O.K. Supreme had a range of models to offer, including the “Sports 70”, a J.A.P.-engined machine with enclosed valves. The engines are carefully selected tested and then tuned at the O.K. works, and a speed of 70 m.p.h. is guaranteed for the 250 c.c. model.
The latest addition to the O.K. Supreme range was a 500 c.c. high-camshaft model with a guaranteed speed of 90 m.p.h. This is a compact and workmanlike model with a cradle frame, the engine having inclined push-rods and rockers transversely set across the cylinder head. It can be had at a slight price reduction without the guarantee of speed.
On Stand 25, interest centred on the new Rudge 245cc two-valve “Rapid” model, a.single-cyl. O.h.v. with dry-sump lubrication, magneto ignition;,all-chain drive and 4-speed gearbox with hand control; Price with electric lighting (solo), £49 10s.
The 500 c.c. “Special” Model.was also available,. A 499 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. Rudge; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all-chain drive; oil-bath primary chain case; 4-speed gear with hand control; fuel, gals.; 26x3.25in. tyres. Price with electric lighting (solo), £63 10s,.
Rudge’s fastest machine at the show was the 500 c.c. “Ulster” Model.—499 c.c. single-cyl. o.h.v. Rudge; dry-sump lubrication; magneto ignition; all-chain drive; oil-bath primary chain case; 4-speed gear with foot control; fuel, 3½ gals.; 27x3in. (front), 27x3.25in. (rear) tyres. Price with electric lighting (solo), £73 10s.
Some marques have gone, some have returned again, reborn or at least reused. One that nexer went away is BMW, who had brought their world record breaking supercharged R37 along with it’s record breaking rider, Ernst Henne.
2 730cc transverse twin-cyl. o.h.v. unit-construction with shaft drive Not cheap at ÂŁ135 with electric lighting (solo).. As The Motor Cycle noted, the standard Model R17, though without the Zoller supercharger and in a very much more roadster form, is not unlike the record-breaking BMW..
One of the perennial returnees, Norton, were showing their Model 18.- a 490cc single-cyl. o.h.v. bike. Yours for a more reasonable £65. Two Nortons for the price of a BMW? Something to think about…
Many more manufacturers vying for eyeballls and wallets including Ariel, Brough-Superior, BSA, Coventry-Eagle, Excelsior, Francis-Barnett, James, Matchless, New Imperial, OEC, Panther, Royal Enfield, SOS, Stevens, Sunbeam, Velocette, Vincent, Wolf, and Zenith
Long may they turn up with their bilee for all who appreciate them.
