Property of a deceased's estate
c.1910 Royal Enfield 2¼hp
Registration no. Unregistered (see text)
Frame no. 156
Engine no. 385268DLG

The origins of the Royal Enfield marque can be traced back to a small light engineering firm - George Townsend & Company - founded in Redditch, Worcestershire, in mid-Victorian times. The firm moved into bicycle manufacture and by the turn of the Century had been reorganised as the Enfield Cycle Company, makers of the 'Royal Enfield'. The Redditch company built its first powered vehicles - De Dion-engined tricycles and quadricycles - in the closing years of the 19th Century, and its first motorcycles around 1900. By 1904 the firm was concentrating on car production, resuming motorcycle manufacture in 1910 with a 2¼hp v-twin Motosacoche-powered lightweight. A 2¾hp version with two-speed gear and all-chain drive followed. The famous JAP v-twin-engined 6hp sidecar outfit joined the range for 1912, and the firm continued the v-twin theme with a new 3hp solo for 1913, the latter being powered by Enfield's own 425cc inlet-over-exhaust engine, which was raced successfully in 350cc form.

This rare Motosacoche-powered Royal Enfield v-twin Veteran was first registered in Worcestershire, possibly by the factory, although it should be noted that this registration, 'AB 4617', is now assigned to another vehicle. In storage for many years, the machine is offered for restoration/re-commissioning and sold strictly as viewed. There are no documents with this Lot.