1925 Coventry Eagle 976cc Flying Eight
Registration no. XX 7441
Frame no. 35057
Engine no. KTC/A 34574

Introduced in 1923, the Flying Eight was not Coventry-Eagle's first v-twin but it was the first to establish a sporting reputation thanks to its special 976cc sidevalve engine that guaranteed a top speed of 80mph, an exceptional performance at the time. With its JAP v-twin engine and muscular good looks, the Flying Eight was a worthy rival for the Brough Superior and a formidable Brooklands racing machine. In 1926 the sidevalve version was joined by a new and even faster overhead-valve engined Flying Eight, again JAP powered. Within a few years however, the onset of the Depression had forced Coventry-Eagle to change tack, the firm concentrating on bread-and-butter lightweights until it ceased motorcycle production in 1939. The last overhead-valve Flying Eight left the factory in 1930 and the final sidevalve model the following year. Compared with the rival Brough Superior, Flying Eight survivors are relatively few. This sidevalve-engined Flying Eight had been in long-term single-family ownership for 40 years prior to its acquisition by the current vendor in 2013. Said to be running well following re-commissioning, the machine benefits from recent (2015) overhauls of the carburettor and BTH magdyno. Other noteworthy features include a reproduction André steering damper to correct pattern and a new Avon rear tyre. The machine is offered with its original logbook, sundry invoices and a V5C document.