Beschreibung
29th Mar, 2023 10:00
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
1927 Royal Enfield 180 Combination
Fitted with genuine sidecar from new
Estimate
£13, 000 - £17, 000
Buyer's Premium applies (subject to a minimum charge and VAT)
Lot details
Registration No: BR 5687
Frame No: 4946
Engine No: 4818
CC: 1000
MOT: Exempt
Only 2 owners from new according to the original and continuation log books
Originally supplied with its genuine Royal Enfield double adult sidecar
Supplied with numerous receipts, manuals, photographs and a current V5C
The first Royal Enfield motorcycle was built in 1901 by the Enfield Cycle Company of Redditch having previously manufactured bicycles, lawnmowers and stationary engines. Under various ownership, the name has continued through to the present day making it one of the longest-lasting names in the two-wheeled world. Initially called Enfield, in 1911 they added Royal to the company name and in 1912 the Model 180 sidecar combination was introduced, fitted with a 770 cc V-twin JAP engine, and the bike was raced successfully in the Isle of Man TT and at Brooklands. During WW1 they supplied large numbers of motorcycles to the British War Department and also to the Imperial Russian Government. Royal Enfield fitted their own 225cc two-stroke single and 425cc engines in the smaller capacity bikes and JAP engines for bigger bikes but in 1921 they developed their own 976cc V Twin engine. These were marketed together with Enfield’s own range of sidecars and could be ordered from the factory as an outfit with options such as the new state of the art Lucas Magdyno lighting.
This bike, supplied from new with its genuine Royal Enfield double adult sidecar was first registered in May 1927 and has spent all of its life in the North East, somewhere along the way gaining the nickname 'McGregor'. The first owner used the bike throughout the next 12 years with the original buff logbook filled up with stamps whenever it was re-taxed up until early 1939, and then on a continuation logbook showing its last application to re-tax in late 1939 being refused, presumably due to the outbreak of WW2. After many years in storage the next stamp shows the bike finally changing hands in 1967, bought by the vendor and then put away as a future retirement project. Once retired he then started a full restoration together with a good friend, both of them being former directors of the Friends of Beamish, the museum in County Durham. Once completed the bike was used in several vintage rallies around the North East and the Scottish Borders. Supplied with numerous receipts and photographs documenting the restoration process together with various workshop and owners manual copies and a current V5C. The V5C actually shows 3 owners as it was transferred into his sons name at some point. Included is a period Smiths speedo, drive gear and cable still to be fitted to the bike. Not run for the last few years, it will need recommissioning before use but is a fascinating and well documented part of motorcycling history.
