Beschreibung
The British firm of Martinsyde was founded in 1908 when Helmuth Paul Martin and George Harris Handasyde went into partnership to build aircraft. The name was MARTIN & HANDASYDE. In 1915 they changed the name in MARTINSYDE. By the end of WWI Martinsyde was Britain’s third largest aircraft manufacturer, occupying sites at Brooklands and Woking. Faced with a sharp downturn in demand for its products, the firm turned to motorcycle production at the war’s end, having acquired the rights to an exhaust-over-inlet engine, designed by Howard Newman. This was an unusual EOI and not the usual IOE as with favored Harley-Davidson and many others. They had no experience with certain parts like gearboxes, front forks, …but wanted to go quickly into production. So they bought the best components that were for sale. Like the 3 speed gearbox of AJS and the best fork of Brampton with the compensation springs. In 1919 the company was in full production of their first motorcycle, driven by Newman's 680cc V-Twin. The company’s first machines, powered by Newman’s 680cc v-twin engine, were marketed as Martinsyde-Newman, which was abbreviated to simply Martinsyde after Newman’s departure. Newman went to IVY (Famous English motorcycle brand) for the development of their luxury and sport V-twin model. Smaller, single-cylinder models were added to the range and Martinsydes began to feature in competitions, achieving some successes at Brooklands and at the Scottish Six Days Trial. Sadly, a disastrous fire in 1922 destroyed the works and Martinsyde went into liquidation, its name and remaining stock being acquired by BAT (other major British motorcycle manufacturer). The first BAT V-twin also had the Martinsyde EOI engine, residues that have been saved from the fire. The last full Martinsyde was sold in 1923 and today there are only a few known to exist. Especially this early model is extremely rare. Martinsyde has made a total of about 2, 000 motorcycles from 1919 to 1923.
This Martinsyde offered here is perhaps the one of only a few still existing of this early model. Very nice old restoration and totally original! Even the exhaust is the original!
Total of all models made by Martinsyde there are only 21 pieces known to exist.
More info and pictures on : - details above
