Although the Douglas name disappeared from the motorcycling world in 1957, in earlier years it was a force to be reckoned with. Founded by William Douglas, its first machines rolled out of its Bristol works in 1907 and by 1912 they were running in the Isle of Man T.T. as serious contenders for victory; a small Douglas twin won the Junior race in that year.

The unusual horizontal arrangement of the cylinders helped the Douglas gain a reputation for smooth running, and by 1914 it had risen to become one of Britain’s foremost manufacturers, with over 12,000 bikes made during the final year of peace. Conflict did not harm Douglas too much, though, as the War Office ordered 25,000 of its motorcycles for despatch riders.

Having proved its worth in both the field of sport and the field of war, the Douglas 350 horizontal-twin continued to sell well into the 1920s, although the retention of its old flat tank was making it look slightly dated. The answer arrived in 1925 in the form of the Model EW, designed by Cyril Pullin. Light enough to qualify for the tax concessions made for bikes weighing under 200 lbs., it only needed very minor changes to bring it fully up to date.

The more modern, sloping tank was obvious, but its specification was improved thanks to all-chain drive and larger drum brakes. The EW built on Douglas’s existing reputation for smooth, fast and efficient bikes, and by the end of the 1920s quite a number of them were experiencing success in races and trials.

Little is known of this bike’s history except that it carries one of the earliest London ‘UL’ registrations. A sticker suggests it participated in an event commemorating the Douglas centenary in 2007. A former owner restored it in quite recent years to a very high standard, but never got round to making the engine run. The vendor, a longstanding motorcycle enthusiast and collector, acquired it in 2016. Since its acquisition it has occupied garage space alongside some of the finest names in British motorcycling from the 1920s to the present.

As a true enthusiast with the fullest appreciation of the motorcycles he owns, the owner enjoys riding all his machines and keeps them running like clockwork. Unfortunately, the Douglas is the sole exception, so it is sold as a light project for the next owner.

The vendor retains an attachment to all his bikes, but the decision to start a new life in Sweden means the collection has to be sold.

This Douglas has no paperwork besides its current V5. Although a plate is not affixed to the bike in the photographs, it is supplied with a plate carrying its number UL 521.

Being essentially fresh from restoration, in the sense that it has not been ridden since, this Douglas looks like one of the very best from all angles. The restoration has evidently been completed to the highest standard, and everything from the paint down to the bare metalwork looks astounding. If it weren’t for a few small blisters appearing under the surface of the paint on the fuel tank and some very small chips here and there, we would find it virtually impossible to fault.

We suspect the Terry seat has been recovered in the past, although it has now acquired something of an aged charm. Some of the bare metal has a patina so light as to be almost imperceptible. Apart from the fact that one of the handlebar grips is split, there is not a component on this bike which is in anything less than fantastic condition.

Evidently, the mechanical parts were not overlooked during the bike’s restoration, as the overall cleanliness of everything shows. It is not often one comes across a flywheel or a carburettor looking so polished and immaculate. Unfortunately, for all that it’s a feast for the eyes, the engine never quite got to the point where it would run.

With that in mind, the new owner will be taking on a project, but since the restoration involved so much care and attention to detail, we doubt that there is likely to be anything wrong with the engine in a major way, and a few weekends should probably allow sufficient time to find and remedy the fault.

Since it has not run for a several years, a check of the brakes and a general recommissioning would be advised.

Vintage-era motorcycling appeals for many reasons, it being perhaps the purest way of enjoying a motorcycle, and a Vintage Douglas appeals in particular. The small horizontal V-twin makes it a bike quite unlike all its rivals in the 350cc class. Smooth and quick, with an impressive record of competition successes, it really represents Vintage motorcycling at its very best.

This Douglas would be an ideal project for the mechanically-minded buyer. As you can see, it asks for nothing whatsoever cosmetically, just a sympathetic pair of hands to help breathe some life into the engine again. It shouldn’t take too long, so you might even get it done in plenty of time for the summer show and rally season.