To forestall any snide comments, I’ll admit straightaway that my James Superluxautocycle is neither particularly super, nor in the least luxurious. It’s just a typical example of a breed which flowered for a couple of decades after the mid 1930s and then disappeared almost without trace.
The reasons for its rise and fall are inextricably tied up with national and personal economics; with its genesis in the austerity following the Great Depression, while its predictable end was brought about by increased postwar wealth enabling people to opt for more sophisticated two-wheelers or cars.
It all started with the 1931 Budget which reduced two-wheelers’ road tax to 15 shillings (75 pence) if their capacity was under 150cc. Villiers immediately responded with the 98cc Midget engine, but it was a fairly dated design with an iron deflector piston and it was seemingly not received with any great enthusiasm by motorcycle manufacturers. Even Triumph – the one notable firm adopting it – chose to hide its involvement by labelling the resultant motorcycle the Gloria.
In 1934, the Midget was succeeded by the identically dimensioned Junior engine with its more modern aluminium piston, but again motorcycle manufacturers were slow to adopt it, perhaps because they could meet the road taxation rules with slightly larger and more capable engines.
But in the same year the Cyc-Auto appeared, and it is generally accepted as the first true autocycle, with a single-speed 98cc engine in a strengthened bicycle frame. Its own-make engine with a fore-and-aft crankshaft was somewhat unconventional, however, and the Cyc-Auto’s makers hit financial difficulties which culminated in a takeover by Scott in 1938.
Despite its limited sales, the Cyc-Auto was probably the inspiration for designer George H Jones to collaborate with Villiers on the possibility of making a more acceptable autocycle using the new Junior engine.
Denne historien er fra January 2020-utgaven av The Classic MotorCycle.
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Denne historien er fra January 2020-utgaven av The Classic MotorCycle.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Runs should be fun
The club run is an integral part of the old motorcycle scene. During 2020, a variation on the usual theme emerged, enabling people to ride in the company of like-minded souls.
Hybrid chicken
BSA Bantams come in many forms, and the ability to interchange parts between different models permits an almost endless number of variants.
Green WITH ENVY
Life aboard a 1950s 350cc British single is perhaps as good and as uncomplicated as it can get.
Worth the wait
Captivated by sight of one as a small boy, finally our man has the chance to try an NSU Max.And a ‘Spezial’ one at that…
The Motorcycle: DESIGN, ART AND DESIRE
The concluding part of a two-part feature, in which the history of motorcycle evolution is examined and a new book’s author interviewed.
Cream rises
There were several ‘star performers’ at Bonhams’ winter sale, as the choice machines achieved huge sums.
The Giant of Provence
With so few events to report from, it’s time to look back over a spectacular French event and look forward to its hopeful resumption.
Store cupboard special
A big box of presents? Must be Christmas! More deliveries keep the project on track.
By 1929, CJP Dodson was a bona fide top level road racer, pretty much unbeatable on the sand, too.
The diminutive Charlie Dodson was the last man to win a TT, the 1928 Senior, on a ‘flat-tank’ machine, then the next year became the first (and only) winner of a TT on a saddle tank Sunbeam, as well as recording the last ever success in the Island for the Marston maker.
Cassandra the Canadian Commando
After landing a new job and with time on his hands, a young man in Vancouver decided to restore a British motorcycle considerably older than him.
