Builder of the last British-made machine to win the Lightweight 250 TT (in 1936) New Imperial was unsurpassed for innovation during the 1930s, with models featuring pivoted fork rear suspension and unitary construction of engine and gearbox. The marque was established in 1900 when Norman Downs acquired a cycle company in Birmingham, which he reorganised as New Imperial Cycles. The firm's first motorcycles, designed along Werner lines, were shown at the 1901 Stanley Show in London but were not well received. Not until 1910 did Downs try again, launching a conventional JAP-powered model - the Light Tourist - that would prove an outstanding success. In racing, New Imperial concentrated on the 250 class, winning the Isle of Man TT trophy for 250cc machines in 1921 and their first Lightweight TT in 1924, a feat repeated the following year. On the commercial front, the late 1920s saw production facilities expand and proprietary engines abandoned in favour of New Imperial's own power units. This New Imperial Model 1 comes with an old-style continuation logbook (issued 1932) recording only one owner prior to the (recently deceased) vendor. The last licensing stamp is dated 1933 and the machine is believed not to have been used since then. Offered for restoration and sold strictly as viewed, it comes with the aforementioned logbook and Swansea V5.
Builder of the last British-made machine to win the Lightweight 250 TT (in 1936) New Imperial was unsurpassed for innovation during the 1930s, with models featuring pivoted fork rear suspension and unitary construction of engine and gearbox. The marque was established in 1900 when Norman Downs acquired a cycle company in Birmingham, which he reorganised as New Imperial Cycles. The firm's first motorcycles, designed along Werner lines, were shown at the 1901 Stanley Show in London but were not well received. Not until 1910 did Downs try again, launching a conventional JAP-powered model - the Light Tourist - that would prove an outstanding success. In racing, New Imperial concentrated on the 250 class, winning the Isle of Man TT trophy for 250cc machines in 1921 and their first Lightweight TT in 1924, a feat repeated the following year. On the commercial front, the late 1920s saw production facilities expand and proprietary engines abandoned in favour of New Imperial's own power units. This New Imperial Model 1 comes with an old-style continuation logbook (issued 1932) recording only one owner prior to the (recently deceased) vendor. The last licensing stamp is dated 1933 and the machine is believed not to have been used since then. Offered for restoration and sold strictly as viewed, it comes with the aforementioned logbook and Swansea V5.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
