1934 Royal Enfield Model B, 249 cc. Registration number WSK ...

Estimate

£2,000 - £3,000

1934 Royal Enfield Model B, 249 cc. Registration number WSK 860 (non transferable). Frame number 9597. Engine number B 4050.
Sold with the V5C, V5 and three MOT's.
Like so many British Motorcycle Companies at the time, Royal Enfield started out making bicycles in 1893 as the Enfield Manufacturing Company Ltd. adding Royal in 1899. WWI brought rich contracts from both the British War Department and Imperial Russia for 3 different models: a 225cc two-stroke; a 425cc V-twin; and an 8hp sidecar rig with a Vickers machine gun mounted on it. With war's end, Royal Enfield Motorcycles concentrated on the civilian market and were successful but the company was in dire financial straights. In 1931, one of the founders, Albert Eddie dies, then 2 years later, his parter RW Smith dies also. Times were tough, the Depression had set in, but Royal Enfield Motorcycles managed to keep it going.
Throughout the 1930's they produced a large variety of models from small two-strokes to large side valves, from A-Z. A 225cc two stroke, B 225 cc sv, BO 250cc ohv Bullet, C 350cc sv, CO 350cc ohv, G 350cc ohv Bullet, H 488cc sv, J 488cc ohv, J2 488cc two port ohv, K 976cc sv v-twin, L 570cc sv, T 148cc ohv, Z (Cycar) 148cc two-stroke and many more variants in order to capture market share and many models were one season only.
WSK has an unknown early life, being purchased by our deceased vendor in 1992 and registered with the DVLA at that time, MOT'd at that time with a mileage of 4,267, and again in 1993 it was then laid up. In 2003 he recommissioned it and had it MOT'd again, the mileage was 39 miles, today it is at 64 miles.
A wonderfully patinated machine that appears original and unmolested, it will require recommissioning and then be ready for gentle runs.