1938 New Imperial Model 23, 148cc. Registration number ENF 3...

Hammer

£1,900

1938 New Imperial Model 23, 148cc. Registration number ENF 385. Frame number 87/35007/26. Engine number 94/33682/23 4S.
Sold with the V5C, R.E.60A, various literature and a small quantity of spares. It will need recommissioning before road use.
New Imperial’s first motorcycle appeared in 1901; it had the engine mounted in front of the handlebars above the front wheel, and the transmission consisted of a leather belt which drove the front wheel. By 1912 a range of three motorcycles was offered, and two years later, in 1914, New Imperial produced their famous Light Tourist model. In 1921 they won the 250 cc class of the TT (rider Doug Prentice), the first of six TT wins by New Imperial; the wins were all in the Lightweight class, except for one Junior victory.
The Company continued to prosper and grow until the depression years of the early 1930s which left them financially weak, even Bob Foster’s win in the 1936 Lightweight TT could not bring in the sales that New Imperial desperately needed; this win was the last time that Great Britain ever won a Lightweight TT.
The model 23 OHV was their longest-running and highest-volume model, produced between 1932-1939 when the company folded in 1939.
ENF, was built in August 1937, and by 1049 was with John Turnbull of Manchester, according to the R.F.60A it changed hands 7 times until R. E. Musgrave of Sheffield in the early 1950's. When he died it passed to a friend of our vendor who in due course gave it to him.
Our vendor has dealt with DVLA and been able to retain the original number, and it come with a selection of spare parts.
Sold with the V5C, R.E.60A, various literature and a small quantity of spares. It will need recommissioning before road use.