Singer and Company drew considerable attention with the 'motor wheel' used to propel their products at the turn of the 19th century. It had a wheel with the engine,petrol tank and all works within the circumference of a wheel and could be fitted to an ordinary bicycle. After 1904 Singer motor cycles were re-designed, a central vertical engine was fitted between a split front down tube of the frame. It was not long before Singer were experimenting with a three wheeler and from there it was a short step to the four wheeled motor car. The Singer car was available by the end of the first decade of the century, and motor cars eventually dominated motor cycle production in the Company.

 

 

George Brough parted company with his father and started manufacture of the first Brough Superiors in 1919 in Nottingham. The Mark 1 was driven by an 8 horsepower J.A.Prestwich engine known as the 90 bore (90 by 76mm bore and stroke). A distinctive feature of the Brough throughout it's years of manufacture was the bulbous nose tank giving the Brough a smooth streamlined appearance.Among the notable achievements of the Brough Superior were the Brooklands lap record speeds of 106.6 mph withsidecar recorded in 1937 and 124.51 solo in 1939. Both records were claimed by Noel Pope who later attempted the world record on two wheels at Bonneville Salt Lake in 1949.From 1940 the facory continued as precision enginers, but no more Brough Superiors were made and the machines which remain are jealously cared for by their owners.It is known that a car under the same name was made but at the time of writing no information is to hand.

The Vauxhall firm dabbled with two-wheelers in the 1920s but never really came to terms with motor cycle production. Major Halford who was responsible for the Napier 'Sabre' Engine used in the Hawker Typhoon and Tempest fighter aircraft was the designer of the first Vauxhall motor cycle. With only twelve engines and six frames ready the company sold the only two completed machines, which were made in 1922, and cut their losses. It was the first British four cylinder shaft-driven motor cycle and had the remarkable feature of fully interchangeable wheels. Note the characteristic Vauxhall flutes on the petrol tank. Only one machine is still in existence.
Thomas Humber started production of velocipedes in 1868 in Nottingham. By the time motorized transport came into being Thomas Humber had ceased association with his company, but he lived to see motor vehicles bearing his name in popular use. The company re-formed in 1900 as Humber Ltd. and experimented with both cars and motor cycles at the same time. Motor cycle production started in 1902. During the first world war the company produced the Avro 504K aeroplanes and the BR2 rotary aeroplane engines. After the war motor cycle production resumed and continued into the twenties but in 1928 the directors decided to discontinue production and concentrate on motor cars.

There may be other firms which also produced motorcycles and cars, but the above are the principal ones I am aware of at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An EHG Enterprize sitewith a Z

Some of the makers of early motorcycles eventually graduated to making motor cars- below is a selection