1913 Abingdon King Dick V Twin Pictures
Add Your Photos!
Many thanks to Geoff of Oz for this fantastic old picture. The “rider” is a relative of his and it is also believed that the bike belonged to a family member also.
And thanks also to Dave Clark for identifying the bike as a circa 1913/1914 Abingdon King Dick V-twin. And further thanks to William Whiteley for adding that it is a 5-6hp variable gear twin. This new engine designed by Tommy Blumfield in 1913 was available in three forms and would have been available in this way till 1915. William is researching the history of the Abingdon Works who would have made this machine, for the past few years now with a view to writing a short history, part of the quest is to try and record as many of the existing machines as possible with their histories. If you have any info that you feel may be of interest to William please drop me an email at the site and I will forward it to him.
Further thanks to Leon for the following:
This is a c1914 Abingdon King Dick twin. It certainly has a clutch in the rear hub, and it would be nice to think there were three speeds too, even though a change-speed lever is not obvious. This motor was used by other manufacturers as well: by Sunbeam in some of their twins (despite what you may read, I’d be certain it’s not a JAP engine), and by Ariel. When used in the chain-cum-belt Ariels of the mid teens, the motor had a wider flywheel on the drive side, and a ball race (or perhaps two) instead of the usual bronze bush. The front fork is AKD’s own, in which the girders slide in bushes attached to the lower steering head. The bush arrangement was complex, and the following year the usual Druid for was used.
i have a 1914 blumfield v twin in a cyclecar if you are interested..
I’ve just been give a collection of parts to try and put a bike together. Only thing to tell me it’s a king dick is the engine!