1930s New Imperial and 1902 Holden Pictures
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A lovely picture sent in by Ken of the USA. I reckon this is a mid 1930′s 500cc V twin – but not sure what the girl in the front is riding. I know which I would rather be on! The second picture was sent in by Dave Martin who cam across another picture of the same event! They were taken outside Earls Court, London in 1938 or 39. The caption for the second picture says that the older bike was built in 1902 and was one fo the first bikes sold in the UK. And further thanks to Mathieu Smeets of Belgium for identifying the other bike. It seems to be a Holden motor bicycle. They were build from 1897 on. Link: http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10306401
The bike at the back is a 500cc New Imperial, made in Birmingham, and a reasonably popular mount at Brooklands.
The Holden looks as if it’s the water cooled four cylinder engine with just two conrods joining the pistons and powering a crank drive at the rear wheel.
I believe he built steam engines prior to this hence cylinder/crank drive to wheel.
That New Imperial suffered with a poor frame, and was capable of some 120 mph with a change of trousers.