New Imperial Motors Ltd
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| Industry | Motorcycle |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | Norman Downes |
| Defunct | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Birmingham |
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Key people
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Norman Downes |
| Products | Motorcycles |
New Imperial was a British motorcycle manufacturer founded by Norman Downes in Birmingham, between 1887 and 1901, and became New Imperial Motors Ltd in 1912, when serious production commenced. New Imperial made innovative motorcycles that employed unit construction and sprung heel frames long before they became commonplace, and were moderately successful in competition. The 1920s were a financially successful decade, enabling the innovations of the 1930s that fought decline.
New Imperial suffered financially from the sales-destroying Great Depression of the 1930s, and then the founder died in 1938. New Imperial was sold, and sold again, and then ended production in late 1939, its former facilities subsequently serving the needs of a nation at war.
The history of New Imperial, founded by Norman Downes, goes back to the early days of the bicycle industry in Birmingham. From 1887 New Imperial made bicycle fittings and, later, complete bicycles, possibly after he bought the ailing bicycle business of Hearl and Tonks (founded 1892).
It is also said that he created New Imperial in 1901, but no official record of the earliest company formation has been found. Official records do show the formation of a limited company in 1908 called the New Imperial Cycle Company.
In 1901 New Imperial made their first motorcycle. The engine was mounted forward of the handlebars with a leather belt driving the front wheel. It failed to sell. In 1910 a bike went into production using a 293 cc JAP engine.
In 1912 the registration of New Imperial Motors Ltd is recorded, and they offered a range of three motorcycles. A New Imperial ridden by A S Jones in the 1913 Senior TT race was one of the 63 that failed to finish that year. (24 competitors finished.)
In 1914, the 300 cc New Imperial Light Tourist model appeared. Its light weight enabled it to outperform some of the heavier 500 cc bikes of its time. The Light Tourist was the beginning of a line of advanced and innovative motorcycles. A New Imperial ridden by Bert le Vack in the 1914 Senior TT race was one of the 44 that failed to finish that year (22 competitors finished). He had a similar result in 1915. (TT 1914, Le Vack rode a Motosacoche got 15th, so wrong info http://www.iomtt.com/TT-Database/Events/Races.aspx?meet_code=TT14&race_seq=2 )
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Wikipedia