RALEIGH

7 hp V-twin - 1924

An on-off involvement with motorcycles

The Raleigh company was a pioneer in the British motorcycle industry. Long famed as a builder of pedal cycles, it built its first powered two-wheeler – similar to the contemporary Werner – in 1899. But its involvement with motorcycles was spasmodic, with long gaps between 1906 and 1919, and between 1933 and 1958. It quit in the mid-1960s, after a dismal period making little 50cc runabouts.

Under Another Name ...

In fact, Raleigh never completely deserted the industry, because during WWI the Nottingham factory had been supplying Sturmey-Archer hub gears and countershaft gearboxes to Triumph. Later on, it supplied its own-make engines, again under the Sturmey-Archer label, to many British and European companies. The 1919 model was designed by works manager William Comery: it was a flat-twin with leaf-sprung swing arm rear suspension.

Clever Publicity Stunts

Though it was advanced in concept, the flat-twin sold poorly. In 1924, Raleigh adopted a conventional range of side-valve singles and V-twins that sold well. It was promoted by publicity stunts devised by Hugh Gibson, a well-known trials rider. In 1924, he rode a V-twin Raleigh sidecar outfit around the coastline of Britain under official observation; two years later, he sent Majorie Cottle on a 1370-mile trip on a 175cc lightweight to trace the name "Raleigh" across the map of England. The 798cc V-twin had many components in common with the 399cc single. Chief designer of Raleigh-Sturmey Archer in the 1920s and early 1930s was former Brooklands racer D.R. "Wizard" O'Donovan.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 798cc (76x88mm) air-cooled 60-degree V-twin four-stroke

Power Rating: 7 hp

Valves: side

Fuel System: carburetor

Transmission: Sturmey-Archer 3-speed; multidisc dry clutch; chain final drive

Suspension: girder forks (front); rigid (rear)

Brakes: drum (rear) (front & rear)

Wheels: 26x3.00 inch wire clincher (front & rear)

Weight: 289 lb

The 1924 Raleigh V-twin was provided with ample weather protection in the form of cast-aluminum footboards and stylish pressed-steel leg shields.