RUDGE'S RUDGES AGAIN AGAIN

By Phil Rudge:

Having, in 1930, come 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Isle of Man Junior TT and 1st, 2nd 6th and 7th in the Senior TT, The management of Rudge motorcycles were expecting 1931 to be a bumper year.
It was not to be.
The Wall St crash and a worldwide depression put paid to their hopes. It was the beginning of the end for the Rudge motorcycles. Sales plummeted and annual sales across the range fell from 7000 in 1930 to only 2500 in 1931.

Financial trouble caused the closing of the Racing department in 1933 and in 1935 bankruptcy.
The company was purchased by Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI music).
EMI showed great enthusiasm for the marque and they supported continued development, forks were strengthened and an enclosed valve head introduced in 1937.


Production was moved from the factory at Coventry to Hayes on the outskirts of London.
But in 1939 really big trouble started and EMI, being makers of RADAR, became very busy helping us see what was coming at us. The Rudge factory was turned over to radar manufacture and that was that, no more Rudge motorcycles.

This 1931 Ulster is original. It came to me in May 09 thru a Vincent enthusiast who had purchased it 5 years previously from an old gentleman who had a house full of motorcycles in boxes, each box labeled and all the parts in the boxes also labeled. From what I can gather he had been buying bikes when they were as cheap as chips and due to lack of space had boxed them up.
There were 3 rooms stacked up with them! All gone now, just in case you are wondering!

It was quite staggering to get all the boxes home and look thru it all, fine surface rust only, no pitting, no dents in anything. All the rare "unobtanium" bits were there, cast alloy rear chainguard, alloy primary inner and outer cases, Miller badged rear light, unique for 31, Miller horn, tax disc holder and headlamp with -6+6 Miller ammeter.
The Engine and gearbox looked untouched, all the screw / bolt heads were undamaged, always a good sign!

I took them to my friend Colin Chapple, the Rudge gearbox and engine specialist, we discovered a never opened close ratio gearbox, with a few rollers and one sliding gear (luckily a common part in all Rudge boxes) showing signs of rusting from condensation. The engine was in similar condition, Colin checked it out and was astounded at its lack of wear, the piston was like new and the bore was standard. Everything pointed to a low mileage machine.


The still standard barrel was honed and new rings fitted. A few rollers replaced and Colin converted the rocker gear to correct a known Rudge wear problem involving the pushrod seating in the Rocker arm.

The few missing parts were sourced through the camaraderie of The Rudge Enthusiasts Club and Rudge-Spares (REC).
A large biscuit tin in one box contained all the nuts, bolts and special "grover" washers needed to reassemble the machine.
Also included were the original celluloid covered handlebars, with, the unique to Rudge, celluloid covered levers with all the old cables hanging off.
I have restored many bikes before but have never found one like this and probably never will again, I was exceedingly lucky considering I bought it "unseen!"

There is one clue to its lack of use, the tax disc holder, showing under the glass was the Miller publicity paper. I had a look underneath that and there hidden from view was the last tax disc, 1935!

One wonders what happened, why so little use?
Two things, the magneto bearings were shot from an overtight mag chain, the mag still worked but would have shorted out and caused irregular sparking, not an easy thing to diagnose unless you remove the mag and with the price of an Ulster in 31 roughly equating to £16000 today, I do wonder if the "rich" owner just gave up on it and left it in the stables, coach-house, garages!
The other clue is a scuffed decompressor lever on the left hand end of the handlebars, maybe he fell of and gave up riding.

This bike will not be wasted, I ride a lot, I always have, I'm addicted and have been a motorcyclist all my life, I had a lot of Velos and Nortons in my younger days, I commuted to London on a Venom during the eighties.
With this Ulster I restored what needed restoring. The head , Barrel, Mudguard hinge (brass) and Headlight (brass) are the original paint, 90% of the fixings are original, I build for riding not showing / trailering.

My first Rudge was, and still is, a 38 Ulster, I love its raw acceleration, noise, smell and handling. But I wanted to find an exposed valve model, never had one before and I've always liked looking at valves bopping up and down, getting the 31 was a dream come true.
The 38 can have a rest and maybe a new big end this year.
If you ever get the chance to ride a Rudge, take it, they're fast and they stir the blood.

RUDGE'S RUDGES AGAIN AGAIN

By Phil Rudge:

Having, in 1930, come 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the Isle of Man Junior TT and 1st, 2nd 6th and 7th in the Senior TT, The management of Rudge motorcycles were expecting 1931 to be a bumper year.
It was not to be.
The Wall St crash and a worldwide depression put paid to their hopes. It was the beginning of the end for the Rudge motorcycles. Sales plummeted and annual sales across the range fell from 7000 in 1930 to only 2500 in 1931.

Financial trouble caused the closing of the Racing department in 1933 and in 1935 bankruptcy.
The company was purchased by Electrical and Musical Industries (EMI music).
EMI showed great enthusiasm for the marque and they supported continued development, forks were strengthened and an enclosed valve head introduced in 1937.


Production was moved from the factory at Coventry to Hayes on the outskirts of London.
But in 1939 really big trouble started and EMI, being makers of RADAR, became very busy helping us see what was coming at us. The Rudge factory was turned over to radar manufacture and that was that, no more Rudge motorcycles.

This 1931 Ulster is original. It came to me in May 09 thru a Vincent enthusiast who had purchased it 5 years previously from an old gentleman who had a house full of motorcycles in boxes, each box labeled and all the parts in the boxes also labeled. From what I can gather he had been buying bikes when they were as cheap as chips and due to lack of space had boxed them up.
There were 3 rooms stacked up with them! All gone now, just in case you are wondering!

It was quite staggering to get all the boxes home and look thru it all, fine surface rust only, no pitting, no dents in anything. All the rare "unobtanium" bits were there, cast alloy rear chainguard, alloy primary inner and outer cases, Miller badged rear light, unique for 31, Miller horn, tax disc holder and headlamp with -6+6 Miller ammeter.
The Engine and gearbox looked untouched, all the screw / bolt heads were undamaged, always a good sign!

I took them to my friend Colin Chapple, the Rudge gearbox and engine specialist, we discovered a never opened close ratio gearbox, with a few rollers and one sliding gear (luckily a common part in all Rudge boxes) showing signs of rusting from condensation. The engine was in similar condition, Colin checked it out and was astounded at its lack of wear, the piston was like new and the bore was standard. Everything pointed to a low mileage machine.


The still standard barrel was honed and new rings fitted. A few rollers replaced and Colin converted the rocker gear to correct a known Rudge wear problem involving the pushrod seating in the Rocker arm.

The few missing parts were sourced through the camaraderie of The Rudge Enthusiasts Club and Rudge-Spares (REC).
A large biscuit tin in one box contained all the nuts, bolts and special "grover" washers needed to reassemble the machine.
Also included were the original celluloid covered handlebars, with, the unique to Rudge, celluloid covered levers with all the old cables hanging off.
I have restored many bikes before but have never found one like this and probably never will again, I was exceedingly lucky considering I bought it "unseen!"

There is one clue to its lack of use, the tax disc holder, showing under the glass was the Miller publicity paper. I had a look underneath that and there hidden from view was the last tax disc, 1935!

One wonders what happened, why so little use?
Two things, the magneto bearings were shot from an overtight mag chain, the mag still worked but would have shorted out and caused irregular sparking, not an easy thing to diagnose unless you remove the mag and with the price of an Ulster in 31 roughly equating to £16000 today, I do wonder if the "rich" owner just gave up on it and left it in the stables, coach-house, garages!
The other clue is a scuffed decompressor lever on the left hand end of the handlebars, maybe he fell of and gave up riding.

This bike will not be wasted, I ride a lot, I always have, I'm addicted and have been a motorcyclist all my life, I had a lot of Velos and Nortons in my younger days, I commuted to London on a Venom during the eighties.
With this Ulster I restored what needed restoring. The head , Barrel, Mudguard hinge (brass) and Headlight (brass) are the original paint, 90% of the fixings are original, I build for riding not showing / trailering.

My first Rudge was, and still is, a 38 Ulster, I love its raw acceleration, noise, smell and handling. But I wanted to find an exposed valve model, never had one before and I've always liked looking at valves bopping up and down, getting the 31 was a dream come true.
The 38 can have a rest and maybe a new big end this year.
If you ever get the chance to ride a Rudge, take it, they're fast and they stir the blood.

RUDGE'S RUDGES

Phil Rudge, a photographer in England (see his work here), has just finished restoring an eponymous bicycle; a 1931 Rudge 'Ulster' 500cc ohv, with four valves and four speeds. The Ulster started life in 1929 (an example of which I owned until very recently), as a replica of Graham Walker's Ulster TT winner of 1928. That first year model had a total-loss lubrication system, which was upgraded to a proper recirculating oiling system in 1930. That first year Ulster was definitely a 'TT Replica' model, being almost a bang-on copy of Walker's bike. As time went on, as is typical with most race replicas, the Ulster remained the flagship of the Rudge family, but lost its track status to a new model called, appropriately, the TT Replica, which was intended for racing.

Phil's bike epitomizes all that is appealing about early post-Vintage motorcycling; light, simple, with everything motorcyclists expect today - electric lights, a good turn of speed, and excellent brakes. As an added bonus, the bike is simply gorgeous.

Phil writes:
"Hi Paul,
I met you...at Brooklands the year before last.
Love your blog. I have just finished restoring a 31 Ulster, bought in bits on Ebay May 09.
Standard bore and low miles, 1935 tax disc in holder seems that was when it was last on the road.
Only 5 on Rudge register.
If you want to try it out next time you are in UK... you are most welcome.
Cheers, Phil"

I certainly will!

RUDGE'S RUDGES

Phil Rudge, a photographer in England (see his work here), has just finished restoring an eponymous bicycle; a 1931 Rudge 'Ulster' 500cc ohv, with four valves and four speeds. The Ulster started life in 1929 (an example of which I owned until very recently), as a replica of Graham Walker's Ulster TT winner of 1928. That first year model had a total-loss lubrication system, which was upgraded to a proper recirculating oiling system in 1930. That first year Ulster was definitely a 'TT Replica' model, being almost a bang-on copy of Walker's bike. As time went on, as is typical with most race replicas, the Ulster remained the flagship of the Rudge family, but lost its track status to a new model called, appropriately, the TT Replica, which was intended for racing.

Phil's bike epitomizes all that is appealing about early post-Vintage motorcycling; light, simple, with everything motorcyclists expect today - electric lights, a good turn of speed, and excellent brakes. As an added bonus, the bike is simply gorgeous.

Phil writes:
"Hi Paul,
I met you...at Brooklands the year before last.
Love your blog. I have just finished restoring a 31 Ulster, bought in bits on Ebay May 09.
Standard bore and low miles, 1935 tax disc in holder seems that was when it was last on the road.
Only 5 on Rudge register.
If you want to try it out next time you are in UK... you are most welcome.
Cheers, Phil"

I certainly will!

THE RUDGE BOOK OF THE ROAD

In 1925 through 1927, the Rudge-Whitworth company introduced a line of touring accessories which have never been equaled by any other motorcycle manufacturer, even in these days of super-luxo three-wheel touring rigs with 1600cc flat-six engines, stereos, and GPS.

Specifically, Rudge introduced a full touring caravan, complete with dining table and beds, which could be towed behind one of their '4-valve, 4-speed' models. Added to this, one could order a sidecar chassis carrying a quick-detachable canoe! This was no 'miniature' boat, as some manufacturers produced in the 1950's for sidecar haulage; the Rudge canoe was fully 14 feet long. Yet, the company advertised that the "Canoe sidecar can be turned round in a circle of 20 feet diameter, which very few motor cars are capable of doing. To river lovers it gives great mobility and makes it possible to become acquainted with half the rivers in the country."

To demonstrate the soundness of the whole combination (with the canoe, at least), Rudge Managing Director John Pugh arranged for G.E. 'Ernie' Nott, factory tester and racer, to enter such an outfit in the Birmingham Motorcycle Club's 'Victory Trial' on March 7, 1925 (see photo below). Nott looked to be a tough character, with a nose like a prize fighter, and was certainly accustomed to the pounding of Brookland's pavement. And yet, Nott won a Bronze medal in the Trial, with a little help from other Rudge team members on the really tight bits. The three fellow teamsters rode solo Rudges, and won a Gold and two Silvers as well, but clearly had time to help "manhandle the outfit sufficiently for him [Nott] to negotiate the more difficult parts of the course" [The Story of Rudge, Hartley, 1985]. Not many trials course allow for a twenty foot turning radius!

Remarkably the Canoe was offered with either the 350cc ('10hp' - £58) or 500cc ('15hp' - £64.6) capacity machine, with Electric Lighting Set via an ML 'Maglita' an extra £5. The photo above is from Dave the Photo Pyrate, who marvels that 'an archive sent me pictures!'. Dave used to work for Salter Brothers of Folly Bridge, Oxford, who sent him this photo of Rudge and Canoe sidecar from their files. It is possibly the very same canoe used in the Trial, shown at the Works before delivery to Rudge-Whitworth. As far as I know, this photograph has never been published, and is the best shot ever of the canoe itself, from the archives of the manufacturer, Salter Bros. The construction of the boat is clear, with steam-bent ribs and mahogany planking, held together with brass nails, and varnished to a high gloss. According to Dave, the company is still manufacturing wooden 'Canadian' canoes such as this, along with its other products. Thus, if one is so inclined, a brand-new Rudge canoe might be arranged with the original manufacturer! Food for thought... I'm a huge fan of the things.

Dave also sent this delightful photo of the Canoe outfit; captain at the helm appears to be Ernie Nott, in far less arduous circumstances than the Victory trial, chauffering two Flappers to an open-water picnic. Love their cloche hats and the Chinese paper parasol, although I reckon they might be a bit chilled in their thin silk dresses. Ernie is taking no chances, and wearing a hearty Mackintosh! He looks well amused by the scenario, in any case. Note the thick canvas webbing which secures the canoe to the sidecar frame - the same system as on the Salter Bros. outfit. I think we can confidently assume that these canoes are one and the same, given the overall shape of the boat and construction details... this is perhaps the ONLY Rudge canoe built, as there is some doubt whether any were actually sold.



The Rudge Caravan was introduced for the 1927 model range, further exploring this uncharted territory for touring motorcycles. A complete outfit was offered, with Rudge 500cc ohv motorcycle and 'Semi-Sports' sidecar, plus the trailer, for £136.50. The Caravan itself was 7'3" (2.23m) long 4'10" (1.5m) wide, and 4'7" (1.4m) high. Inside were two small beds, a table, storage lockers, etc. Weight of the caravan was 285lbs, about the same as the solo motorcycle. It was recommended that cooking and washing occur outside of the trailer - cooking especially due to fire danger. A commercial version of the trailer was available, and were in use as late as 1944 delivering milk by the Coventry Co-op.

When parked, the owner's manual recommeded the outfit's tow-bar to be 'lashed to the nearest hedge, and the rear corners fitted with ropes and pegged down', with attention paid to the prevailing winds and likely course of the sun throughout the day.

The all-up weight with motorcycle, sidecar, Caravan, rider, and any gear included must have exceeded 1000lbs, on a motorcycle still relying on 'dummy rim' external-shoe brakes, front and rear. Rudge was a pioneer in linked braking systems,ie the front brake was activated along with the rear when the brake pedal was depressed, and with the Caravan, two further brakes on the trailer wheels were activated as well. Yet the 'dummy rim' brakes used during those years by Rudge are marginal in normal use, very dodgy when wet, and impossible under a half-ton of load.

Anent this, a humorous story is included in Reynolds' 'Don't Trudge It, Rudge It' (Haynes, '77); "Tyrell Smith was riding the [outfit with trailer] and together they were cruising at about 40mph when a constable stepped out from the side of the road to halt them. Tyrell hit the brakes hard but there was no chance of stopping the outfit in a hurry and it sailed on past the policemen and eventually stopped 100 yards further down the road. Seeing the problem, Ernie Nott [who was riding a spare racing bike behind Smith] pulled up beside the policeman to show that he interpreted the signal to apply to him. The policeman was not so readily convinced and he set off down the road, after the oufit, to accuse the rider of having no brakes. When the officer tried the time honoured method of testing the brakes, by pushing the oufit with the brakes applied, he couldn't move it an inch, which is not surprising considering the weight it was carrying. He therefore let the riders go with a warning about being a bit more observant in the future. It was a good thing that he knew nothing of the effect of inertia!"

In 1927, Rudge-Whitworth published the 'Rudge Book of the Road', which explains in detail their philosophy of touring, camping, and competing on your Rudge motorcycle. This book is a gem, and quite a few copies are still floating around. If you're a fan of 1920's vernacular writing, this little 150 page booklet tickles the reader with an optimistic yes-you-can! style, and is illustrated with adorable Art Deco end pages and illustrations, as well as photographs of Rudges in action, weather advice with cloud identification, maintenance tips, mileage charts, a spot of Latin tutoring, and a full 25-page atlas of Britain at the back. It is achingly good reading for a nostalgist; you'll want to find the nearest Rudge dealer - today! - and go explore the halcyon lanes of a world gone by.

THE RUDGE BOOK OF THE ROAD

In 1925 through 1927, the Rudge-Whitworth company introduced a line of touring accessories which have never been equaled by any other motorcycle manufacturer, even in these days of super-luxo three-wheel touring rigs with 1600cc flat-six engines, stereos, and GPS.

Specifically, Rudge introduced a full touring caravan, complete with dining table and beds, which could be towed behind one of their '4-valve, 4-speed' models. Added to this, one could order a sidecar chassis carrying a quick-detachable canoe! This was no 'miniature' boat, as some manufacturers produced in the 1950's for sidecar haulage; the Rudge canoe was fully 14 feet long. Yet, the company advertised that the "Canoe sidecar can be turned round in a circle of 20 feet diameter, which very few motor cars are capable of doing. To river lovers it gives great mobility and makes it possible to become acquainted with half the rivers in the country."

To demonstrate the soundness of the whole combination (with the canoe, at least), Rudge Managing Director John Pugh arranged for G.E. 'Ernie' Nott, factory tester and racer, to enter such an outfit in the Birmingham Motorcycle Club's 'Victory Trial' on March 7, 1925 (see photo below). Nott looked to be a tough character, with a nose like a prize fighter, and was certainly accustomed to the pounding of Brookland's pavement. And yet, Nott won a Bronze medal in the Trial, with a little help from other Rudge team members on the really tight bits. The three fellow teamsters rode solo Rudges, and won a Gold and two Silvers as well, but clearly had time to help "manhandle the outfit sufficiently for him [Nott] to negotiate the more difficult parts of the course" [The Story of Rudge, Hartley, 1985]. Not many trials course allow for a twenty foot turning radius!

Remarkably the Canoe was offered with either the 350cc ('10hp' - £58) or 500cc ('15hp' - £64.6) capacity machine, with Electric Lighting Set via an ML 'Maglita' an extra £5. The photo above is from Dave the Photo Pyrate, who marvels that 'an archive sent me pictures!'. Dave used to work for Salter Brothers of Folly Bridge, Oxford, who sent him this photo of Rudge and Canoe sidecar from their files. It is possibly the very same canoe used in the Trial, shown at the Works before delivery to Rudge-Whitworth. As far as I know, this photograph has never been published, and is the best shot ever of the canoe itself, from the archives of the manufacturer, Salter Bros. The construction of the boat is clear, with steam-bent ribs and mahogany planking, held together with brass nails, and varnished to a high gloss. According to Dave, the company is still manufacturing wooden 'Canadian' canoes such as this, along with its other products. Thus, if one is so inclined, a brand-new Rudge canoe might be arranged with the original manufacturer! Food for thought... I'm a huge fan of the things.

Dave also sent this delightful photo of the Canoe outfit; captain at the helm appears to be Ernie Nott, in far less arduous circumstances than the Victory trial, chauffering two Flappers to an open-water picnic. Love their cloche hats and the Chinese paper parasol, although I reckon they might be a bit chilled in their thin silk dresses. Ernie is taking no chances, and wearing a hearty Mackintosh! He looks well amused by the scenario, in any case. Note the thick canvas webbing which secures the canoe to the sidecar frame - the same system as on the Salter Bros. outfit. I think we can confidently assume that these canoes are one and the same, given the overall shape of the boat and construction details... this is perhaps the ONLY Rudge canoe built, as there is some doubt whether any were actually sold.



The Rudge Caravan was introduced for the 1927 model range, further exploring this uncharted territory for touring motorcycles. A complete outfit was offered, with Rudge 500cc ohv motorcycle and 'Semi-Sports' sidecar, plus the trailer, for £136.50. The Caravan itself was 7'3" (2.23m) long 4'10" (1.5m) wide, and 4'7" (1.4m) high. Inside were two small beds, a table, storage lockers, etc. Weight of the caravan was 285lbs, about the same as the solo motorcycle. It was recommended that cooking and washing occur outside of the trailer - cooking especially due to fire danger. A commercial version of the trailer was available, and were in use as late as 1944 delivering milk by the Coventry Co-op.

When parked, the owner's manual recommeded the outfit's tow-bar to be 'lashed to the nearest hedge, and the rear corners fitted with ropes and pegged down', with attention paid to the prevailing winds and likely course of the sun throughout the day.

The all-up weight with motorcycle, sidecar, Caravan, rider, and any gear included must have exceeded 1000lbs, on a motorcycle still relying on 'dummy rim' external-shoe brakes, front and rear. Rudge was a pioneer in linked braking systems,ie the front brake was activated along with the rear when the brake pedal was depressed, and with the Caravan, two further brakes on the trailer wheels were activated as well. Yet the 'dummy rim' brakes used during those years by Rudge are marginal in normal use, very dodgy when wet, and impossible under a half-ton of load.

Anent this, a humorous story is included in Reynolds' 'Don't Trudge It, Rudge It' (Haynes, '77); "Tyrell Smith was riding the [outfit with trailer] and together they were cruising at about 40mph when a constable stepped out from the side of the road to halt them. Tyrell hit the brakes hard but there was no chance of stopping the outfit in a hurry and it sailed on past the policemen and eventually stopped 100 yards further down the road. Seeing the problem, Ernie Nott [who was riding a spare racing bike behind Smith] pulled up beside the policeman to show that he interpreted the signal to apply to him. The policeman was not so readily convinced and he set off down the road, after the oufit, to accuse the rider of having no brakes. When the officer tried the time honoured method of testing the brakes, by pushing the oufit with the brakes applied, he couldn't move it an inch, which is not surprising considering the weight it was carrying. He therefore let the riders go with a warning about being a bit more observant in the future. It was a good thing that he knew nothing of the effect of inertia!"

In 1927, Rudge-Whitworth published the 'Rudge Book of the Road', which explains in detail their philosophy of touring, camping, and competing on your Rudge motorcycle. This book is a gem, and quite a few copies are still floating around. If you're a fan of 1920's vernacular writing, this little 150 page booklet tickles the reader with an optimistic yes-you-can! style, and is illustrated with adorable Art Deco end pages and illustrations, as well as photographs of Rudges in action, weather advice with cloud identification, maintenance tips, mileage charts, a spot of Latin tutoring, and a full 25-page atlas of Britain at the back. It is achingly good reading for a nostalgist; you'll want to find the nearest Rudge dealer - today! - and go explore the halcyon lanes of a world gone by.

DON'T TRUDGE IT, RUDGE IT!

A friend (thanks Pete!) forwarded an email from a collector in Australia who needed to lighten his garage a bit; mostly he had pre-1916 bikes which needed vast amounts of work to finish or complete. But, nestled amongst the Veteran Triumphs and Rudges was a VINTAGE Rudge, which looked most intriguing. Of course, this was the bike he really didn't want to sell, but it attracted the most interest (it seems to be harder to sell the really old motorcycles nowadays, and the older collectors are passing on).
I put in my bid, and the Rudge may well end up in San Francisco. It's a '29 Ulster, which is a pukka TT Replica machine, a faithful copy of Graham Walker's 1928 Rudge (second pic) on which he won the Ulster TT at a 'world's first' road race average of 80mph. The factory wisely sought to capitalise on Graham's success by building a racer for sale, and the infamous Ulster was born.

The first year Ulster ('29) was a unique beast, and was essentially a one-year model. The engine had a total-loss oiling system, meaning it had no oil pump per se, but rather an oil metering device, and the oil was allowed to burn off/drip out rather than being returned hot to the engine. 'A constant supply of clean oil' was the thought, but properly circulating oil really helps keep an engine cooler! There are other features of the bike which are unique to the year, such as the twin-filler gas and oil tanks and large diameter wheels; in 1930 the tanks changed, the engine gained an oil pump, and the wheels got smaller. Ulsters were still top of the heap until about '34, when they began to add weight and complexity with no additional power (a very typical story of 30's bikes actually - they got heavier as the 30's wore on, with no gain in hp).
Regarding the poster of Graham Walker's machine; the owner has it attached to his garage wall - a pinup! Let's hope the Ulster looks as good as the calendar girl sometime soon.

DON'T TRUDGE IT, RUDGE IT!

A friend (thanks Pete!) forwarded an email from a collector in Australia who needed to lighten his garage a bit; mostly he had pre-1916 bikes which needed vast amounts of work to finish or complete. But, nestled amongst the Veteran Triumphs and Rudges was a VINTAGE Rudge, which looked most intriguing. Of course, this was the bike he really didn't want to sell, but it attracted the most interest (it seems to be harder to sell the really old motorcycles nowadays, and the older collectors are passing on).
I put in my bid, and the Rudge may well end up in San Francisco. It's a '29 Ulster, which is a pukka TT Replica machine, a faithful copy of Graham Walker's 1928 Rudge (second pic) on which he won the Ulster TT at a 'world's first' road race average of 80mph. The factory wisely sought to capitalise on Graham's success by building a racer for sale, and the infamous Ulster was born.

The first year Ulster ('29) was a unique beast, and was essentially a one-year model. The engine had a total-loss oiling system, meaning it had no oil pump per se, but rather an oil metering device, and the oil was allowed to burn off/drip out rather than being returned hot to the engine. 'A constant supply of clean oil' was the thought, but properly circulating oil really helps keep an engine cooler! There are other features of the bike which are unique to the year, such as the twin-filler gas and oil tanks and large diameter wheels; in 1930 the tanks changed, the engine gained an oil pump, and the wheels got smaller. Ulsters were still top of the heap until about '34, when they began to add weight and complexity with no additional power (a very typical story of 30's bikes actually - they got heavier as the 30's wore on, with no gain in hp).
Regarding the poster of Graham Walker's machine; the owner has it attached to his garage wall - a pinup! Let's hope the Ulster looks as good as the calendar girl sometime soon.