2020-01-01_Motorcycle_Trader

Under the

hammer

In 1900 theUKmidlandscityof

Birminghamwasacentreofbicycle

manufacturingandHenryWilliam

Jameswaspartofit.Hehadsetup

acompanythere 20 yearsearlier

toproducepenny-farthingsandin

1892 exhibitedracingbicyclesat

theStanleyCycleShow.TheJames

CycleCo.Ltdfollowedthenatural

progressionofofferingpowered

bicyclesusingMinervaorDerby

enginesclippedtotheframe.These

graduallymorphedintoprimitive

motorcycleswithaFabrique

Nationale(FN)engine.

In 1909 thecompanyintroduced

aninnovativemodel,designed

byP.L.Renouf,calledtheSafety

James.Thisprovedtooradicalfor

themotorcycle-buyingpublicand

thecompanyretreatedtomore

conventionallydesignedmodels

ofa225cctwo-strokeanda495cc

50-degreeV-twinfour-strokewith

beltdrive.

In 1912 Jamesreleaseda4¼hp

four-stroke550ccsinglewitheither

aVilliershubclutchorathree-speed

SturmeyArcherhub.Theengine

wasnotableforits‘pineapple’

finning.Inanattempttoimprove

enginecooling,eachsquare-section

flangewasstaggered90-degree

resemblingthesurfaceofa

pineappleorpinecone.

Asidecarmodelwithanenlarged

engine,Druidfrontforksandchain

drivewaslateraddedtotherange.

Thecompanyhadnodoubtabout

thequalityofitsmotorcycles.An

advertisementcirca-1912read:“So

reliable,sorapid”andboastedof

receivingtwogoldmedalsatarecent

ACUSix-DaysTrial.Lateradscarried

theslogan:“ThefamousJames”.

ThecompanysurvivedtheFirst

WorldWarandthe1930sdepression,

butafterWWIIwassold,likemany

Britishmotorcyclemarques,to

AssociatedMotorCycles.When

AMCcollapsedin 1966 the“Famous

James”branddisappeared.

SoldattheCollectors’Motorcycles

auctionattheBarberMuseumin

Birmingham,Alabama.

1913 JAMES 4

1/4

HP

Ducatiintroducedthefirstofits
sportstourers, the ST2, in 1996.
Much of the chassis was based on
the 916 model’s steel-trellis frame
with a slightly longer wheelbase plus
modifications to suspension and
front-end geometry to soften the ride.
However, the engine was not borrowed
from the 916. A 944cc SOHC desmo
V-twin with two-valves per cylinder
that more resembled a beefed-up
Paso engine was used.
As the ST was intended as a touring
bike, rider and pillion seats had more
padding, the handlebars were set
a little higher and large, integrated
panniers were optional extras. The ST2
was well-received but was considered
to be light-on for top-end power. In
1997, the rear suspension was revised
and a longer gearlever fitted.
A year later the ST4 was launched

with the more advanced DOHC 916

engine with fourvalves per cylinder.

Some modification was required to

shoehorn it into the ST2 frame as the

exhaust camshaft was moved down in

the head by 10mm. Claimed top speed

was increased from the ST2’s 215km/h

to 251km/h. Other ST4 running gear

included Showa inverted forks, Showa

shock and Brembo brakes (twin

320mm discs with four-piston calipers

at the front and a 245mm two-piston

at the rear).

The instrument array included

an LCD screen with clock and a fuel

gauge. With the panniers removed,

the mufflers could be moved up to

increase cornering clearance. The ST2

was kept in the range as a cheaper

option. Both were discontinued in

2003 two years before the Multistrada

was released.

This lot had more than 38,000

miles (61,155km) on the clock.

Sold at the Collectors’ Motorcycles

auction at the Barber Museum in

Birmingham, Alabama, US.

116 MOTORCYCLE TRADER

1999 DUCATI ST4

Sold

$A2900

BONHAMS

Sold

$A40,989

BONHAMS