OZEBOOK.COM

A-Z of Motorcycling

A selected motorcycle profile from the pages of the "All the World's Motorcycles" online book,
"The A to Z of Motorcycles" sometimes referred to as the "A-Z of Motorcycles."



The BEESTON- HUMBER:

In 1870, Thomas Humber founded his cycle business in Nottingham. He quickly partnered with Fred Cooper and Thomas Marriott, relocating to larger facilities in Beeston in 1878. Cooper and Marriott departed in 1885, and in 1887, the company was sold to Earnest Terah Hooley, who was later imprisoned for financial fraud. The company was rebranded as Humber & Co Ltd. For the first five years, Thomas Humber. After Thomas Humber's exit, two dubious figures emerged: Harry J. Lawson and American E.J. Pennington. Lawson aimed to dominate the burgeoning motor market by acquiring continental patents, while Pennington thrived by selling worthless patents to unsuspecting manufacturers. Both became involved with Humber Ltd, and in 1896, Humber created the first practical British motorcycle by fitting an E.J. Pennington two-horsepower engine onto a pedal tricycle. This venture failed. After producing a few motorcycles powered by De Dion-Bouton and Minerva engines, Humber found unexpected success when Joah Phelon of Phelon & Moore (later known as Panther motorcycles) granted them a license to manufacture the P&M type machine. This design featured a sloping 40-degree engine that replaced the front downtube of the frame. The first P&M Humber motorcycles debuted at the 1902 RAC Trials, showcasing impressive performance. The single-cylinder engine had a displacement of 344cc, utilizing an all-chain drive and two-speed transmission. At the 1903 Stanley Show in London, Humber displayed the Beeston Humber solo and the Coventry Humber tricycle, the latter equipped with a water-cooled single-cylinder P&M type engine. The P&M type remained in production until 1906 when expanding car manufacturing left Humber short on space for motorcycle production. After relocating to a new factory, Humber resumed motorcycle manufacturing in 1908, now featuring an engine of their own design. Between 1902 and 1906, only a limited number of Beeston Humber motorcycles were produced, and very few have survived. (Source: https://www. doningtonauctions.com.au)