Description
Royal Enfield 1930 976 cc side valve V-twin frame # 446 engine # K 9734
The Redditch based Royal Enfield firm entered the motorcycle business as early as 1898: In the early days engines from De Dion powered their tricycles and quadricycles; Minerva supplied the power for the first motorized cycles.
In the years before WW I the company was very successful with light Motosacoche-engined V twins.
These machines were equipped with the famous Enfield two-speed gear, involving twin primary chains.
In the rear wheel hub a rubber cush drive was fitted, to take the punch out of the chaindrive.
This feature was to be incorporated into all Royal Enfields until the very end. In the 1914 Junior TT eight out of nine Royal Enfield twins finished, with a very creditable five in the first twenty places.
Directly after the Great War Enfield marketed two successful models: the light 2 ¼ HP two stroke and the V-twin sidecar machine.
Later in the twenties the range was expanded, and for the 1930 season no less than eleven models were catalogued, of which the model K was the top model. Later on in the thirties the model KX would appear, which sported an 1140 cc engine.
This model K is a nicely matured specimen which is equipped with Lucas electrics.