Bradbury of Oldham, England started business in 1852 making sewing machines. Business expanded during the rest of the century, their products extending to bicycles, toys and machine tools. They started building motorcycles in 1901, a variety of models were made over the years using sidevalve singles or twins, usually designed and made in-house. Just before WW1, the line had settled down to just a 550 single and a 750 V twin. These models were produced through the war for the services. After the war they came back to the civilian market and by 1923 along with 350 and 550 singles, were producing the handsome machine above. Picture it in dark green or glossy black with gold striping, apparently the usual colors for the make.
Unfortunately, the postwar slump did them in and the company went out of business a year later.
Thank you for this, it's a new one to me. ... The bike is so clearly not a racer that it makes me wonder, with my large but perfectly smooth brain, whether touring bikes circa 1923 were commonly sold without any lights. I suppose it makes sense, in a somewhat English way, to let the purchaser sort out their own preference in aftermarket acetylene lamps (also big, cool bulbhorns, raffia shin cosies, etc.).
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