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British Motorcycle names/Manufacturers!

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bustergutt | 12:19 Tue 16th Oct 2007 | Motoring
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A few years ago I heard that Britain once boasted that they produced a motocycle that had a name that started with every letter of the alphabet! I am missing 7, they are K, L, Q, U, X, Y, Z. Can anyone help>
Many thanks.
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Very interesting, I have a M/bike, not heard of bikes with those letters but will have a look, any chance of posting the ones you have?
BSA built a "Lightning," I'm sure.
Levis 1930-1940 & L.C.G. 1930-31
Quadrant 1930
Zenith 1930-1946
I can find nothing for K,U,X,Y/
Triumph once built a customised version of the Hurricane that was named the X75, would that count for X?

BSA offered a Y13 in 1938. it was an ohv-twin and it's new cost was �82!

And you could have a 350cc Calthorpe Model K in 1930 for �47.
If we're including models (and who ever heard of a manufacturer starting with X?) -

Ivy, a British make which lasted from 1930 t0 1933, offered their Model X, with a 300cc JAP engine for �40.

Finally, and it took some finding, Rudge Whitworth made their 500cc Ulster from 1934 to 1939.
Question Author
Many thanks everybody!!!!
This is the list I did have before your help.

AJS
AMBASSADOR
AMC
ARIEL
ARMSTRONG
BEARDMORE
BLACKBURNE
BROUGH
BSA
CALTHORPE
CLARENDON
COTTON
DOT
DOUGLAS
EMC
ENFIELD
EXCELSIOR
FRANCIS BARNET
GREEVES
"H"
HESKETH MOTORCYCLES
HRD
HURRICANE
IVY MOTORBIKES
JAMES
MATCHLESS
NEW HUDSON
NORMAN NORTON
OEC COMMANDER
OK SUPREME
PALMELLI
PANTHER
RICKMAN
ROYAL ENFIELD
SPRITE
SPRYTE?
SUNBEAM
TRIUMPH
VELOCETTE
VILLIERS
VINCENT
WOOLER
WHITWORTH

Some of these may be incorrect, they came from an old list so if anyone knows of errors please correct me!
Many thanks again.
Told you I would find the answer you were looking for.........

K.....Kerry 1902 to early 60s

L,,,,,Levis 1911-1940

Q.....Quadrant 1901-1929

U.....Unibus 1920-1922 (made a fully enclosed Scooter)

X.....XL 1921-1923 XL-ALL 1902-1906

Z.....Zenith 1904-1950

All makes, not models !
Question Author
Many thanks Toureman, It`s much appreciated. What they said was true then!
All the best.
I have just printed that off for my dad -he has a BSA circa 1950 (cant remember the model off the top of my head but its a beast lol) and a Panther.I am from a biking family and go to a lot of the vintage rallies cos dad is generally in them.My ex had a Norton Commando and a Triumph T150 and rebuilt a T160 .He tried a few others - had VMax- but latterly had a Triumph triple speed twin -couldnt keep away from the British bikes .
Thanks for the memories bustergutt -all good.
oops -that should of course read a 955i Triumph Speed Triple -- see if you dont know just make it up -lol
There was also the SOS by Vale Onslow of Birmingham.

http://www.vale-onslow.co.uk/SOSmarque.htm
I also printed the complete list,

Thanks, good question bustergut !

Can any of you do the same thing with British cars?
There is at the present over 20 British car manufactures building mainly supercars in the UK.

I was thinking of the whole history of British motor manufacture.

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