1927 Humber 350cc

Registration no. VF 1571 Frame no. 10492 Engine no. 10488

A firm with its roots in the Victorian bicycle industry, Humber began experimenting with powered transport in the closing years of the 19th Century, introducing its first successful motorcycle - a built-under-license P&M - in 1902 and the first all-Humber design in 1908.
The vendor first saw this Humber motorcycle advertised in an auction at Shepton Mallet, Somerset in 2006. His first Vintage motorcycle, 'VF 1571' had been originally supplied by A G Sparrow of East Dereham, Norfolk, whose original transfer may be found underneath the 'flapper bracket' on the rear mudguard, and whose brass nameplate is on the front mudguard. A few black and white photographs came with the Humber, one of which depicts the original owner sitting astride the machine with his son on the pillion seat. There is another photograph taken later of the son, looking older and taller, astride the Humber.

It is believed that this motorcycle has had only four owners from new. In the accompanying history file is a copy of the catalogue description when the original owner sold the Humber at a Phillips auction in March 1990. He had last taxed the Humber in 1930; it was said to have only covered 700 miles from new.

During the vendor's ownership, both he and his wife have used the Humber, including two rallies in Northern Ireland (in the Mountains of Morne); a rally in the hills around Blairgowrie in Scotland; and several local runs around Norfolk. We are advised by the owner that it is a very nice motorcycle to ride and will climb 1-in-4 hills, two up, with no problem - not bad for a 1920s motorcycle. The vendor has attempted to keep the machine original and un-restored, and in usable condition. The reading on the odometer is now 1,201 miles, so it appears that the Humber has covered only 500 miles since the auction in 1990. The machine comes with a history file containing SORN paperwork; old/current V5C Registration Certificates; a quantity of MoTs (most recent expired October 2012); photocopied literature; the aforementioned period photographs; and the original Humber 3.49hp Motor Cycles Instruction Book.