LOT 755
c.1933 Rudge 500cc Speedway Racing Motorcycle Frame no. none Engine no. D6
Estimate: £15,000 - £20,000
Lot 755
c.1933 Rudge 500cc Speedway Racing Motorcycle Frame no. none Engine no. D6
c.1933 Rudge 500cc Speedway Racing Motorcycle
Frame no. none
Engine no. D6
Frame no. none
Engine no. D6
• Believed one of approximately 12 built
• Ultra-rare engine type
• Believed used by the Southampton Speedway Team
• Present ownership for more than 60 years
Dirt track (speedway) racing arrived in the UK in 1928 from Australia, the first make of motorcycle to achieve dominance on the cinders being Douglas. The latter was soon deposed and for a while it was the lighter and more compact Rudge that ruled the roost before the arrival of the ubiquitous 'Speedway JAP' set the pattern for the next 30 years. Equipped with the 1927 works-type engine, Rudge's first speedway prototype was assembled in June 1928 and the model entered production the following month. At first the frame was fitted with bracing struts to prevent flex, though these would soon be abandoned.
The speedway engine was redesigned for 1930 and new front forks adopted on the dirt-tracker, which continued to be highly successful; indeed, in 1931 Rudge's advertising was able to claim that the most successful speedway competitors rode Rudges. Production of the Rudge speedway model ceased in 1933, though they continued in use for a number of years, sometimes fitted with JAP engines.
Before then the factory had completed a small number (in 'Don't Trudge it, Rudge it', Bryan Reynolds says approximately 12) of what would have been the next production speedway iron. This new machine retained the existing cycle parts but featured an entirely new engine. According to Reynolds: "The cylinder head retained the four semi-radial valves, but the bottom end was totally new. A very much lighter cylinder barrel was fitted, with fairly small fins. This was retained by six through-bolts, which screwed directly from the head into the crankcase. The flywheels had been reduced to 7in in diameter, and the engine had a compression ratio of 10 to 1, producing 40bhp at 6000 revs." Despite the machine having shown itself to be competitive, there was no money available to continue its development.
This ultra-rare Rudge is believed to be one of 10 built for the Southampton Speedway Team in the early 1930s. It has a braced, nickel-plated frame and is fitted with one of the aforementioned special Rudge speedway engines (it is believed only 20 of these were built, all with numbers prefixed 'D'). The machine was acquired by the Rudge-enthusiast vendor from one of the Poole Pirates Speedway Team's mechanics at some time during the 1950s as an engine and frame project. It was subsequently reassembled using correct parts to replace any that were missing. Not used for many years, it will require re-commissioning to bring it back to running condition. There are no documents with this Lot.
• Ultra-rare engine type
• Believed used by the Southampton Speedway Team
• Present ownership for more than 60 years
Dirt track (speedway) racing arrived in the UK in 1928 from Australia, the first make of motorcycle to achieve dominance on the cinders being Douglas. The latter was soon deposed and for a while it was the lighter and more compact Rudge that ruled the roost before the arrival of the ubiquitous 'Speedway JAP' set the pattern for the next 30 years. Equipped with the 1927 works-type engine, Rudge's first speedway prototype was assembled in June 1928 and the model entered production the following month. At first the frame was fitted with bracing struts to prevent flex, though these would soon be abandoned.
The speedway engine was redesigned for 1930 and new front forks adopted on the dirt-tracker, which continued to be highly successful; indeed, in 1931 Rudge's advertising was able to claim that the most successful speedway competitors rode Rudges. Production of the Rudge speedway model ceased in 1933, though they continued in use for a number of years, sometimes fitted with JAP engines.
Before then the factory had completed a small number (in 'Don't Trudge it, Rudge it', Bryan Reynolds says approximately 12) of what would have been the next production speedway iron. This new machine retained the existing cycle parts but featured an entirely new engine. According to Reynolds: "The cylinder head retained the four semi-radial valves, but the bottom end was totally new. A very much lighter cylinder barrel was fitted, with fairly small fins. This was retained by six through-bolts, which screwed directly from the head into the crankcase. The flywheels had been reduced to 7in in diameter, and the engine had a compression ratio of 10 to 1, producing 40bhp at 6000 revs." Despite the machine having shown itself to be competitive, there was no money available to continue its development.
This ultra-rare Rudge is believed to be one of 10 built for the Southampton Speedway Team in the early 1930s. It has a braced, nickel-plated frame and is fitted with one of the aforementioned special Rudge speedway engines (it is believed only 20 of these were built, all with numbers prefixed 'D'). The machine was acquired by the Rudge-enthusiast vendor from one of the Poole Pirates Speedway Team's mechanics at some time during the 1950s as an engine and frame project. It was subsequently reassembled using correct parts to replace any that were missing. Not used for many years, it will require re-commissioning to bring it back to running condition. There are no documents with this Lot.
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