Royal Enfield’s origins can be traced back to a small light engineering firm – George Townsend & Company – founded in Redditch, Worcestershire, in mid-Victorian times. The firm moved into bicycle manufacture and by the turn of the Century had been reorganised as the Enfield Cycle Company, makers of the ‘Royal Enfield’.
source.image: classic-motorcycle.com
- Manufacturer: Royal Enfield
- Model: J
- Year: 1931
- Displacement: 500 cc
- Cylinder: 1
- Engine type: 4-stroke / ohv
- Bore / Stroke: 80.50 x 99.25 mm
By 1904 the firm was concentrating on car production, resuming motorcycle manufacture in 1910 with a v-twin Motosacoche-powered lightweight which was followed by the famous JAP v-twin-engined 7hp sidecar outfit for 1912. Enfield’s first 350cc single appeared in 1924 in overhead-valve and sidevalve versions, both of which used engines supplied by J A Prestwich.
The JAP engine gave way to one of Royal Enfield’s own manufacture for 1925, and in 1927 the firm introduced its first 500cc (3½hp) model, which used the 1,000cc v-twin’s 85.5x85mm bore/stroke dimensions for an actual capacity of 488cc. An overhead-valve version joined the sidevalve original for 1929 and both used Enfield’s own four-speed gearbox.
Advertisement
In 1931 Royal Enfield the model J was the top model in the 500cc class. It’s full equipped with Amal carburetor, Bosch MagDyno and complete lighting set. This sporty overhead-valve Royal Enfield is in great shape.
